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VISITING
AUTHOR-ARTICLE
MAY
2010
Beer
and Brewing Site
Superfoods
and Beer
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50596.asp
In April, 2007, at the Alaska Women’s Show in the Sullivan
Arena in Anchorage was a cooking demonstration called “A Toast:
Beers to Your Health.” The focus centered on SuperFoods, beer
and health, and demonstrated how small additions to your diet can score
big health benefits for a lifetime.
SuperFoods are the darlings of the nutritional circle, filled
with such beneficial giants as antioxidants, monosaturated fats, and
phytonutrients. These provide protection against cancers and heart
disease, aid in bone formation, lower rates of diabetes, protect against
stroke, and provide vitamins and minerals essential to good health.
Among this list of SuperFoods are:
Apples
–
fiber and antioxidants, including flavonoids and polyphenols.
Avocados
–
Monosaturated fatty acids that appear to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and
raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
Beans
– fiber,
lean protein, B vitamins, potassium, and antioxidants.
Blueberries
–
Multiple antioxidants, fiber, folic acid and vitamins C and E.
Tip: Use frozen blueberries – they are picked at ideal ripening
time and fast-frozen to preserve the beneficial nutrients. Fresh
berries may endure long periods of transport and shelf-sitting during
which nutrients diminish and fruit can grow molds.
Dark
Chocolate –
flavonoids that lower blood pressure and prevent clogged arteries.
Look for dark chocolate with high levels of cocoa solids.
Kiwi
Fruit –
Vitamin C, potassium, and flavonoid antioxidants.
Oats
–
Fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium and phytonutrients. These
lower cholesterol and help stabilize blood sugar.
Spinach
– Lutein
for your eyes, carotenoids, antioxidants, betaine, and Vitamins B, C and
E.
Sweet
potatoes –
Vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber.
Tofu
–
fiber, lean protein, B vitamins, potassium, and flavonoids.
Walnuts
–
Omega-3 Fatty acids, micronutrients.
Yogurt
– Calcium,
protein, probiotics and beneficial bacteria that aid digestion, help
metabolize food and tone your system.
The Beer Fox believes that beer should be included in this list
of SuperFoods. The benefits of moderate beer consumption are well
established. Thousands of people worldwide have participated in
studies that indicate that moderate beer consumption is good for your
health.
Please note:
Evidence reveals that heavy alcohol consumption contributes to the
formation of visceral fat around the small intestines and liver. The
advanced drinker does not display this excess layer of fat. Continuous
extreme alcohol consumption is linked to cirrhosis of the liver and to
breast cancer. The key is moderation!
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Beer
is made through a traditional process of blending sugars from malted
grains, like barley or wheat, with hop flowers and water. The
skill of the Brewmaster brings out the flavor, aroma, color,
mouthfeel, and foam characteristics through the formulation of
recipes and fermentation of sugars. Careful aging completes
the picture.
-
Aromas
may be of citrus, flowers, or herbs - also may smell caramel,
toffee, sweet biscuits, cocoa, coffee, honey, chocolate chip
cookies.
-
Yeasts
may add aromas of clove, banana, exotic spices, apples, strawberry,
dark fruits.
-
Craft
beer is usually not pasteurized.
-
It
may be unfiltered – true craft beer drinkers like this.
-
In
the USA, the fermentation process determines the category of the
beer:
Lagers
use bottom fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces carlsbergensis) that work
most efficiently at lower temperatures – e.g. Standard Lager; Helles;
Dortmunder; Vienna Lager, Oktoberfest; Pilsner, Munich Dunkel;
Schwarzbier, Maibock; Bock; Doppelbock; Eisbock; Rauchbier;
Ales
use top fermenting yeast (Saccharomyoces cerevisiae) that work most
efficiently at higher temperatures – e.g. Cream Ale; Blonde Ale;
Kolsch; Altbier; American Wheat or Rye Beer; English Pale Ale; ESB;
Scottish Ale; Irish Red Ale; APA; English Brown Ale; Porter (usually);
Dry Stout; Oatmeal Stout; Russian Imperial Stout; IPA, German Wheat
Beer; Belgian Wit; Old Ale; Barleywine (Usually);
Wild
Fermentation
is a third category that uses the microbiota of the Brussels region or
cultures of yeast known as Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus
(to mimic these organisms) for fermentation – e.g. Biere de Garde;
Saison (usually); Berliner Weisse (combined with ale yeast); Flanders
Red Ale; Flanders Brown Ale (Oud Bruin); Lambic; Gueuze; Fruit Lambic;
Belgian Strong Ale(Blonde, Dubbel, Tripel, Golden Strong, Golden Dark)
Note:
beers
such as Christmas Winter Warmers; Spiced/Vegetable Beer; Fruit Beer;
Other Smoked Beer; Wood Aged Beer; and Specialty Beer may fall under any
category.
Benefits:
-
Made
from wholesome ingredients: malt, hops, yeast and water –
have natural components that contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.
-
Is
93% water – an enjoyable means of taking in this essential
substance.
-
High
in potassium and low in sodium – the correct balance for low blood
pressure.
-
Alcohol
appears to increase metabolic rate significantly, causing more
calories to be burned rather than storing them in the body as fat.
-
One
study showed consumption of sugar to decrease as the consumption of
alcohol increases.
-
Significantly
increases the HDL cholesterol – the good cholesterol – in the
body (Study of Hendriks et al, TNO Nutrition and Food Research
Institute and Weber et al at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and
2003 Israeli study)
-
Yeast
is pure Vitamin B, so beer is an excellent source of B vitamins –
niacin, riboflavin, pyridoxine (B6) and folate.
B6
in
beer gives beer drinkers additional protection against cardiovascular
diseases (compared to drinkers of wine or spirits) – it prevents the
build-up in the body of a chemical called homocysteine, a chemical
linked to increased risk of heart attack.
Folate
has been shown to be protective against cardiovascular disease (1998
study Rimm, Willett and Hu, et al in the Journal of the American Medical
Association) and some cancers (1999 study by Zhang, Hunter, Hankinson et
al in the Journal of the American Medical Association).
Source
of antioxidants (flavonoids)
Antioxidants
in hops have the potential to fight cancers of the gastrointestinal
tract (1996 study by Kuo, SM and a 1999 study by Tatsuta, Iishi, et
al in the Intl Journal of Cancer)
Antioxidants in
hops have the potential to fight breast cancer (1999 study by
Miranda, Stevens & Helmrich in Food & Chemical Toxicology and
1999 study by Shen, Xue, and Weber in Anticancer Research)
Antioxidants
in hops have the potential to fight thyroid cancer(1999 study by
Yin, Giuliano and Van Herle in Thyroid).
Natural hop compounds
have been shown to be cardioprotective (1999 study by Dubey, Gillespie,
Imthurn, et al in Hypertension and 1997 study by Brandi in Calcified
Tissue International)
Hops
have moderate sedative and somnorific effects
Hops
have positive hormonal effects
Hops
contain compounds that prevent the removal of calcium from the bones and
are preventative against osteoporosis (Tobe, Muraki and Kitamura et al
in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry [BBB] and 1997 study by
Anderson and Garner in Nutrition Research
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Low
in calcium and rich in magnesium – may help to protect against
gallstones and kidney stone formation.
-
Beer
drinkers are protected from the organism, Helicobacter pylor, which
is known to cause stomach ulcers and may be a risk to stomach
cancer.
-
A
source of soluble fiber (derived from the cell wall of malted
barley). Aids healthy bowel function, slows down the digestion
and absorption of food and reduces cholesterol levels.
-
Beneficial
ingredient in beer pedicures - the hops and enzymes in the beer help
to soften calluses. It is rich in vitamins and has a toning effect
on the skin. It is also used in German spa bath therapy for this
reason. In the February 2003 Issue of Jane Magazine,
beer was a recommended hair rinse for promoting shine and
manageability.
-
Beer
belly? Studies show that women who drink beer tend to weigh
less than their non-beer drinking counterparts (study by S. Mannisto,
K. Uusitalo, E. Roos et.al. that appeared in the European Journal
of Clinical Nutrition - subject base was 27,215 middle-aged men
and women - The study concluded that over consumption of food and a
sedentary lifestyle with significantly low activity levels caused
beer belly, not beer.
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Those
who consume beer in moderation enjoy better health and a longer life
than those who abuse alcohol or those who totally abstain from
drinking it.
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Dictionary
of Popular Food/Nutrition Misbeliefs
by
German food chemist Udo Pollmer - indicates that soaking red or
white meats in beer, before grilling, reduces the formation of
cancer-causing HCA’s (heterocyclic amines). HCA’s are
formed through a reaction between amino acids and creatine in muscle
meats when they are cooked at high temperatures.
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