Beer: benefits and properties for your health

According to a study promoted by the Italian producers' association (Assobirra), doctors have given beer top marks. 90% of those surveyed consider it wholesome and compatible with a balanced diet, and 60% even recommend it to people following a diet.

According to the same research, 87.2% of Italian doctors are aware of studies attributing to beer protective properties with regard to the heart, blood and bones. 62% of the sample endorses the reliability of the data, while 19.6% are waiting for further investigation.

The most positive assessment, however, was certainly expressed by Antonio Gasbarrini, of the Università Cattolica di Rome, who stressed that alcohol, and therefore beer, "protects better than aspirin." This is on condition that the beer is not genetically manipulated and that consumption is, of course, moderate.

How much beer can you drink a day?

Half a litre of beer a day, then, consumed with meals, has positive effects. The mistake, Gasbarrini added, is instead to concentrate the consumption of large quantities over short periods of time, as often happens at weekends, in pubs and in breweries. The beneficial virtues are attributed to the presence of group B vitamins (including B6 and B12) and folates.