Six ways beer might actually be good for you (in moderation!)

And there’s more good news. Latest research shows that the perks of a pint might even outweigh the pains. Here are six ways beer might actually be good for you (in moderation)...

1. It may reduce the risk of heart disease - Perhaps the most proven positive of a well-placed pint: drinking beer is good for your heart.

According to a 2012 study published in the European Heart Journal, beverages rich in polyphenols, like beer, have been shown repeatedly to carry substantial cardiovascular benefits, and drinking one half to two pints of beer a day lessens your chance of heart disease by around 25 per cent.

So here’s your unusual prescription – plenty of exercise, a healthy diet, and a congratulatory post-run pint. Now let’s move on, before anyone mentions the liver.

2. It can be good for your long-term memory - Studies suggest that chemicals found in beer can slow the progress of degenerative cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s.

3. It’s apparently good for your bones - Overall, alcohol probably causes more broken bones than it prevents, but given that small amounts of beer actively increase your bone density, you can probably scratch most of these accidents up to user error. According to a 2013 study, beer contains a high proportion of silicon, a key component of bone construction, in quantities not found in most foods. Products high in hops and barley are particularly effective.

4. It could increase your creativity - A 2017 study published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, found participants with a small amount of alcohol in their bloodstream outstripped their sober counterparts in cognitive tests. As Hemingway (supposedly) said: “Write drunk, edit sober.”

5. It may help your sight - At best this might sound like a dubious marketing strategy – but there is evidence to suggest that unlatching a lager might be just as good for your eyes as gulping down a carrot smoothie.

According to researchers from Canada, one beer a day releases anti-oxidants that help to stop the formation of cataracts.

Unsurprisingly, there’s a catch: Drinking three or more beers a day reverses this trend.

6. It could reduce the risk of kidney stones - No one seems entirely sure why beer carries this particular benefit, but a 2013 study suggested that a bottle before bedtime could reduce the risk of kidney stones by 40%, or more. Some put it down as a component of hops, others to the increased fluid intake, but all agree that periodic beer drinking is doing your kidneys a kindness.

zz Do you have a favourite pub beer garden? If so let us know. Please email nicky.findley@bournemouthecho.co.uk