Is The Beer Diet A Healthy Diet?

Like all alcoholic beverages, beer has a bad reputation that is largely unjustified. This drink can actually have many benefits for your body. So it is worth trying some sort of beer diet.

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

It may sound strange to talk about a diet based on this well-known drink. This is not surprising because, as we said at the beginning, beer has a bad reputation. It is associated with alcoholism.

However, scientific evidence shows that this drink can be very valuable for you. In this article we tell you more about it.

The beer belly is just a myth

Almost everyone associates the consumption of beer with an increase in the waistline, more popularly known as the ‘beer belly’. However, recent scientific studies have shown that beer is not related to an increasing waistline.

This suggests that the so-called beer belly instead occurs as a result of a high intake of fat, coupled with fluid retention. The above implies that those who develop a beer belly get it regardless of whether they drink beer or not.

However, those who already suffer from this may be more affected by excessive beer consumption as it causes gas formation.

Obesity is not caused by drinking a beer

Just because an overweight person drinks beer does n’t mean it’s the drink that causes their obesity.

Research has been done to try to find a link between obesity and beer. However, according to the results, there is no evidence that you will gain weight if you drink normal amounts of beer.

Yes, a person who drinks beer may be obese, but the obesity is dependent on specific metabolic conditions or high calorie intake. The latter dispels the myth that beer makes you fat, because non-alcoholic beer contains very few calories.

Should I drink beer while on a diet?

Recently, the “beer diet” has received more attention in the media. Now’s a good time to make a point: when we talk about the term “beer diet,” we don’t mean consuming a beer-based diet.

On the contrary, we mean that you are allowed to consume a little bit of beer if you are dieting to lose weight. This should of course be in moderation and preferably alcohol-free.

As we mentioned, moderate consumption of beer while dieting is recommended for weight loss. This is due to the benefits that we will discuss below.

Nutritional value and low calories

First of all, you can drink beer in moderation while dieting without worrying about gaining weight:

• Each standard bottle of beer (33 cl) contains 148 calories.
• If you opt for non-alcoholic beer, you only get 68 calories per bottle.

Non-alcoholic beer is therefore the most recommended. Not only because it contains fewer calories but also because you do not consume alcohol, which is in fact the cause of beer’s bad reputation.

It is also important to point out that beer is rich in minerals and vitamins (especially B-complex) and it has a diuretic effect.

Some Factors to Consider When Talking About the “Beer Diet”

The ‘beer diet’ is not a diet in itself

We recommend that you include beer consumption in the weight loss diet you are on. Under no circumstances should beer replace your food. Just enjoy it as a drink that contains some vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

If you feel like having a drink, non-alcoholic beer is much more beneficial for your body and also contains far fewer calories than soda or fruit juice. Keep in mind that these drinks, even the light versions, are high in sugar and too high in calories.

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

What is considered ‘moderate’ is a daily consumption of 2 to 3 glasses of non-alcoholic beer for men and between 1 and 2 glasses of non-alcoholic beer for women. Drinking more than that is probably not very healthy.

It seems obvious, but we have to emphasize it: if you combine beer with high-calorie fatty foods, this combination will almost certainly make you gain weight.

Use it to hydrate after exercise

Did you know that beer is a good option to hydrate your body after exercise and to replenish mineral salts? Of course you drink this in moderation, and preferably the alcohol-free version.

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

The health benefits of beer and the ‘beer diet’

According to studies, the micronutrients in beer promote cardiovascular health as they help repair damage. It also contains polyphenols, selenium and flavonoids, which help promote bone health.

Finally, consuming beer can be particularly beneficial for women’s health. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties. It is also said to improve estrogenic activity.