Beer and health

Beer forms an integral part of the cultural and social traditions of the majority of the societies in the world. Fresh and refreshing, beer has a low alcohol content (the Lagers and Pils most consumed in the world contain 4-5% alcohol). Furthermore, thanks to its ingredients and nutrients, it can be considered a proper food.

Produced from a mixture of water and barley malt – and sometimes wheat, rice and corn in lower quantities – in conjunction with yeast for fermentation and hops as a bittering agent, beer is a natural drink not containing neither additives nor preservatives. The beer components are always the same, issued from cereal and water processing, as it has been established by the several laws that safeguard the product. But the ingredient combinations and the recipes of beers are practically infinite and each of them has its characteristics and peculiar composition, like mineral waters and wines. Here below, for simplicity's sake, we refer to the most consumed product: a Lager/Pilsen with an average alcohol content of 4.5% vol.

Composition for 100 grams of product:

Water: 93.5%

Alcohol: 2.8 g

Carbohydrates: 3.5 g

Proteins: about 0.2 g

Potassium: 35 mg

Phosphorus: 28 mg

Magnesium: 50 mg

Sodium: 10 mg

Calcium: 1 mg

Vit B1: traces

Vit B2: 30 mcg

Vit B6: 10 mcg

Vit C: 1 mg

Niacin: 900 mcg

Folates: 4 mcg

Fats: absent

From: INRAN – ASSOBIRRA