I'm Pete du Pont with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Today, some thoughts for the holiday. About beer.
A couple of years ago I reported that real scientific research, not the anecdotal evidence provided by guys with protruding bellies and satisfied smiles, said beer was good for you.
Now, updated evidence has been compiled by Dr. Margo Denke of Southwestern Medical School in Dallas from research done around the world. Updated findings show beer drinking is as beneficial as wine drinking in reducing heart attacks. One study found the vitamin b6 in beer prevents the rise of a substance which is a risk factor in heart attacks, while a Harvard study identified a gene that partly explains why moderate drinking is beneficial. A substance in hops called humulon is biologically active in bone tissue, reducing the rate of bone loss, thus holding off osteoporosis.
Of course the key word in all this is "moderate." If you drink a couple of six-packs a day, the benefits go out the window — along with your liver. So take it easy, and have a nice holiday.
Those are my ideas, and at the NCPA we know ideas can change the world. I'm Pete du Pont. Next time, the fourth.