Beer Good For Your Health

Wine may be the preferred drink of the health-conscious, but beer is just as good for you, claims Charles Bamforth, Ph.D., chair of food science and technology at the Univ. of California, the author of Grape vs. Grain.

It's true that your beer doesn't doesn't contain resveratrol, wine's so called anti-aging antioxidant, but it's got more calcium and magnesium that a Cabernet or Merlot, and four to five times the level of free radical fighting popyphenols as a glass of white. In fact, a 12 ounce bottle of beer a day, but no more than that, may up "good" HDL cholesterol, decrease the risk of blood clots and reduce coronary heart disease rates by 30% to 40%.

Also: According to a new study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the hoppy beer might help strengthening your bones due to its high silicon content.
However, you must choose your beer wisely. Light, watery lagers have the least silicon, while hops-heavy pale ales had the most.