Joe Urbach

Beer, for Your Health! Joe Urbach

On a hot summer's day, after I have worked my lawn mower all over my yard, emptied the grass catcher into the compost bin (over and over again) and cleaned and put away my mower, nothing is a satisfying as relaxing with my favorite ice-cold beer and admiring my yard handiwork. Add a Philadelphia-style soft pretzel to the scene and you will reach nirvana! But thanks to the so-called beer belly, beer has gotten a reputation as a "bad-for-you" beverage. I am sure each of you has heard, as I so often did, that beer is basically evil and from a health standpoint should always be avoided. "It's not good for you." Well the more research I did into food and drink and how they relate to our health and nutrition the more I discovered the truth, and that is that the thought that any food or drink is fundamentally 'bad' for us is just plain hogwash! It is time to call BS on that old myth! Sometimes, nothing but a cold glass of beer will do, especially when you're at the game or visiting your neighbourhood pub with friends. But can sipping a pint be part of a healthy lifestyle? "There's a strong association between beer and the beer belly, so people automatically assume that beer is fattening or unhealthy," says beer sommelier Mirella Amato, who specializes in the selection and service of ales. "But that's just not true.'" Shocking, isn't it? But consider this: Beer is fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in carbohydrates. A 341-mL (about 12 ounce) bottle of beer with 5 percent alcohol has 5g of carbohydrates, while a pear with the skin on has 26g. Now I am not saying you should trade your fruits and veggies in for a steady diet of suds, but enjoying beer in moderation can actually be a healthier beverage choice than soda! In this book, author Joe Urbach discusses both the history and health benefits that drinking the occasional beer has to offer.