Question: Is beer a good thirst-quencher?
Martha

Answer: You feel thirsty when the water balance in the body is disturbed. Considering that water is the main constituent of beer, we may expect beer to be useful in restoring the disturbed water balance in the body, for example, after physical exertion. However, factors other than the presence of water may also be involved. This is indicated by tests conducted by Professor Manuel Garzon from the University of Granada (Spain). Over a long test period he asked a number of students to drink beer after intensive physical effort while another group drank water. The tests showed that the water balance was restored more rapidly in the beer drinkers than in the water drinkers. It is still unclear how this phenomenon may be explained. Probably not by the presence of alcohol, the dehydrating effect of which is known. The effect is more likely to be explained by the presence in the beer of various substances that help to make the body fit again: carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and B vitamins. In any case, there is a very general consensus among beer drinkers that a nice glass of beer is good for your thirst.

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