Home Nutrition Yes, Beer Can Be Healthy. Here’s 11 With Surprising Benefits
Nutrition
Get buzzed without the guilt.
- By Rebekah Harding
- April 25, 2023
Beer gets a bad rep as a high-calorie, high-carb beverage often paired with just as delicious—but not always diet friendly—calorie and carb-filled foods.
While it’s true that overconsumption can contribute to liver damage, weight gain, and reduced testosterone levels, several studies suggest that the essential minerals and antioxidants hiding in your favorite brew can actually support your gut and heart health and more.
Don’t believe us? A study in the journal Nutrients found that moderate beer consumption may reduce LDL oxidation, a process that causes plaque-forming inflammation in the arteries (1). By preventing these blockages, you lower your chances of heart attack and disease. (Just don’t go wild; drinking too much can trigger chronic inflammation).
And a recent article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Safety suggests that both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beer “increased gut microbiota diversity” which supports healthy intestinal barrier function (2).
Just a few nutritional tweaks, like opting for a no-carb or gluten-free alternative, could make a daily beer part of your healthy eating plan. These are the best-tasting, healthiest beers you can buy.
How to Choose a Healthy Beer
Most of beer’s great health perks come from phenols, natural antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties. Upping your phenol intake reduces your risk for heart disease, promotes healthy digestion, and improves brain function, according to one study (3).
While darker beers like stouts and porters tend to have more phenols, light, hoppy brews like Imperial IPAs also hold great health benefits. Hops, which give beer its distinctive taste, can even help prevent bacterial growth in your gut and reduce inflammation (4).
From gluten-free IPA alternatives to low-calorie light brew options, here’s what to look out for on your next grocery run.
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Best Gluten-Free: Ghostfish Shrouded Summit White Ale
Reducing gluten can support weight loss and increase energy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Ghostfish’s Shrouded Summit White Ale has the taste of a classic wheat ale without the gluten. It’s brewed with millet, rice, and buckwheat, making it a great option for anyone with gluten intolerance or Celiac. Untappd calls out notes of “juniper and citrus” in this golden ale.
At a Glance:
ABV: 4.5%
Carbs: 8g
Calories: 125
Best Non-Alcoholic: Athletic Lite Non-Alcoholic Brew
Love the taste of beer but want to skip out on the alcohol entirely? Athletic Lite Non-Alcoholic Brew is a vegan, low-calorie option that has reviewers raving that it helped them “give up beer and lose a few pounds.”
Beer Advocate reviewers say it “tastes of sweet cereal grain” and lemon.
At a Glance:
ABV: 0
Carbs: 5g
Calories: 25
Best Post-Workout: Rally Trail Blazer Golden Ale
Rally Beer Trail Blazer Golden Ale is an electrolyte-packed brew perfect for post-workout recovery. Reviewers say this slightly-sweet brew is “smooth” and “creamy” with a slight grapefruit flavor. Crack one open after a long run.
At a Glance:
ABV: 4.9%
Carbs: 16g
Calories: 200
Best Low-Calorie: Budweiser Select 55
Most low-cal brews sit around 70 to 100 calories. At just 55 calories, Budweiser’s Select 55 is one of the lowest calorie options money can buy. The light-bodied golden lager has zero grams of fat and features notes of “white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and light caramel,” according to Beer Advocate.
At a Glance:
ABV: 2.4%
Carbs: 1.9g
Calories: 55
Best High-Phenol: Guinness Extra Stout
Guinness Extra Stout is packed with antioxidants and malt-derived phenols that can help your body crush free-radicals. Better yet, this beer also contains a decent amount of folate, which has been linked to boosting sperm count and healthy erections (5). Drizly reviewers call this a smooth beer, with notes of roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate.
At a Glance:
ABV: 6%
Carbs: 14g
Calories: 176
Best For Your Gut: Hoegaarden Original White Ale
A professor at Amsterdam University presented his initial findings that drinking a Belgian beer may be just as good at introducing beneficial bacteria to your gut as taking a probiotic supplement. Strong Belgian beers like Hoegaarden’s Original White Ale are double-fermented, which means that you’ll be consuming a small amount of gut supporting live yeast while you enjoy your brew. This sweet and sour brew features hints of orange and coriander.
At a Glance:
ABV: 4.9%
Carbs: 11g
Calories: 150
Best Zero Carb: Bud Light Next
Reach for this if you’re looking for a low-cal, zero carb option that won’t totally mess up your macros. Bud Light Next sits at just 80 calories and has a lighter, crisper taste than other beers in the Bud Light family. One reviewer on Beer Advocate says this beer “tastes more like a seltzer than a brew with a super light beer flavor” and gives it the stamp of approval “for hot days of long sessioning.”
At a Glance:
ABV: 4%
Carbs: 0g
Calories: 80
Best Low-Carb, Keto-Friendly: Blue Moon LightSky
Reviewers say this low-carb, low-cal rendition is a great diet-friendly alternative to Blue Moon’s classic brew. Blue Moon LightSky features solid notes of tangerine and tropical hops, all while keeping it under 100 calories.
At a Glance:
ABV: 4%
Carbs: 3.6g
Calories: 95
Hoppiest: Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
This 120 IBU ale is packed to the brim with gut-supporting hops. Reviewers say Dogfish Head’s annual small-batch brew is hoppy without being too, too bitter, pointing out notes of caramel.
At a Glance:
ABV: 15-20%
Carbs: 22.5%
Calories: 450
Best Beer-That-Doesn’t-Taste-Like-Beer: Abita Purple Haze
If you want to reap the gut-boosting benefits of beer but aren’t a fan of the taste of glorified fizzy wheat water, look no further. Abita Purple Haze is a favorite amongst guys who prefer a sweeter beer with a fruity flavor. It’s brewed with fresh raspberry puree (you might even spot pulp in the bottle), which introduces essential B and C vitamins into the mix.
At a Glance:
ABV: 4.2%
Carbs: 11
Calories: 128
Best Non-GMO: Heineken Light
This refreshing, light beer is an obvious choice for environmentally and health conscious drinkers. While all Heineken beers are made with non-GMO wheat, yeast, and hops, Heineken Light clocks in at just 90 calories and 6 grams of carbs without compromising the brand’s classic crisp taste.
At a Glance:
ABV: 3.3%
Carbs: 6g
Calories: 90
References
Padro, et al (2018). Moderate Beer Intake and Cardiovascular Health in Overweight Individuals.
Marques, et al (2022). Impact of Beer and Nonalcoholic Beer Consumption on the Gut Microbiota.
Vinson, et al (2003). Phenol Antioxidant Quantity and Quality in Foods: Beers and the Effect of Two Types of Beer on an Animal Model of Atherosclerosis.
Cermak, at al (2017). Strong antimicrobial activity of xanthohumol and other derivatives from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) on gut anaerobic bacteria.
Elshahid, et al (2019). Folic acid supplementation improves erectile function in patients with idiopathic vasculogenic erectile dysfunction by lowering peripheral and penile hom*ocysteine plasma levels: a case-control study.
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As a nutrition and beer enthusiast with a deep understanding of the scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of beer, I'd like to delve into the concepts covered in the article "Yes, Beer Can Be Healthy. Here’s 11 With Surprising Benefits" by Rebekah Harding, published on April 25, 2023.
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Moderate Beer Consumption and Cardiovascular Health: The article references a study published in the journal Nutrients, which suggests that moderate beer consumption may reduce LDL oxidation, a process linked to plaque-forming inflammation in the arteries. This reduction can lower the risk of heart attack and disease. However, it emphasizes the importance of moderation to avoid triggering chronic inflammation.
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Impact of Beer on Gut Microbiota: Another study highlighted in the article, from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Safety, indicates that both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beer can increase gut microbiota diversity. This diversity supports a healthy intestinal barrier function, emphasizing the potential positive impact of beer on gut health.
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Phenols and Antioxidants in Beer: The article underscores the role of phenols, natural antioxidants present in beer, in promoting heart health, healthy digestion, and improved brain function. The reference to a study suggests that increasing phenol intake can reduce the risk of heart disease.
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Beer Varieties and Health Benefits: The article explores different types of beers and their health benefits. Darker beers like stouts and porters tend to have higher phenol content, while light, hoppy brews like Imperial IPAs offer health benefits, including the prevention of bacterial growth in the gut and reduction of inflammation.
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Nutritional Information and Healthiest Beers: The article provides information on the nutritional content of specific beers categorized by health benefits, such as gluten-free, non-alcoholic, post-workout, low-calorie, high-phenol, gut-friendly, zero-carb, low-carb keto-friendly, hoppiest, and those that don't taste like beer. Each beer option includes details like alcohol by volume (ABV), carbohydrate content, and calorie count.
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Individual Beer Recommendations: The article recommends specific beers based on different health criteria. For example, Ghostfish Shrouded Summit White Ale is recommended as the best gluten-free option, while Athletic Lite Non-Alcoholic Brew is suggested for those looking for a non-alcoholic, low-calorie alternative.
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Health Benefits Beyond Nutrition: The article briefly touches on the potential benefits of certain beers beyond nutritional content. For instance, the mention of Guinness Extra Stout highlights its antioxidant and folate content, which has been linked to boosting sperm count and supporting healthy erections.
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References to Scientific Studies: The article supports its claims with references to scientific studies, adding credibility to the information presented. The references include studies on moderate beer intake and cardiovascular health, the impact of beer on gut microbiota, phenol antioxidant quantity and quality in foods, and the antimicrobial activity of compounds in hops.
By combining scientific evidence with practical recommendations, the article aims to inform readers about the potential health benefits of beer while emphasizing the importance of moderation and mindful beer choices.
