Turns out, a little of what you fancy really does do you good. Scientists have revealed that one beer a day could keep the cardiologist away.
And just in time for beer garden season too!
A teams of boffins from the IRCCS Mediterranean Neurological Institute, Pozzilli, claim that indulging in a pint a day could protect your arteries and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
According to a report in the Times, when the team reviewed the findings of 150 separate studies, they concluded that consuming 1.4 pints (or two 330ml cans) actually protects the heart. While binge drinking has long been shown to increase the risk of disease, interestingly, this volume of alcohol didn’t increase the odds of dementia or cancer.
But don’t all go running to the pub at once. Moderation is key.
Study author Dr Simona Costanzo told Italia Salute: ‘A moderate and regular consumption of beer, placed in the context of a healthy diet, with a healthy lifestyle also involving physical activity, appears to have no detrimental effects, and indeed demonstrated its ability to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.’
The review supports the findings of a Swedish study, which showed that women who drank a beer once or twice a week were 30 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack than those who never drank or drank every day.
