Drinking a pint (330 ml) a day is good for the heart, a study has found. While ecessive drinking is known to harm our health, moderate consumption reduces the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases by a quarter, researchers discovered.
A team from the IRCCS Mediterranean Neurological Institute, Pozzilli, said the alcohol and other chemicals in the drink reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and artery disease.
The study comes after a slew of research suggests moderate drinking – of wine as well as beer – does more good than harm and can be part of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Beer is known to contains high level of antioxidants – compounds which mop up harmful chemicals thought to cause heart attacks.
Another study found beer could even slow neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
Chinese scientists found an ingredient in hops, called xanthohumol or Xn, could help protect brain cells from oxidative damage associated with dementia.
The research, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, suggested that people who regularly drink beer might be better able to ward off the progression of these diseases. The new study was published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.