When it comes to alcohol, there are many horror stories with experts warning of serious harm to health from alcohol consumption.

A difficult notion for most, as alcohol consumption remains abundant in the UK.

But there is good news for those who drink occasionally, as research has shown that moderate drinkers can have a longer lifespan and a reduction in some age-related diseases than their counterparts who don’t drink or drink excessively.

With that in mind, what exactly is moderate alcohol consumption and what should you drink to fight obesity and late-onset dementia?

Moderate drinkers live longer than abstainers or alcoholics.

Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol appears to positively help increase longevity, experts say.



Research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption can actually help you live longer

Research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption also halves the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Since cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death, it seems like a drink here and there can go a long way.

A study published in the National Library of Medicine looked at moderate alcohol consumption and mortality among middle-aged men in China.

The research involved 18,244 men between the ages of 45 and 64.

“Compared to lifelong non-drinkers, those who consumed 1 to 14 drinks per week had a 19% reduction in overall mortality after adjusting for age, education level and smoking status,” notes the study. .

He added: “Although light to moderate alcohol consumption (28 drinks or less per week) was associated with a 36 percent reduction in ischemic heart disease deaths, it had no effect on stroke deaths.”

The research also found that excessive alcohol consumption (29 or more drinks per week) was significantly associated with an increased risk of death from cancer and stroke.

The study concluded that regular consumption of small amounts of alcohol is associated with lower overall mortality, including death from ischemic heart disease, in middle-aged Chinese men.



Group of friends clinking their glasses while enjoying dinner in a restaurant on New Year's Eve.

Beer lovers rejoiceas some beers contain health-promoting probiotics that are believed to help fight obesity and dementia and may increase longevity.

Gut bacteria experts at the University of Amsterdam have identified Belgian beers such as Hoegaarden as one of the best sources of probiotic yeast.

Professor Eric Claassen, who led the study, said of the discovery: “You get a stronger beer that’s very, very healthy.”

He added: “We don’t want to give people a license to drink more beer.

“Alcohol in high concentrations is bad for the gut, but if you only drank one of these beers a day, it would do you a lot of good.”

The best beers rich in healthy probiotic yeast are Hoegaarden, Westmalle Tripel, and Echo Kriekenbier.

Unlike most beers, these brands are fermented twice: once in the brewery and once in the bottle.

The second fermentation increases the strength of the beer and creates a more intense and dry flavor.