HEART HEALTHY BEER CHEER

Guys: the next time you pop open a beer, raise your glass to a healthy heart.  According to a new study, sipping about a pint of beer was found to improve blood flow and heart function in a group of already healthy men.  Researchers at Harokopio University in Athens, Greece, measured the cardiovascular health of non-smoking men in their late twenties and early thirties about an hour or two after they polished off 4OOml of beer – which is about the equivalent of an American pint.  They then ran the same tests on two more occasions: once after the participants drank 4OOml of alcohol-free beer and once after a measure of vodka was consumed.  The scientists found that aortic stiffness was reduced after each instance, meaning arteries became more flexible.  However, endothelial function, which measures how easily blood passes through major arteries, was only significantly improved after the men drank beer.  Alcohol and antioxidants in beer are to thank for these health benefits, researchers said.  They also concluded that the connection should be further investigated.  Read: don’t start using this as a preventative.  The study was published online in the journal NUTRITION.