Hallelujah! Science Says Beer And Wine Are Good For Our Brains

I’m having a love affair with Moscato lately. A few evenings a week, I love nothing more than to tuck my kids in bed, turn on the fireplace, and relax in front of a reality television show and sip on my adult Kool-Aid.

While this might have to do more with me taking some “me” time more than anything else, I’ve been doing it more often lately — it leaves me feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to face the next day with a little less angst. Not to mention I adore the taste and the warmth that spreads over me as I sink into the sofa.

Many of us love our vino or beer with dinner, after dinner, or during a boozy lunch (in moderation, of course). But there’s another reason to let loose and enjoy a few glasses of giggle water: it might actually be good for your brain.

According to an article in Daily News, researchers from the University of Rochester tested “the equivalent of two glasses of red or white wine, or 1.5 pints of beer, a day” on mice and the results showed the mice who consumed the alcohol “more effectively flushed waste products linked with dementia and Alzheimer’s from their brains.”

So, science says a little bit of alcohol a day actually keeps our brain clean and healthy. And it’s the perfect reason to kick back and relax with your favorite adult bevy without the guilt.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go crazy and over do it by having more than a glass or two a night. In fact, “prolonged intake of excessive amounts of ethanol is known to have adverse effects on the central nervous system,”Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., lead author of the study, said in Scientific Reports.

But used moderately, Nedergaard said the study showed “for the first time that low doses of alcohol are potentially beneficial to brain, namely it improves the brain’s ability to remove waste.”

It’s good for us and our brain. It removes waste. Who doesn’t want that? Pass the Pinot Noir.

And if a doctor says a little wine or beer can actually improve brain health, that’s all the proof I need. Isn’t it fantastic for those of us who enjoy a nice drink or two on the regular to hear some good news around it?

So fill your glass, enjoy a little hair of the dog, and improve your brain health while you’re at it.

Cheers.