The Beer Diet: Is This A Healthy Diet You Should Try?

Like all alcoholic beverages, beer has a bad reputation which is largely unjustified. In fact, this drink can provide many benefits to your body, so it may be worth trying the beer diet.

Now, due to the alcohol content,  it is not recommended to drink a lot of beer. However, you can drink a moderate amount of alcohol without it being harmful. Still, the best recommendation for any diet is non-alcoholic beer.

It may still sound strange to talk about a diet based on this famous drink. This is not surprising since, as we said at the beginning, beer has a bad reputation for being associated with alcoholism.

However, scientific evidence shows that this drink can be valuable to you, something we will tell you about in this article.

The beer belly is just a myth

Almost everyone associates drinking beer with getting a bigger waist, which is popularly known as a “beer belly”. Recent scientific studies, however, have established that beer is not related to a growing waist.

This suggests that the so-called beer stomach instead  occurs as a result of high fat intake in combination with fluid retention. This means that those who develop a beer belly would have it, regardless of whether they drank beer or not.

However, those who already have this condition may be more affected by excessive beer consumption because it causes gas.

Beer is not to blame for obesity

The fact that an overweight person drinks beer does not mean that it is the beverage that causes obesity.

Research has been done to try to find the relationship between obesity and beer. According to the results, there is no evidence that you are going to gain weight.

It is true that a person who drinks beer may be overweight, but obesity depends on certain metabolic conditions or high calorie intake. The latter uncovers the myth that beer makes you fat. This is because beer has very few calories.

Should I drink beer when I am on a diet?

Recently, the “beer diet” has received more media attention.

Now is the time to make something clear: When we talk about the term “beer diet”, we do not refer to being on a beer-based diet. Rather, we believe that you are allowed to drink some beer when you are trying to lose weight. This should of course be in moderate amounts and preferably alcohol-free.

As we mentioned, a moderate consumption of beer in a diet is recommended to lose weight.

This is thanks to the following benefits:

Nutritional benefits and low calorie content

First of all, you can drink beer in moderation while on a diet without worrying about gaining weight.

Each standard bottle of beer (33 cl) contains 148 calories . If you choose non-alcoholic beer, you will only consume 68 calories per beer.

Non-alcoholic beer is most recommended. This is not only because it contains fewer calories, but also because you avoid drinking alcohol, which is actually the origin of the beer’s bad reputation.

In turn, it is important to note that beer is rich in minerals and vitamins ( especially B-complex ), and it is diuretic.

Some factors to consider

The “beer diet” is not a diet in itself

We recommend that you include the consumption of beer no matter what diet for weight loss you do. In no case should beer ever replace food.

Just enjoy it as a drink that contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

You can not forget that these drinks – even the light versions – have a high sugar content and contribute a lot of calories. Thus, you choose beer.

Drink it in moderation and do not combine it with high-calorie foods

What is considered “moderate” is a daily consumption of 2 to 3 beers for men, and between 1 and 2 for women. Drinking more than this can be unhealthy.

It seems obvious, but we must emphasize it: If you combine beer with calories and fats, the mixture will almost certainly make you gain weight.

Use it to rehydrate yourself after exercise

Did you know that beer can be a good alternative for rehydration and replenishing mineral salts after exercise? Of course, you must always do this in moderation and, if possible, choose the non-alcoholic type.

Beer contains maltodextrin, a type of carbohydrate that promotes the recovery of fluids after physical activity.

The health benefits of the beer diet

According to research, the micronutrients in beer can improve our cardiovascular health since it works to heal injuries. Similarly, it has polyphenols, silicon and flavonoids, which help bone health.

Finally, drinking beer is especially beneficial for women’s health. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties and improves estrogenic activity.