With the countdown to winter’s end upon us, and the first days of spring tantalizingly close, it is once again time for the day when everyone is Irish – St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a religious day honoring St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland has evolved into a celebration of all things Gaelic. And, as so often happens, with that celebration comes drinking alcohol.
As a health practitioner, I would be negligent to say that the binge-drinking associated with this holiday is healthy — of course it isn’t at all. That being said, there are some health benefits to drinking alcohol responsibly in moderation, and specifically to consuming dark beer.
In general, alcohol is thought to move blood and qi. Many of the herbal decoctions in Chinese medicine contain small amounts of alcohol to direct the formula to the liver, and small of amounts of alcohol are said to move liver qi stagnation (stress), thereby relaxing the body.
Dark beer has some additional benefits. A 2002 study found that dark beer helped to reduce the prevalence of blood clots in dogs, compared to the dogs who had only light beer. More research is needed, but the initial results are promising.
Dark beers are also high in vitamin B6 and flavanoids, two substances known to help prevent heart disease. In addition to this, dark beers contain higher fiber content than their lighter counterparts, and the same is true for their levels of iron.
Finally, the higher concentration of hops in dark beers produces an antioxidant called xanthohumol, which helps regulate the excessive production of estrogen and testosterone, giving it a role in the prevention of certain cancers.
So if you’re planning on celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day with a beer, remember, keep the number of drinks to a minimum, and instead of grabbing a light watery beer, go for a dark one – its hearty goodness not only tastes better, and it is better for you.
Greg Radicone, Licensed Acupuncturist and Certified Herbalist