Beer and Health: Nine Questions Answered

By Amy Campbell In honor of International Beer Day, an unofficial holiday that was observed on August 1, I thought I'd take the opportunity this week to focus on this well-loved beverage. Beer has been around for a long time. Evidence of beer dates back about 5,000 years (those ancient Sumerians surely knew how to have a good time). Archeologists have unearthed vessels from about 3,400 BC lined with beer residue. And the ancient Egyptians enjoyed beer as part of their daily lives — even children drank this bubbly brew. What is beer? According to the website A Perfect Pint, beer is an alcoholic beverage usually made from malted cereal grain such as barley that is flavored with hops (female flowers of the hop plant that impart a bitter flavor) and brewed by fermentation with yeast. (The fermentation process is what creates the alcohol.) Some craft beers are made with grains such as rice, corn, or sorghum instead of barley. What are the different types of beer? There are two main types of beer: ales and lagers. The difference lies in the temperature at which the beer is fermented and the type of yeast used. Ales are generally fermented at warmer temperatures than lagers and involve top-fermenting yeasts that rise to the surface of the liquid (lagers are made by a bottom-fermenting yeast). Ales come in a number of varieties, including India pale ale (IPA), Irish red ale, Flanders red ale, and Dunkelweizen. Lager varieties include Märzenbier, Munich Dunkel, and Doppelbo...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - Category: Diabetes Authors: Source Type: blogs