Washington: Despite its bad reputation, beer has a number of natural antioxidants and vitamins that can help prevent heart disease and even rebuild muscles, study claims.
Researchers have found that beer has several surprising health benefits that can help lower cholesterol, fight cancer and even kill viruses.
Beer, however, also has one of the highest energy content and can make a person fat, `Fox News` reported.
Beer is 93 percent water and according to a Spanish study, it may actually provide better hydration than H2O alone when a person is sweating out under the sun.
Calorie-wise, you may be tempted to grab a light lager, but for health benefits, a dark beer is the better choice, the report said.
According to the report, dark beers tend to have the most antioxidants, which help reverse cellular damage that occurs naturally in the body.
A study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture has also found that dark beer has higher iron content compared to lighter beers.
Iron is an essential mineral in human cells and does many jobs including carrying oxygen from our lungs throughout the rest of our body.
Another good choice, the report said, is micro-brews, which are healthier than mass-produced cans, because they have more hops. Hops contain polyphenols, which help lower cholesterol, fight cancer and kill viruses.
PTI
