Beer is an alcoholic drink, but that alone doesn't make it a danger to your health. Only excessive consumption leads to headaches, hangovers and eventually more severe health problems. A moderate consumption of beer has no negative impact on your health.

With that in mind, let's see some of the aspects favoring beer consumption and their counterpoints:

Beer Contains no Fat, but It Does Cause the "Beer Belly"

You've heard that beer makes people fat - the "beer belly" is a famous expression all around the world. Well, actually, beer itself contains no fat and there are plenty of beer diets you can try to get thin (beer diets are not based on calorie counting). So what exactly causes the beer belly? Excessive consumption of beer means excessive consumption of alcohol. Alcohol can lessen the body's ability to burn fat. And you've heard people saying that drinking a glass of beer equals eating a slice of bread. The "liquid bread", they say. That's true: because beer contains alcohol and alcohol contains calories. Depending on the brand, beer contains about 7-8 calories per gram, sometimes even more.

Beer Is Low in Sugar, but Can Cause Your Sugar Levels to Drop

The low levels of sugar in beer are a positive aspect. But beer contains alcohol and alcohol will cause the natural sugar levels in your blood to drop, leading to fatigue and a low energy level. Too much beer and you can go straight to bed. On the other hand, alcohol lowers insulin levels. That makes beer perfect for non-diabetics, as it reduces the chances of developing arteriosclerosis.

Beer May Help to Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Because it contains no cholesterol and it contains polyphenols with antioxidant qualities that will reduce the "bad cholesterol", also known as LDL cholesterol oxidation, beer may reduce the risk of heart disease. Besides, beer is a source of fiber derived from the malted barley which can also help. Consumption of beer may even help to reduce stress. That's good news. But again: moderate consumption! Not more than one beer per day for women and two for men and definitely not every day! Alcohol is also a blood thinner, thus not only is your heart protected, but the risk of stroke is also diminished. Some studies even consider moderate alcohol consumption (seven drinks a week) to be helpful in improving memory.

Beer Is Very Nutritious, but It Can Destroy Vitamin C

So far we know that beer is a great source of fiber. It also contains substantial amounts of minerals - magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and plenty of B vitamins: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxin) and B9 (folate) and B12 inotisol. Yet, alcohol destroys vitamin C.

Beer is 98% Water, but Still a Diuretic

Although 98% water, beer is a diuretic because it contains alcohol. That means you should not drink too much and never replace water with beer. To avoid headaches and hangovers caused by dehydration you should always have a glass of water between each glass of alcohol you drink.