Prost! Slainte! Salud! No matter what the language, people have raised their glasses and toasted each other's good health for centuries.

Whether history's toasts were wishful thinking or a subconscious belief that the contents of those vessels truly benefited well-being, we probably will ever know. But a growing stack of modern evidence is proving that alcohol actually does offer numerous health benefits.

A Drink A Day?

Despite the data, most medical professionals stop short of prescribing moderate drinking -- defined as no more than two drinks a day for men or one a day for women -- as a way to keep the doctor away.

Dr. W. Gifford-Jones is the nom de plum for Dr. Ken Walker, a practicing physician and medical journalist in Toronto. For decades he has touted the benefits of enjoying a drink or two a day. He also has lifted more than one eyebrow by prescribing a cocktail to his post-op patients their second day after surgery -- if they are moderate drinkers.

"I think of all the medicines we give people these days -- moderate drinking is a hell of a lot safer," he said. "If you look at the side effects of drugs -- from aspirin to stronger drugs -- the list is as long as your arm. Not so with moderate intake of alcohol.

"I think alcohol is a good drug. Compared to prescription drugs? Yes, any day."

Gifford-Jones said the fear of patients potentially misusing alcohol keeps many doctors from promoting alcohol's health benefits.

"What happens, when you go to a medical convention, and you begin debating the pros and cons (of moderate alcohol consumption): The ones against it are against it. But the ones for it say, 'We can't say that we are for drinking because of those that will drink too much.' And I say, 'If that's the case, why don't we take cars off the road because some will drive 140 mph?'"

Alcohol Is Alcohol -- Or Is It?

Evidence is mounting that the moderate drinker might get a health boost from imbibing. But are all alcoholic drinks created equal?

Yes and no, according to Gifford-Jones.

"There's a lot of talk about red wine. French red-wine makers would love it if we only touted red wine's health benefits. But I don't think it makes any difference, really. I think it's the alcohol (that provides the health benefits)," Gifford-Jones said.

More than two decades' worth of studies have credited daily moderate alcohol consumption with preventing heart attacks and strokes, helping to regulate insulin, staving off age-related dementia and even preventing osteoporosis and certain cancers. Other studies have suggested that adults who enjoy a drink or two daily have fewer incidents of emergency-room visits, fewer gallstones and intestinal disorders and even fewer bouts with the common cold.

But, most recently, one adult beverage has been touted as offering additional health benefits. Surprise! It's not wine.

Beer's Bounty

Research by Dr. Margo A. Denke, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, suggests that beer might be a healthier quaff than red wine.

Denke determined that beer contains healthy doses of polyphenols that are similar to amounts in red wine. Polyphenols are antioxidants credited for raising good cholesterol and staving off certain cancers. The research also determined that beer has as much as five times the polyphenols as white wine.

Additionally, researchers at Oregon State University recently discovered that hops, one of the main ingredients in beer, contain isoflavinoids -- plant-based estrogens that have been found to inhibit prostate, breast and colon cancer.

Because beer is made from grain, it contains protein. Craft beer, the artisan beer made in small batches by independent brewers, typically is not filtered, so it is chock-full of vitamins and minerals from the yeast still suspended in the liquid.

"Beer is 93 percent water, no fat, no cholesterol, no triglycerides, no sugar," Gifford-Jones said. "(Beer has) significant amounts of magnesium and potassium and other minerals as well as vitamins B2, B6 and folic acid … it's a damn good beverage."

And a darn fine reason to raise a toast with a glass of beer. To your health, of course.

Check TheIndyChannel.com all week for these great diet-related features:

Monday -- Weight-Loss Gadgets Go High Tech

Tuesday -- Can You Find A Healthy French Fry?

Wednesday -- Are Salads Sabotaging Your Diet?

Thursday -- Do Coffee Drinks Fit Into Your Diet?

Friday -- Which Cocktails Fit Into Your Diet?