A new study has revealed that a pint of beer could provide your body with vitamin B6, which offers a wide range of health benefits. Many of the raw ingredients used to make beer, including wheat, barley, and brewer's yeast, contain B6, a nutrient essential for brain function, blood health, and the immune system.
How Much B6 Does Beer Provide?
According to the research, a serving of beer could meet around 15% of your recommended daily B6 intake. Non-alcoholic beers have a similar effect. The study, published in the Agricultural and Food Chemistry journal, tested 65 different beers purchased from supermarkets in Germany. It found that traditional German bock beer had the highest level of B6 due to its relatively high alcohol content, followed by lagers, dark lagers, and wheat beers.
An average lager in the study provided 20% of the dietary allowance for the vitamin, while one non-alcoholic beer provided nearly 59%. The research found that a litre of beer can contain between 0.3mg and 1mg of B6. The recommended daily allowance for men is 1.4mg a day, and for women, it is 1.2mg.
Expert Warnings
Despite these findings, nutritionists caution against viewing alcoholic drinks as a key source of nutrients. Bridget Benelam from the British Nutrition Foundation stated: "We wouldn't suggest that beer or any alcoholic drink is seen as a key source of nutrients. That should be from diet." She added that unless you are eating a very restricted diet, it is unlikely that you are not getting enough vitamin B6.
Deficiency in B6 is rare given its widespread presence in food sources, but low levels can cause tiredness. Good sources of B6 include meat, fish, breakfast cereals, chickpeas, and porridge.
Study Limitations
Study author Professor Michael Rychlik noted that the vitamin content is measurable but not enough for regulators to allow an advertising sticker. The findings are useful "only for consumers who want to optimise their vitamin intake," he added. Benelam also highlighted the importance of other B vitamins such as B12 and B2, which are found in dairy and animal products.
