I Like Beer, It Makes Me A Jolly Good Fellow

As the studies pile up, we can say something we wouldn't have said twenty years ago: The average person is better off if they include alcohol in their diet.

And in my book, beer is a natural choice for the health-conscious 21st century.
Yes, indeedy, beer makes for a great dinner in a pinch. It is easy to prepare, fun to drink, and is nicely complimented with a side dish of chips. Don’t do this every night, of course, but every so often – beer makes up my favorite evening meal.

Best of all, it is now proven that consistent (not excessive) drinking is good for your heart. To top it off, scientists at Okayama University in Japan have rather agreeably discovered that unidentified compounds in lager and stout may help to prevent DNA damage leading to cancer.
The old advertising slogan "Guinness is Good for You" may be true after all.

Historically, beer was viewed as a nourishing diet staple like bread, based on grain. One style, doppelbock, was even dubbed "liquid bread" by the monks who relied on it for sustenance during Lenten fasts. In earlier times, beer was the healthful mealtime beverage for young and old alike and a source of valuable nutrients.

Somewhere, we lost sight of beer's essential wholesomeness. Now, research has documented beer's medical and nutritional benefits. If an "average" 12 ounce bottle of beer sported a Nutrition Facts label, it would tell you that beer contains:
· 150 calories.
· 0 fat
· 0 cholesterol
· 0 caffeine
· 0 nitrates
· 1 gram of protein
· 13 grams of carbohydrates
· Significant amounts of magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, and biotin
· Impressive amounts of B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxin), and B9 (folate), with smaller amounts of B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B12 inotisol and choline.
· 92 percent water

Ben Franklin said: "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." I agree