Cyclist finds benefits in beer
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Fri October 24 2008
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Posted Oct 24, 2008
- 5,819
By Earl Horlyk
ehorlyk@siouxcityjournal.com
SIOUX CITY - Beer lover and avid cyclist: sounds like a
contradiction in terms, right?
Well, maybe not.
For more than 20 years, John Gray has enjoyed the pleasures
of a well-crafted beer. That's almost as long as he has been
trekking the Hawkeye State as a participant in the
Register's Annual Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI).
"There's something about riding a bike and drinking beer
that just seems so right," Gray, a Sioux City attorney,
said. "The two things just go hand in hand."
As the temp cool down, the leaves turn an autumnal shade and
folks begin thinking of Octoberfest, we ask ourselves: Just
how healthy is beer, anyway?
There's been many studies that show a moderate intake of
beer, or any alcohol n one to two 12-ounce glasses per day
for men and one for women n can actually be good for Baby
Boomers, like Gray, as they face common diseases related to
aging.
The study of the health benefits of alcohol began back in
the early '90s when Dr. Serge Renaud, a scientist at
France's Bordeaux University coined the phrase "French
Paradox" to describe his countrymen's relatively low
incidence of coronary heart disease despite having a diet
rich in saturated fats.
In a 1992 interview with "60 Minutes"'s Morley Safer, the
doctor concluded it was his country's love of red wine that
decreased its likelihood of cardiac disease. Because of that
report, U.S. consumption of red wine increased 44 percent
and many wineries began lobbying for the right to label
their vino as "health products."
Hy-Vee nutritionist Sarah Nelson doesn't go that far. But
she does supports the studies that show the benefits of
moderate alcohol consumption when it comes to cardiovascular
disease.
"It reduces the level of fibrinogen in the blood," Nelson
explained. "It also reduces the stickiness of platelets that
can cause clots while increasing a person's good cholesterol
(HDL) level."
Although she cautions alcohol consumption among young adults
is associated "with a higher risk of traumatic injury and
death" and that women who consume "more than one drink per
day have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer," Nelson
concluded: "Compared with non-drinkers, adults (who drink
moderately) appear to have a lower risk of coronary heart
disease."
But what about beer?
Nelson touts the natural ingredients that go into the brew.
"It doesn't contain sugar, fat, cholesterol or
triglycerides," she said. "Beer also has low (25 mg) sodium,
and is a good source of folic acid and B6."
The B vitamins are important because it reduces a person's
homocysteine levels, a leading cause of heart disease.
Worried about osteoporosis? According to Nelson, silicon,
the high-fiber grains found in hops, has also been shown to
promote bone health.
Additionally, beer contain flavonoids that are quite
different than those in red wine.
"Xanthohumol, found only in hops, has been researched as a
potential cancer-preventing compounds," Nelson said.
Beer also has a significant amount of polyphenols n an
antioxidant that can also be found in red wine, fruits,
vegetables, and green and black tea.
"The key, here, is the darker the brew, the higher the level
of antioxidant present," Nelson said.
Which is good news for Gray.
"I never worry about gaining weight from beer," the slender
Gray said. "I burn off a lot more calories cycling than I
ever would drinking beer."
As a member of Sioux Brew RASCALS, Sioux City's beer and
home-brewing club, Gray said he enjoys all types of beer.
That is, with the exception of mass-produced, lower-calorie
beer, which he calls "a ripoff."
"If higher calories means more flavor," Gray admits, "then,
I'll go high calorie every time."
"Stouts, lagers, pale ales?" he said, smiling. "Don't have a
favorite beer. Never have. It all depends on what I'm in the
mood for that day."
Which, according to Gray, is a trait shared by both
bicyclists and beer aficionados.
"We're risk takers who love to try new things," he
explained. "We're active people who are passionate about the
things that we love."
"You see, bicycling and beer really do hand in hand," Gray
added with a laugh.
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