Through the years, beer has come to be one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world. The reason for this was largely based upon a history where beer was consumed instead of water because of the unsanitary quality of water. And although this problem has long been solved, in the last hundred years or so, beer has become a drink of leisure and pleasure. Continue reading to learn more this amazing beverage and the potential health benefits it can provide.
The Definition Of Beer
Beer is an alcoholic beverage usually made from malted cereal grain, flavored with hops, and brewed in a slow fermentation process. Today, ale and beer are pretty much considered the same, but at one time they were considered two different beverages. Today the most commonly used designations are ale and lager, because of the different strains of yeast. Now, both ale and lager are typically considered “beer”.
What Is Beer Made Of?
According to experts, beer is traditionally made from three ingredients: water, barley, and hops. In the 19th century, yeast was added to assist with the fermentation process. For the most part, beer is still made from only those four ingredients. But that list now also includes a whole host of exotic ingredients including other grains, sugars, fruits,vegetables, and spices.
Do Hops Actually Prevent Plaque?
Besides just being a tasty libation, beer also contains antibacterial properties from hops that can reduce dental plaque. When certain bacteria multiply in the mouth, they can increase inflammation and infection. Beer can help fight these bacteria with its antibacterial properties and thus reduce plaque levels. As such, the consumption of beer can be particularly helpful for patients who are prone to gum disease. It can also be helpful for dental implantpatients who need to ensure their teeth remain plaque free because of the danger of inflammation around the implant site.
What Kinds Of Beer Are Healthy?
Lighter beers are better for your teeth because they contain more ingredients that are helpful for maintaining tooth enamel. Additionally, when beer is consumed, it can prevent osteoporosis and help the body heal from bone loss caused by gum disease. It can also help the jaw tissues better attach to dental implants. However, experts caution that drinkers should limit beer intake to a few pints. Anything more can damage rather than help.
The Additional Health Benefits Of Beer
Besides just assisting with better oral health, drinking beer has some other surprising benefits like:
Blood Pressure: According to research, beer can lower your risk for hypertension. In fact, studies have found that moderate beer drinkers are less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who sip wine or cocktails.
Brain: Researchers studied 40 men watching a movie while completing verbal puzzles. The men who watched movies while drinking beer solved the problems a few seconds faster than their sober counterparts.
Heart: Italian researchers discovered that moderate beer consumption created a 42 percent lower risk of heart disease compared to non-drinkers. Just be sure to keep consumption to one or two pints daily.
Blood: Dutch researchers found that when men began drinking beer moderately (a beer or two a night) over 4 years, they were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Eyes: Canadian researchers found that one daily beer increases antioxidant activity that can stop cataracts from forming in the eyes. However, more than three beers a day had the opposite effect.
Kidneys: Researchers in Finland found that consuming a beer daily lowers the risk of developing kidney stones by 40 percent. Additionally, the researchers say that the hops in beer may be responsible for the correlation, helping to slow the release of calcium from bone which could get reabsorbed by the kidneys as painful stones.
Come To Pristine Periodontics and Implants Today For All Your Dental Needs
Here at our dental implant practice, we want all of our patients to know how important oral health is. If you have questions about the treatments we offer or general questions about oral hygiene, please feel free to peruse our infosite. You can also call our Birmingham, MI, office for a consultation with Dr. Sayed. Give us a call now to get started on your journey to a healthy and happy smile.