Beer has medicinal benefits....no seriously!



While some take low dose aspirin everyday day to prevent disease, others may want to consider a beer or two for their better health.

A number of studies have shown that moderate beer consumption can help reduce the risk of broken bones, lessen the chance of developing diabetes, improve kidney function, lower the risk of certain cancers, help to prevent heart disease and stroke and slow mental decline. In proper amounts, beer can increase energy, help hydrate the body, lower inflammation, raise levels of vitamin B6, and even increase longevity.

How is this possible?

Apparently they key to beer’s health benefits lies within its humulones - acids which ultimately give beer its characteristic bitter flavor.

Researchers, led by Dr, Werner Kaminsky from the University of Washington have discovered what actually happens to the bitter hops during the beer-brewing process using an old technique known as X-ray crystallography developed in the early 20th century. Their findings have changed long held scientific understandings about hops and humulones. 

"Now that we have the right results, what happens to the bitter hops in the beer-brewing process makes a lot more sense," says Kaminsky.

The findings were published in the Jan. 28 issue of the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Kaminsky hopes that the new findings will help scientists determine which humulones might prove helpful in the development of new medications.

Some local beer consumers were pleased to hear of the study.

“I’m pretty excited about beer as medicine, I mean I drink enough of it and I’m pretty damn healthy” says James O’Grady, a regular at one popular downtown Manhattan pub.

“But I wouldn’t really be interested in taking it as a pill,” Grady went on to say. 

“I’d rather to consume it in its most natural form.”