Beer contains a variety of vitamins, niacin, pantothenic acid, and folic acid, making it nutritious and earning it the nickname "liquid bread." It is believed to have benefits such as replenishing qi and activating blood, relieving heat and alleviating pain, stimulating the nervous system, promoting urination, and enhancing beauty. However, there are 10 situations in which it is not advisable to drink beer, requiring extra attention:
1. It is not advisable to eat smoked and grilled foods with beer. Drinking beer increases the lead content in the blood. Lead can combine with harmful substances in smoked and grilled foods to form carcinogens.
2. It is not advisable to eat seafood with beer. Data shows that consuming large amounts of beer while eating seafood can cause gout and easily lead to urinary tract stones. This is because seafood is rich in purines and nucleotides, and the vitamin B1 abundant in beer is an important catalyst for the metabolic breakdown of these two components, which increases uric acid levels in the blood. Once uric acid cannot be excreted from the body in time, it will be deposited in the form of sodium salts, causing gout or the formation of stones.
3. It is not advisable to mix beer with baijiu (Chinese liquor). Different brewing methods and raw materials mean the components of various types of alcohol cannot dissolve into each other. Mixing beer and baijiu will accelerate the penetration of alcohol from baijiu throughout the body, causing strong stimulation and damage to organs such as the liver, stomach, intestines, and kidneys. It also affects the production of digestive enzymes in the body, reduces gastric acid secretion, and accelerates alcohol poisoning. It can also cause stomach cramps, acute gastroenteritis, and is harmful to cerebral blood vessels.
4. People with gastritis should not drink beer. Drinking large amounts of beer can cause chronic gastritis. For those who already have chronic gastritis, drinking beer can worsen the condition and may also cause gastric bleeding. A normal stomach lining secretes a substance called prostaglandin E, which regulates stomach acid and protects the stomach lining from damage. After beer enters the stomach, it can reduce the secretion of prostaglandin E. Beer irritates the stomach lining, causing damage, congestion, and edema, leading to loss of appetite, abdominal bloating, and fullness.
5. Patients with liver disease should not drink beer. The basic principle is the same as for other alcoholic beverages, mainly because beer contains alcohol. After being absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, alcohol must be broken down by metabolism in organs like the liver. If liver function is abnormal and detoxification ability is weak, the detoxification process cannot be carried out in time, easily leading to alcohol poisoning. Alcohol can also directly damage liver cells, worsening the symptoms of liver disease.
6. People taking medication should not drink beer. Beer can undergo chemical reactions with drugs, producing side effects. It increases acidity and affects the breakdown and absorption of drugs, impacting their efficacy. This effect is more pronounced with antibiotics, antihypertensive drugs, sedatives, and anticoagulants.
7. Patients with gout should not drink beer. Uric acid is the final product of the metabolic breakdown of purine compounds in the human body. An increase in uric acid can cause hyperuricemia, leading to gouty arthritis, uric acid kidney stones, and impaired kidney function. Beer contains large amounts of purines and nucleic acids. When gout patients drink beer, it can increase uric acid levels in the blood, triggering a gout attack.
8. Diabetic patients should not drink beer. The alcohol in beer produces a certain amount of heat, affecting the patient's normal diet control. Drinking too much beer at once can increase blood sugar levels in the body.
9. It is not advisable to drink expired beer. The main component of beer is maltose, which will spoil over long-term storage. The carbon dioxide in beer will also dissipate. Drinking expired beer can cause diarrhea or poisoning. Generally, regular beer can be stored for two months, high-quality beer for four months, and draft beer for only about ten days.
10. It is not advisable to drink beer frequently. Studies have found that people who drink beer frequently are prone to weight gain. This is because the refreshing bitterness stimulates digestive fluid secretion, aids digestion, increases appetite, and leads to larger food intake and increased calorie consumption. The sugars in beer are absorbed and oxidized in various tissues and organs of the body to provide energy for life activities. Excess sugars can be converted into fat and some amino acids. Beer itself is also rich in amino acids. Amino acids are the basic units that make up various protein molecules, and proteins and amino acids are important material foundations for life. Amino acids can be converted into sugars in the body, which are then turned into fat. Most fat is stored under the skin, in the mesentery, greater omentum, around the kidneys, and in the intercostal spaces. If there is too much fat, the abdomen will protrude, forming a "beer belly." Excess fat in the heart can weaken heart function, cause the heart to enlarge (forming a "beer heart"), and damage the heart muscle. If not repaired in time, it can accelerate heart aging and functional failure, leading to poor blood supply and a rapid heartbeat.