Nutrients in Beer?

This past weekend, I was having a discussion with my brother-in-law. We were gathered with family for Easter and had started talking about our own battles with weight loss. Eventually, of course, beer made it's way into that conversation. (In a past post, I talked about how you can calculate the calories in your favorite brew.)

In some of the words we shared on Sunday, my brother-in-law said that beer has empty calories. I corrected him right away. "Beer doesn't have empty calories. It's good for you!" Then I started thinking there are probably a lot of other people who think the same way and believe there is no good nutritional value in beer. Let's take a look at what kind of healthy stuff is in beer, shall we?

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
3. Calcium
4. Magnesium
5. Phosphorus
6. Potassium
7. Sodium
8. Niacin
9. Folate

Look at all that good stuff! (OK, I know most of us probably don't need more sodium, but it's only a small amount.) You'll be happy to know there is no fat or cholesterol in beer. Also, I can't forget to mention this; there are studies showing beer can reduce bad cholesterol and promote good heart health in moderation.

Of course, moderation is important. Too much beer can cause things like weight gain and liver damage. So go easy on your favorite healthy beverage, and it will be good to you.