At all times people have dreamed of immortality, but until now no one has crossed the “river of time”… We have not managed to become immortal, but with the help of modern science we have come close to solving our aging. What prevents us from living a long and happy life? – We ourselves!

I’m not going to try to make you live a healthy lifestyle-it’s impossible to change an adult’s habits, except under threat of a death sentence. Not everything is up to us – we have genetics inherited from our parents, which is where more than half of our diseases come from, but we can make a major change in our lives.

Recent studies have shown that free radicals have a significant negative impact on our body – they accelerate aging processes, interfere with muscle growth, contribute to the emergence and development of diseases such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, etc. These are highly active molecules that seriously damage cells by triggering chain reactions in them, during which they oxidize and, consequently, destroy various parts of cells. Scientists call them free radicals.

Free radicals are molecules with a free, i.e., unpaired, electron. Such molecules strive to keep an even number of electrons and pull out an electron from other molecules, as a result, the “affected” molecule itself becomes a free radical. These highly active compounds are formed under the influence of radioactive radiation present in polluted air, tobacco smoke, and also arise in the body itself during the breakdown of fats and proteins. However, free radicals are not invulnerable. Their destructive effect can be minimized with antioxidants.

What are antioxidants? They are best described by such a concept as “protective nutrients”. They have been proven to protect the body from the negative effects of free radicals. How it works? – An antioxidant combines with a free radical and prevents the damaging effects of the extra electron. Then, our body converts the cellular oxidant to water and oxygen (not a radical).

The most popular antioxidants are beta-carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Antioxidants are also found in large quantities in red wine, and especially in beer. It should be noted that for their effectiveness, beer should be drunk with meals, not before or after.

Scientists from the U.S. state of Oregon discovered that a substance from the flavonoid group contained in beer has powerful antioxidant effects, protecting against cancer, aging, inflammatory diseases, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Studies have found that the flavonoid in beer, Xanthohumol, a specific beer polyphenol found only in hops, acts stronger than the well-known antioxidant vitamin E. Other beneficial substances have also been found in hops, an essential ingredient of modern beer.

Japanese scientists believe that beer can reduce the human body’s risk of being exposed to carcinogenic substances found in smoked meats and burnt fish, and thereby reduce the risk of cancer. They believe that highly fried meat contains a substance that destroys DNA in cells, making those cells more susceptible to cancer. The polyphenols found in beer lessen the harmful effects of this substance.

In Ukraine, in turn, they proved that drinking beer can be not only harmful, but also beneficial for the liver: alcohol makes the small blood vessels in the liver expand, thus speeding up the metabolic process. On this basis, it is claimed that beer helps the liver to get rid of such heavy metals as lead and copper, which, accumulated in the body, become poisonous. Alcohol consumption is bad for the liver, but in the case of heavy metal poisoning, on the contrary, it begins to help.

In numerous studies, Dutch scientists have found that beer at lunch is much healthier for the heart than red wine or mineral water. Beer controls Homocysteine, a substance in the blood that contributes to heart and vascular disease. Earlier studies showed that vitamin B6 worked successfully against homocysteine. It turned out that beer increases the level of vitamin B6 in the blood by 30%, while wine only by 17%.

It should be noted that beer is not a medicament, but the health benefits of this wonderful drink are undeniable. Numerous studies have proven that a glass of beer with dinner only improves our health. The mere fact that beer makes us happy already puts us on the right track. But don’t forget that everything is good in moderation!