A beer a day helps cut the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or having a stroke, according to a study from Pennsylvania State University.

Moderate drinking slows the decline of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) — good cholesterol — that's normal as a person ages. HDL helps protect against cardiovascular disease

The study followed 80,000 healthy Chinese adults for six years. They were divided into groups that ranged from those who never drank to those who drank heavily, which was defined as more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

They found that HDL levels decreased over time in all participants, but decreased more slowly in those who drank moderately — one or two servings for men or up to one for a woman — when compared to heavy drinkers or those who were teetotalers.

Levels of HDL also decreased more slowly with those who drank beer than in those who drank hard liquor. Among hard liquor drinkers, only men who drank less than one serving a day (and less than half a serving a day for women) resulted in slower rates of HDL decline.

A study from Oregon State University also found that beer is heart-healthy. Researchers found that xanthohumol, a component of hops used in making beer, reduced cholesterol.

Mice were divided into groups and fed a high-fat diet. Some groups were also fed varying levels of xanthohumol. Compared to animals given no xanthohumol, LDL or "bad" cholesterol of mice given the highest dosage was cut 80 percent.