Research shows that non-alcoholic beer seems to have the same benefits on the stickiness of blood as does regular beer.We already know that moderate consumption of alcohol reduces the tendency of blood platelets to clump together and so makes the blood less likely to clot. This helps reduce the risk of heart disease. The benefits have been put down to alcohol itself and to compounds in drinks like red wine, including resveratrol.
In a study, a team in Germany has found that some of the same advantages are associated with non-alcoholic beer. They gave a group of 12 young healthy male volunteers three liters of either non-alcoholic beer, regular beer, or alcohol and water mixture of the same strength. Blood samples were taken for analysis before and at 1.5, 3.5 and 24 hours after consumption. All the three fluids reduced platelet activation. The non-alcoholic beer had an additional benefit – it reduces thrombin generation. Thrombin is a protein which is key to the formation of a clot. Again, this would reduce the risk of blood clotting and heart disease. It’s not known why non-alcoholic beer has this effect. However, it may be a good option for those who want to get the heart benefits of alcohol but avoid the risks of alcohol abuse.
