3 Surprising Foods That Get Healthier In Combo With Booze
Usually, healthy diets encourage people to lay off on the alcoholic beverages. Though alcohol can be a fattening source of calories and harm the liver with heavy consumption, a small amount of alcohol actually provides many health benefits. A glass of wine in the evening can boost heart health, but it turns out that alcohol can do much more. You can actually receive more health benefits from certain foods when you consume them along with an alcoholic beverage.
Salmon and Tuna
Fatty fishes are often acclaimed for the high levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. These beneficial fats have been shown to decrease cancer risks, build healthy skin, protect the brain from depression and dementia, improve lung function, and promote heart health.
Unfortunately, most people do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids in their daily diet. Though eating salmon and tuna can provide some of these important nutrients, the body may still have trouble absorbing it. This is why it may be beneficial to have a glass of wine with your fish. Wine contains certain compounds called polyphenols, which help the body to metabolize fat and stabilize fatty acids. This means that the polyphenols in wine can help the body to absorb as much of the beneficial fatty acids as possible. Though wine enthusiasts often suggest pairing a white wine with fish, red wine actually has higher levels of polyphenols.
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Cashews and Almonds
Many bars provide salty mixed nut snacks alongside their beers. In addition to being tasty, new research suggests that this combination can actually be beneficial to health. Many types of nuts, including cashews, almonds, and peanuts are a great source of magnesium. Magnesium is used to build muscle tissue and bones, and it is a crucial part of the complex cell contraction and nerve transmissions that are needed to move the body.
However, the body usually only absorbs about half of the magnesium that it ingests, leaving many people magnesium deficient. B and D vitamins can help the body to absorb and use more magnesium, and beer is actually a great source of these vitamins. By having some beer right before you snack on nuts, you can absorb more valuable nutrients.
Cheeses and Meats
Though low carbohydrate diets may be trendy right now, eating a diet heavy in meat and cheese can cause some issues with cholesterol levels. Foods that are full of grease and fat can possibly raise bad cholesterol levels, leading to arteries that may be restricted or clogged. Low-density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as LDL cholesterol, can be raised by a poor diet, and high levels of LDL cholesterol lead to an increased risk for heart disease.
While LDL cholesterol clogs arteries, HDL cholesterol actually helps to remove and break down LDL cholesterol. It turns out that moderately drinking both beer and wine boost a person’s levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol. Roughly 30 ml of alcohol improves HDL, so it can help to prevent fatty cheeseburgers from clogging arteries.
Alcoholic drinks often get a bad reputation for being unhealthy. However, they are actually lower in sugar than soft drinks, and beer and wine contain many beneficial ingredients. These components can help the body to get a maximum amount of health benefits from common foods. One drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men can help to improve your health in many ways.
