The Healthiest Beers on the Market
For nearly as long as mankind has been growing and refining food, there has been the fermenting of grains and beer. Considered a staple food by some, outright worshiped by others, beer has gained a prominent place in the vast majority of societies in the modern world and in history's cultures as well.
It surprises many people to learn that drinking beer can actually have beneficial health effects as well. Research has found bioactive compounds in beer that fight cancer, give your metabolism a kick, help clean your arteries and reduce stress among other benefits. Of course, as with any alcohol drinking too much beer (two or more glasses a day) is going to have negative effects on your health that can quickly outweigh the positive, so drink responsibly and in moderation. Generally speaking beer's nutrition follows these parameters:
- Beer contains 150 calories.
- Beer has 25 mg sodium
- Beer has no fat
- Beer has no cholesterol
- Beer is caffeine free
- Beer contains no nitrate
- Beer contains 1 gram of protein and 13 grams of carbohydrates
- Beer contains significant amounts of magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, and biotin
- Beer is chock full of the B vitamins
- Beer is 92 percent water
So if beer can be healthy which are the best?
Well, of course taste is always going to be a matter of opinion, but you might want to try to expand your palate into some of the beers on our top 10 list of healthy beers:
#10 Avery Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale
This particular beer has a good deal of hops compared to most of the major-brand lagers such as Bud, Miller or Coors. Up to 80 times as much, in fact. This gives the Imperial India Pale Ale a certain zing against the back of your throat. Not only that, but the high hop-content give you a boost of those cancer-fighting, virus-destroying compounds called polyphenols. For the women, its important to note that 12 ounces a day increases albumin, which helps metabolize protein properly.
#9 Wolaver's India Pale Ale
This organic beer is made with only the 3 organic ingredients allowed in beer: barley, water and hops. As such, the taste has a purity to it that you will not find in the mega brewery beers and may take some getting used to - like eating tofu.
#8 Abita Purple Haze
This beer, manufactured in Louisiana, Pours a hazy, light amber with a slight pink tint to it. The head doesn't last very long but that doesn't compare to the strangely tart raspberry presence. Light bodied with decent carbonation.
#7 Sam Adams Light
Another light amber beer produced in the United States (Massachusetts). This beer has heavy carbonation and a large, foamy head. Taste carefully and you can get a hint of honey in the flavoring of Sam Adams, which will contribute to its health value.
#6 Beamish Irish Stout
We confess, part of the reason we chose this beer is because of the low (130) calorie count which won't damage the waistline and still provide tremendous flavor. This dark beer is lower in alcohol and has a great taste from start to finish.
#5 De Koninck
Belgum isn't very well known for its beers, but this pale ale is made with a unique yeast from Antwerp. It is slightly heavy on the alcohol content at 5%, which means you want to go easy on the amount you consume, but the flavor is reminiscent of citrus at the start, smoky going down.
#4 Post Road Pumpkin Ale
This wholly unique brew is made in New York and boasts a Christmas(y) smell of spice like nutmeg and cinnamon. The malty sweetness of this beer belies its nutritional benefits, but won't matter much when you are luxuriating in the buttery feel as it glides warmly down your throat.
#3 Belhaven Scottish Ale
Couldn't have a healthy beer list without adding the Scotts to the list, now could we? The Belhaven Scottish Ale pours a rich, deep amber body that is pleasant to the eye. There is a caramel, nutty taste to the lager and an alcohol content in the low-range which means you might get away with an extra one at not too much penalty.
#2 Miller 64
Relatively new to the market, Miller 64 was created to cater to the ever expanding market of light beer. It is the lowest calorie mass-produced beer on the market, containing only 64 calories per serving. One could drink two Miller 64s and consume about the same amount of calories as a normal light beer.
#1 Weibier Dunkel
Beer with a chocolaty flavor. Heaven! This south-German style brew, created in Andechs Monastery Brewery since 1455 using dark wheat and barley malts will bring you the benefits of beer and a taste of heaven to match. Great on a warm afternoon, cold and out of the fridge, or even relaxing in a tub with the lights off and some soft music strumming in the background, this brew can do it all and then some.
Benjamin Franklin once said "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Armed with new chemical understanding of the way beers work for the body and a sense of moderation, it seems that Old Ben may have been right!