1. It keeps your heart healthy
While glugging wine might be the boozy pasttime that we associate with decreasing cardiovascular disease risk, beer may be just as heart-healthy a beverage. Research has found that moderate beer drinkers have a 42 per cent lower risk of heart disease compared to non-drinkers. Although it’s good to note that the researchers suggest keeping consumption to one pint - at around 5 per cent alcohol by volume - a day.
2. It can make you live longer
It’s not the elixir of life, but Virginia Tech researchers found that regular, moderate beer drinkers were 19 per cent less likely to die during a given time period than people who never touch a drop. Well, there’s a good enough reason than any to toast to your health.
3. It can get your creative juices flowing
There’s a reason why you do your best thinking after you’ve polished off a pint. According to a study in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, knocking back a beer or two can boost your creativity. When 40 men watched a movie while completing verbal puzzles, beer-drinking blokes with a blood alcohol content of .075 solved the problems a few seconds faster than their sober counterparts.
4. It can protect you from Alzhiemer's
Short-term memory loss during consumption aside, a recent study found Xanthohumol, a compound in the hops used to flavour beer, is able to protect the brain from degenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
5. It can give you stronger bones
Conscientiously objecting to buying a pint of milk? A 2009 study concluded that the elevated levels of silicon in beer can contribute to higher bone density.
6. It has fewer calories than skimmed milk or orange juice
Here’s one reason why you shouldn’t feel guilty for a having a pint for breakfast while on holiday - Guinness released statistics showing that its heavy stout is lower in calories than both OJ and skimmed milk.
7. It can prevent type 2 diabetes
Dutch researchers analysed 38,000 male health professionals and found that when men who weren't big drinkers began drinking moderately over 4 years, they were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. However, that doesn’t mean you should order in a ten pint round - researchers found that, increased alcohol consumption over time didn't lower the risk in men who already had a couple drinks a day, so moderation is the key.