Can Beer Be Part of a Healthy Diet?

Author: AAEA
Published: 2017/11/06 - Updated: 2021/02/20
Topic: Dieting and Diet Plans - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: New Choices Magazine article examines possible healthy qualities of Americas best-selling alcoholic beverage. Most research out there on the healthfulness of beer is geared towards those that consumer moderate amounts on a regular basis.

Introduction

Whether you enjoy a pint of Pilsner, a stein of Stout, or a mug of Maibock, it's the question beer drinkers around the world have been asking for years - can beer consumption be part of a healthy diet?

Main Item

Lucky for lager lovers, that is the exact question Michael McCullough and Richard Volpe of California Polytechnic State University explore in a new article in "Choices Magazine." We've heard for years about how wine has certain healthy characteristics, now McCullough and Volpe dive into how beer can do the same thing.

Great news if you're headed to a party or the sports bar this weekend, right?

"Ha, no that's not right at all," McCullough said.

"Most research out there on the healthfulness of beer is geared towards those that consumer moderate amounts on a regular basis. Consuming large quantities in a single sitting is not healthy and can actually negate some of the healthy attributes of the beverage."

So while this research may give you pause on the way to the pub, McCullough said pairing beer with a healthy meal is one good way to utilize the healthy qualities found in moderate beer consumption. And does it matter what kind of beer you drink?

"Many different styles of beer have different amounts of ingredients (malted barley, hops, yeast, and water), and the different health aspects of beer come in different forms from these ingredients. Craft beer, for example, probably features more fiber and B-vitamins than does macro beer."

As for when five o'clock rolls around today, does a beer a day keep the doctor away?

"That's about right," McCullough says. "However, it has been pointed out there are no real downsides of excessively eating apples and there certainly is with alcoholic beverages."

Can beer consumption be part of a healthy diet? To learn more about this research please contact Jay Saunders in the AAEA Business Office.

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by AAEA and published on 2017/11/06, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, AAEA can be contacted at aaea.org NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.