Beer is good for your gut and better for you than trendy probiotic drinks – here’s why

HAVING a beer is good for your gut and better for you than trendy health drinks, scientists claim.

Beneficial bacteria in your brew benefits the intestines and boosts the body’s immune system, boffins say.

They reckon ale is arguably more wholesome than fashionable “good-for-your-gut” fermented drinks such as probiotic beverages and yogurt.

And UK pub-goers can reap the benefits by sinking our unique real ales - served fresh and unpasteurised in British inns.

Beer is rich in an antioxidant-boosting type of compound known as polyphenols.

When paired with your real ale’s fibre content, it shows “the potential to enhance the development of a healthy gut through probiotic mechanisms”.

The study, by China’s Dalian Medical University, says: “When beer is consumed in moderation, the phenols and other nutrients it contains are broken down . . . exerting a range of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects.”

It joins a growing number of scientific works in recent years from researchers in Belgium, Portugal, Romania and Spain who have made the case for beer’s health benefits.

Previous studies have found “beer bioactives” could help prevent conditions including heart disease and improve blood circulation and immune function.