Cheers to B-Vitamins, Phytochemicals, and Fiber!

I’m almost certain St. Louis was founded on beer. Way back in 1852.

Employees, drinkers, and the beer itself course through the town. Literally. I’m pretty sure it runs underground from AB Brewery to the Busch stadium tappers.

It is clearly an enormous contributing factor to the livelihood of St. Louis. And the livelihood of transplants and visitors. I, for one, have gone to the brewery on three separate occasions. Best part? They give you free beer at the end! And coming from Chicago, it’s evident that drinking laws are much relaxed in the city that thrives on beer sales.

I started appreciating beer when I studied abroad, realizing that it was not all natural light, aka natty lite. (No offense Natty, you certainly served your purpose…when served at house parties)

When I returned home from traveling I was no longer of legal age. What a trick-like when the government played around with the drinking age and certain lucky folks went from legal to illegal back to legal again. I was unable to try craft beer but was summoned to receive a plastic cup filled of natty.

Entering St. Louis at age 22, I took to those beer paved streets.

I learned what a growler was. What craft beer meant. That craft beer represents less than 7% of total US beer sales.

And in 2008 St. Louis learned of Anheuser Busch's plans to join with InBev, making the brand one of the top 5 consumer goods companies in the world.

The St. Louis Beerfest is tomorrow in Forest Park. 21 Breweries (what an appropriate number) and over 60 beers will be available for taste testing. And it’s not even so pretentious as to leave AB/InBev out of the scene.

Beer, in moderation, actually contains a considerable amount of nutrition-even more so than red wine. Cooking up libations with hops and barley provides many B vitamins and heart healthy benefits (American Dietetics Association).  So while taste-testing my way through ‘more than a moderate’ amount of samples I will try to remember that:

1. The more malt in the brew, the more B-vitamins.

2. The more sugar in the wort, the more alcohol.

3. The more hops, the more phytochemicals.

4. “light” beers and “low carb” beers are brewed either to be lower in alcohol, carbohydrates, or both.

5. Darker beers may have more fiber!

And while beer is fat free it doesn’t usually account you from over-consuming calories (excess calories=weight gain). Especially when the good times get rolling and then the dietitians discover that drive thrus at 2am are the best invention. Ever. So although beer (in moderation) aids in improved cholesterol levels, lower incidence of gallstones, decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, and improved cognitive function in older adults (really?), the greater the alcohol intake, those health benefits turn to health hazards. And it’s one slippery slope to using dark beer as a good source of more dietary fiber or for improved cognitive function at that…