If you’re a man looking to lose a few pounds or just enhance his overall wellness, you might consider – heaven forbid – cutting out beer. There’s a reason why they call it a beer belly, but could you be doing more harm than good to your wellbeing by eliminating beer from your diet? According to wellness writer Dustin Driver, ‘It turns out that beer and fitness really do go hand-in-hand, despite the beverage’s bad reputation (beer bellies, dehydration, public drunkenness, bar brawls, frat boys, etc.). The delicious brew is chock-full of natural antioxidants and vitamins that can prevent heart disease and even help rebuild muscle.’ So which beers can actually be good for you?
‘When it comes to health, some beers are better than others,’ notes Driver. ‘Generally, dark beers pack more of an antioxidant punch than light beers (antioxidants help reverse the cellular damage caused by oxidizing compounds that naturally occur in your body). Researchers at the University of Washington, bless their souls, found that dark beers —specifically Guinness — had greater health benefits than light lagers…Microbrews also tend to harbour more of the good stuff than mass-produced brews. For example, Men’s Health found that Avery Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale contains 80 times the hops of big-brand lagers. Hops contain polyphenols, compounds that help lower cholesterol, fight cancer and kill viruses.’ So what health benefits can you gain from sipping on a nice pint?
1. Energy: ‘Ounce-for-ounce, beer has one of the highest energy contents of any food or drink,’ says Driver. ‘Only pure fat can top it. So keep that in mind when you guzzle three or four at the local pub. Your average beer has about 120 calories, and four have as many calories as a Big Mac. That many calories can have dire consequences if you’re trying to lose weight. One beer after work probably won’t tip the scales in either direction, though. Drink beer in moderation and you won’t hold on to all those extra calories. If you’re looking for an energy boost, beer is definitely not the answer. Alcohol is pure caloric fuel, but it does funny (and fun) things to your physiology — it makes you tired and sluggish. Beer and fitness do complement one another — as long as you’re not trying to enjoy both at once.’
2. Recovery: ‘Work your muscles and they’ll start to fall apart,’ Driver points out. ‘Your body rebuilds them, makes them stronger and gets them ready to face the next workout. Protein, carbs, vitamins, and specifically antioxidants help put things back together. The latest research has found that beer has almost as many antioxidants as red wine, which is saying something. So how do beer and fitness go together at the recovery stage? A dark beer a few hours after a workout can deliver a good dose of antioxidants. Still, you’ll probably want to reach for water and a healthy snack — like fruit and yogurt — immediately following your routine at the gym.’
3. Hydration: Driver details, ‘Researchers at the GranadaUniversity in Spain have found that beer can provide better hydration than water in some instances, like after a workout. Professor Manuel Garzon, the head of this study on beer and fitness, asked students to sweat it out in 104°F weather. Then he gave half of the students water and the other half beer. He found that the students who had a pint were slightly more hydrated. So does this mean that you should slam a cold one after a run? Probably not. While beer is 93% water and appears to hydrate you better than H2O alone, it’s not the best thing after exercise. Drink water and have a piece of fruit instead. However, don’t pass up a pint the night before a big workout for fear of dehydration — seems that some beer won’t dry you out as much as you thought.’