According to CNN (21 April 2009), recent studies show light drinkers are healthier than those who abstain. But they also have higher rates of liver disease.
Alcohol research can be baffling and confusing, with one finding contradicted by the next.
Is alcohol good for you?
"One drink a day for women and no more than two for men is thought to be good for coronary heart disease," said Dr. Samir Zakhari, director of the division of metabolism and health effects at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
And is beer good for you?
Beer may cause your blood sugar to drop drastically, thus stimulating you to eat more.
Beer has about 7 calories per gram of alcohol, which may go right to your stomach, leading to weight gain. One 12-ounce serving of beer every night may add up to an extra 10-15 pounds per year, if you do not burn those extra calories.
Your liver, in the process of detoxifying excess
quantities of alcohol, may become filled with fat, resulting in a
characteristic “beer belly.” Typically, fat
distribution shifts to your belly and trunk, and some men may even grow “female breasts” as estrogen accumulates in their
system. If you want to retain your body shape, simply drink less.
If you have problems with alcohol, maybe it is time to quit the addiction.
Stephen Lau
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