There is no other perfect pair that can match a cold beer and cheesy pizza. This love affair has been going on for ages. But have you stopped to wonder how this combination affects your body? If you feel guilty or ashamed after the last time you indulged on Pizza and Beer, worry no more because here are some facts about the various health benefits it can do for your body.
Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
Sounds too good to be true, but in moderation, Pizza and Beer may be good for your blood vessels and heart. Research shows that with a healthy lifestyle and consuming 15 to 30 grams of alcohol per day can:
- Lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease by 25%
- Reduces coronary heart disease by 34%
- 20% less risk from strokes
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Lessens thefibrinogen to prevent blood clots
- Brings down inflammation
Compounds like resveratrol and antioxidants,which is found in beer, make arteries flexible, thus helping prevent heart disease. These properties that improve blood flow and circulation are more prominent with darker beer varieties.
Helps You Age Well
Although drinking beer can cause you to get tipsy and temporarily impair your cognitive skills, it can actually help you age well. A study conducted on 12 thousand people found that participants who are moderate alcohol drinkers had a 20% lower risk of cognitive problems in their later years. As mentioned before, beer improves the blood flow which also helps in maintaining a sharp mind.
Aside from maintaining and protecting your brain, beer can also help prevent eye or vision issues that are normally developed with age. But of course, this doesn’t excuse heavy drinking as it can cause numerous serious health issues. The main key here is moderation: one and a half drink for women and one to two for men. As you get old, your cognitive function may decline. Drinking beer can help:
- Reduce thinking impairment by 20%
- 15% lessdecline in mental abilities
- Healthier memory and reasoning agility
- Prevents dementia
- Lowers the risk of developing cataract by 41%
- 33% decrease in risk of kidney stones
Decrease Risk of Developing Diseases
Like its counterpart, pizza also has various health benefits brought by lycopene which can be derived from tomatoes. The cooked tomatoes in the pizza sauce contain antioxidants that reduce the risk of:
- Cancer in the mouth, esophagus, and colon
- Lessens bad cholesterol
- Decreases the risk of heart diseases
So, why can’t you just eat tomatoes in your salad instead? The oil and fat from the cheese and other ingredients increase the absorption rate of lycopene in your body. The next time you want to splurge on Italian foods in Victoria, don’t feel about it.
Conclusion
Enjoying your favorite food and drink with friends and family promotes great health as it reduces stress. As we all know, stress can create havoc into your system, leading to various illness and health problems. Just remember not to overindulge. A slice of Pizza and Beer every once in a while, can be good for you.
