Beer Basics 101

via Fitsugar.com

In the winter 2011 issue of the ADA Times (previously known as the American Dietetic Association) I was really excited to see the excellent article on Beer.  I loved the nutrition basics, and the craft beer and food pairing chart.   I am completely clueless when it comes to pairing beer/wine and food and anything for that matter. 

Lets first start with the nutrition breakdown of beer.  Beer is made primarily of plant sources barley and hops and contains a considerable amount of nutrition (more so than wine).  Carbohydrates make  up about one-third of the calories in beer.  Protein is present in a small amount (4% of total calories) in beer, and mostly non-existent in wine.  Alcohol (ETOH) makes up about two-thirds of the calories in a regular beer.  The typical beer made in the US ranges from 90-94 percent water and on average is about 4.6% alcohol by volume.  Because beer has a lower alcohol by volume and more than two and half times as much water, it can contribute to fluid intake more so than wine. 

Beer outshines wine with many more micro nutrients than wine... just take a look at this chart.

 

Beer vs Wine by Serving Size             Beer 12oz     Red Wine 5oz

 

Nutrient

Calories                                                   153kcal         125kcal

Water                                                       11fl oz           4.3 fl oz

Thaimin                                                    0.018mg       0.007 mg

Riboflavin                                                 0.089mg      0.046  mg

Vitamin B6                                               0.164mg       0.084 mg

Calcium                                                     14 mg           12 mg

Magnesium                                                21 mg           18 mg

Sodium                                                       14mg            6  mg

 

Beer is also a plant source of Vitamin B12, supplying about 3 percent of the recommended daily amount for adults. (According to the USDA Nutrient Data Base) and did you hear that Mom and Dad!!! That may explain my good grades in college...

 

 

 

Here are a couple more fun facts from the article from the ADA Times (Winter 2011)

• The more malt in the brew, the more B-vitamins
• The more sugar, the more alcohol
• The more hops, the more phytochemicals
• "Light" Beers are brewed either to be lower in alcohol, carbohydrates or both.
• Darker beers may have more fiber.

According to Karl J. Siebert, PhD, professor of biochemistry at Cornell Unversity, "Beer is always safe to drink no matter where you are in any country".  Due to the alcohol content and bitter compounds that stop the growth of some bacteria, also due to  the low pH of the beer. 

Check out this great website... and learn more on how to pair food with your beer.  
http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/beer-and-food/pairing-tips/pairing-chart

Enjoying a flight of beer at the Grand Lake Beer Festival