Drinking a very cold beer on a hot summer day can be an incomparable pleasure. But not only in the summer season is this drink present in our lives, throughout the year beer is the king of concoctions and competes fiercely with wine for first place in Spain.
The importance of beer in Spain is total. In recent years, moreover, the production of all kinds of this concoction has increased exponentially with hundreds of varieties for all tastes.
From classic blonde beers to IPAs to the most modern, there are many types of beer that we can find in bars and supermarkets. Even the arrival of new craft varieties of this drink in establishments has taken beer to a new level.
Spain is one of the countries that consumes the most beer. Even so, it is far from other countries like Slovakia that dominate the lists of maximum lovers of this drink.
This concoction has thousands of years behind it. There are documents that prove that beer was already present in ancient Egypt, a fact that makes it one of the drinks with the longest history in the world. Since then, the passion for this fermentation, that has true lovers, has not stopped growing.
Although its popularity is total, it is still an alcoholic beverage. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this type of concoction should be limited to about 20 grams daily, the equivalent of two glasses of wine or beer for men. Even so, many experts advise against this recommendation and call for completely eliminating alcohol or making it occasional.
Thus, if we decide to consume beer or alcohol every day, we must take into account the effects on the body that these will generate. Several studies have analysed the possible damage of this over the years.
Although it is true that the intake of this drink can favour in some contexts, there are more negative effects than positive ones. Even so, a Spanish study managed to show that within a healthy diet, a controlled intake of beer could help in a certain way to fight against cardiovascular diseases. Which may be a good enough excuse for most people!
However, it should be noted that this is an exception. The effects of drinking beer and alcohol on a daily basis have a long list of negatives. The first is an increased risk of depression according to different studies that analysed regular and sporadic drinkers.
In addition, daily consumption is also related to obesity, liver disease and cancer. More than 30 grams a day clearly increases the appearance of cirrhosis and cancer, especially in the throat and mouth.
In relation to calories, each beer provides around 150 calories, something that can lead to a lack of control if you do not have a varied and healthy diet. Stomach upset is also linked to this drink on a daily basis. Damage to the stomach or oesophagus is two of the most common.
Finally, daily consumption is also directly related to the increased risk of death. Heavy and problem drinkers tend to have higher premature deaths than those who drink occasionally or do not consume alcohol at all.