A new study has found that beer contains vitamin B6, which is essential for brain health, blood function, and the immune system. The research, published in the Agricultural and Food Chemistry journal, tested 65 different beers purchased from German supermarkets.
The study revealed that a serving of beer can meet around 15% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin B6, with non-alcoholic beers offering similar benefits. Traditional German bock beer had the highest B6 levels due to its higher alcohol content, followed by lagers, dark lagers, and wheat beers.
An average lager provided 20% of the dietary allowance for the vitamin, while one non-alcoholic beer provided nearly 59%. The researchers found that a litre of beer contains between 0.3mg and 1mg of B6, compared to the recommended daily allowance of 1.4mg for men and 1.2mg for women.
Study author Professor Michael Rychlik noted that the vitamin content is measurable but not sufficient for regulators to allow health claims on labels. He added that the findings are useful only for consumers looking to optimise their vitamin intake.
However, nutritionist Bridget Benelam from the British Nutrition Foundation warned against viewing alcoholic drinks as a key source of nutrients. She emphasised that a balanced diet should provide enough B6, as deficiency is rare given its presence in foods like meat, fish, breakfast cereals, chickpeas, and porridge.
