Men trying to put a more positive spin on the term "beer belly" might find a new study encouraging. It indicates that moderate daily consumption of lager beer actually could improve their gut health. The small study, published yesterday in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that healthy men who drank one alcoholic or non-alcoholic lager daily developed a more diverse set of gut microbes, which is associated with a lower risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. "I think the most important finding is that beer can positively modulate intestinal microbiota. It is very interesting to consider that the moderate consumption of beer, with or without alcohol, can be a strategy to improve our microbiota as a part of a well-balanced diet," the study's lead author, Ana Faria, told UPI.
Link: UPI
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