Health and Men

Beneficial Brews

by Scott on March 21st, 2008

Well it’s Friday and that only means a few things. One, today is the new Food Feature Friday here at Healthandmen.com, and I’m throwing back some Heineken Light and relaxing.

While beer technically is not a food to most is is a beverage and counts as food…and for most college kids it is a food. MSN.com Health had this running a day or so ago and I thought why not tie it in with my posting for today. It offers explanations of the benefits of beer and some of the best beers for you and why. Here is a short excerpt and a link the Beer, With Benefits:

Beer makes you feel good. You knew that. But you don’t realize just how good. Recent research has revealed bioactive compounds in beer that battle cancer, boost your metabolism, and more. And these benefits come on top of the oft-touted upsides of moderate alcohol intake: clot prevention, cleaner arteries, and reduced stress. Just in time for the summer, we set out with a stack of studies, a panel of parched testers, and a full fridge to find the best-tasting, healthiest brews available. Enjoy.

Best Low-Cal Beer: Beamish Irish Stout

The typical low-cal beer is run through a deflavorizing machine on its way to the bottle. “Most of the calories come from the alcohol content and whatever residual sugars may be left after fermentation,” says Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery. We sought a brew that would go easy on the waistline without disappointing the palate. Darker beers have a major advantage here: They’re relatively low in alcohol and have thick, creamy, smoky finishes. When the cans were emptied, Beamish stood tall. It contains about 130 calories per 12-ounce can, but with a full flavor and sturdy dark-chocolate notes.

Best Alterna-Brew: He’Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale

Novelty beers can be cloying — you can’t drink more than one — and few of the added ingredients pack health benefits. In our taste test, our top pick featured the antioxidant-laden superfruit, pomegranate, shown to combat cancer and lower your risk of Alzheimer’s and heart disease. In a 2006 UCLA study, for example, men who drank a glass of pomegranate juice every day reduced prostate-cancer cell growth by 12 percent. Brewers dump more than 150 gallons of pomegranate juice into every batch (equivalent to 10,000 pomegranates, or half of a fruit per bottle), giving the final product a rasp- berry-like flavor that allows the malt and hops to come through.

Runner-Up: Dogfish Head Black & Blue

Also Try: Barons Black Wattle Ale, Rogue Juniper Pale Ale, Lindemans Framboise, Kelpie Seaweed Ale

Beer, With Benefits

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POSTED IN: Foods