Nutrition T he nutritive aspects of beer should not be completely forgotten, although they are often overlooked. Beer is, of course, mainly water, and, given the moderate levels of alcohol already referred to, is more effective at counteracting dehydration than stronger drinks such as wine. At the same time, beer contains significantly less sugars than most soft drinks - an advantage in terms of tooth decay and weight control. Perhaps this is one area where nutritional labelling could have positive benefits. A nother consideration is the contribution beer can make to trace nutrients in the diet.
Beer is a good source of some vitamins, especially pyridoxine.
On the debit side, however, we must remember that beer is deficient in one particular vitamin, thiamine, which just happens to be important in the metabolism of carbohydrates. In general, the levels of vitamins in beer, although useful in less well nourished societies, are not sufficiently high for nutritional claims to be made in the UK under the new labelling regulations. B eer is also a good source of minerals in the diet, especially magnesium and potassium. Possibly even more important is the low ratio of sodium to potassium, which has a beneficial effect on blood pressure. Moderation is all important here, since in heavy drinkers, the alcohol itself can increase blood pressure.