Guinness Good For Health, Really? Check Out Surprising Reasons

Guinness is one of the world's best stouts and a favorite St. Patrick's Day drink. The Irish beverage has always been advertised as the best option when someone is tired and for strength. But the question lied if the beer is actually good for health or if this is just a marketing trick.

According to Daily Mail Online, the Guinness Irish drink is made of roast malt extract, barley, water, brewers yeast and hops. Interestingly, a part of barley is also roasted to give the dark color. However, the beer can't be termed as a healthy option, it is still a good one.

The Guinness beer does have some nutritional value. It contains antioxidants, soluble fiber, B vitamins, probiotics that promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut as well as silicon. 'We showed that Guinness contained the most folate of the imported beers we analyzed,' said Dr Charlie Bamforth, a professor of brewing sciences at the University of California, Davis.

The Guinness beer contains folate that is necessary to create DNA as well needed for cells to divide. According to Dr. Bamforth, stouts contain 12.8 micrograms of folate. Another benefit of the drink is the calorie content. A 12 ounce serving contains 126 calories.

Interestingly, Guinness has always been thought of as a heavy beer due to its dark color. However, the beer isn't carbonated as lagers. It has less filing. A regular beer uses carbon dioxide, but this Irish beer uses nitrogen. A pint of this beer also boosts bone health.

A study conducted in 2009 had found that drinking beer in moderate amount helps improve bone mineral, that is a big risk factor in osteoporosis. Guinness also contains Vitamin B. According to a study, a pint of this beer contains all types of Vitamin except vitamin B12, The Sun reported.

Iron helps boost energy and Guinness contains 0.3 miligrams iron. Moreover, it has enough iron that is equivalent to an egg yolk. The beer is also rich in flavonoids founded on a study conducted in 2003. The flavonoids prevents risk of heart attack through blood clot.