Unless we have a tendency towards abuse, believe it or not, taken in moderation, Beer is actually a very healthy food. It's full of vitamins and minerals that are good for nerve production, help you concentrate, increase blood circulation, and stimulate the metabolism. The hops, low alcohol content, and carbonation help relax the body.

Beer that has been brewed for just about as long as humans have been cultivating crops. Twenty years or so ago beer and other alcoholic drinks were generally considered unhealthy. This hasn't always been the case. Historically beer was seen as beneficial and rightly so because it was often more sanitary than local water supplies. The water used to make beer was boiled early on in the brewing process that killed any pathogens.

Beer is a bit misunderstood. In fact, Beer can make a positive contribution to a healthy diet. "Beer is made from wholesome ingredients, such as malt, hops, brewer's yeast, barley and filtered water. It also contains B vitamins, such as niacin, riboflavin, pyridoxine and folate." Malt, the raw material for beer, is the same as for health drinks Maltova and Horlicks. There are different styles of beer and each style has a distinctive flavour and colour.

Studies have consistently shown that the moderate use of beer or alcoholic beverages is associated with a decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease. In fact, all types of alcoholic beverages are associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Alcohol is believed to protect against heart disease in two ways: by increasing levels of so-called "good" cholesterol (HDL); and from the short-term inhibitory effect of alcohol on blood clotting. Beer also helps to reduce triglycerides and LDL (the bad sort of cholesterol), problems that are often associated with obesity.

Beer Nutrition: Beer that contains 92 percent water and 0 grams of Fat is actually a good source of folate, niacin, magnesium, potassium and niacin. There are also traces of calcium, phosphorus, and many of the B-vitamins. These quantities tend to improve commensurate to the quality of the beer. Beer is only an agri-food. In fact, Beer is better than Milk. A glass of beer contains more protein than does the same quantity of milk. What's more, beer has fewer calories than apple juice, milk or cola and contains neither fat nor cholesterol. Beer gives four vital minerals and five important constituents of vitamin B and proteins.

It is also fact that beer is not fattening, provided it's part of a healthy, balanced diet. Dietitians say there is a lot of evidence to disprove the theory that beer makes you put on the pounds. "Beer has only 153 calories and has 0 grams of fat for a 12-oz bottle," they say. "It is even more impressive when you compare it red wine, which has 106 calories for a 5-oz serving. The bottom line is that beer won't make you gain weight, provided it is part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle."

Beer as Part of a Healthy Diet: Drinking one beer per day may be good for your health. Enjoying that one beer per day has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Why? Some experts suggest these reasons: * The 'folate' found in beer may help to reduce homocysteine in the blood and lower homocysteine levels mean a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

* Lab studies have found constituents in beer that lower triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol.

* Drinking one beer per day reduces blood clotting so some studies found that cardiovascular patients who drank one beer per day also lived longer. Other studies have found that women who consume one beer each day have improved mental health. Drinking Too Much Beer: Drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages in moderation may also improve bone density. Drinking one beer per day may improve your/one's health, of course that doesn't mean that if one beer is good, three or four must be better. That isn't true. Heavy drinking will not as it has the opposite effect.

The studies also point to one beer per day as being beneficial, not drinking all seven beers in one day per week. That type of binge drinking will overload you system with alcohol too. Drinking more than one beer or any alcoholic beverage per day can put too much alcohol in your system and that isn't good for you as heavy drinking has been associated with several health problems such as liver damage, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, pancreatic diseases, severe thiamin deficiency and some cancers. So moderation is definitely the key with drinking beer.

Who Shouldn't Drink Beer? Beer drinking isn't for every one. The following people should not drink beer, or should speak with their doctor before drinking beer or other alcoholic beverages:

* Pregnant or breast-feeding women should not drink beer. Even small amounts of alcohol can damage a developing fetus.

* People with alcoholism or drug addictions should not drink beer. * People with liver, pancreatic diseases, or really, any type of chronic disease should speak with their doctor.

* People with gout should avoid beer. Gout is very painful and is triggered by alcohol. * Diabetics should speak with their doctor. * People taking any type of medications should speak with their doctor. This includes over-the-counter medications.