Health and safety
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light and moderate drinking has been associated with lower mortality rates compared to heavy drinking and abstaining (Denke, 2000; Yen et al., 2012). Especially red wine consumption has been associated with a lower risk of mortality (Klatsky, Friedman, Armstrong, & Kipp, 2003), even though confounding factors such as diet, exercise and social class have been found to be favorable in wine drinkers (Klatsky et al., 2003; Wannamathee & Shaper, 1999). However, the role of alcohol as a toxin, which has deleterious effects on human health, should not be underestimated (Fernandez-Sola, 2015; Gerhauser, 2005).[1]
LTP and protein Z have been identified as the main beer allergens.[2]
Reactions to LTP appear to be more common in the Mediterranean area [44], with clinical cross-reactivity being described between foods and pollens. However, although less common in birch-endemic areas, clinical reactivity to LTP is still important in some patients, for example, Flinterman et al. [45]. Clinically, there are thus similarities with the North European pollen/fruit syndrome, but this Southern Europe variant is clinically more severe, not prevented by cooking, and due to different protein cross-reactivities.[3]
Beer proteins positively affect the plasma lipid level in rats decreasing the total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels57. The hypolipidemic effect of beer proteins might be one of the reasons why moderate consumption of beer is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular diseases33.[4]
Beer has been implicated as the causative agent of urticaria and severe IgE-modified anaphylaxis. Despite the large worldwide beer consumption, allergic reactions to beer have been very rarely reported.[4]
Since non-alcoholic beers have significantly lower calorie content than normal beers, they are becoming more attractive to a health-conscious consumer.[5]
Although ethanol is recognised as a major contributor to cancer diseases, moderate consumption of red wine is known to have some health benefits. The decrease in coronary heart disease observed among wine drinkers despite a diet very rich in saturated fat is known as the “French paradox”.(234) Wine polyphenols and alcohol most probably contribute to this protective effect.(235,236) Beer contains much less polyphenols than wine, although one of its raw materials, hop, is much richer than grapes. The two beverages also show very different polyphenol distributions (e.g., no anthocyanidins in beer but more prenylchalcones).[6]
In conclusion, our data suggest that beer can supply molecules with potential antioxidant activity, as well as micronutrients containing part of the active site of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, both potentially contributing to the overall antioxidant activity in vivo.[7]
- Lordan Total, Neutral, and Polar Lipids of Brewing Ingredients, By-Products and Beer: Evaluation of Antithrombotic Activities
- Newman, R. K.; Newman, C. W.; Graham, H. The hypocholesterolemic function of barley â-glucans. Cereal Foods World 1989, 34, 883-886.
- Bhatty, R. S. The potential of hull-less barley. Cereal Chem. 1999, 76, 589-599.
- Melatonin present in beer contributes to increase the levels of melatonin and antioxidant capacity of the human serum
- Beer and beer compounds: physiological effects on skin health
References
- ↑ Wannenmacher J, Gastl M, Becker T. Phenolic substances in beer: Structural diversity, reactive potential and relevance for brewing process and beer quality. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2018;17(4):953–988.
- ↑ Gorjanović S, Sužnjević D, Beljanski M, et al. Effects of lipid-transfer protein from malting barley grain on brewers yeast fermentation. J Inst Brew. 2004;110(4):297–302.
- ↑ Unsworth DJ, Lock RJ. Chapter 6: Food Allergy Testing. In: Makowski GS, ed. Advances in Clinical Chemistry. Vol 65. Elsevier; 2014:173–198.
- ↑ a b Stanislava G. Barley grain non-specific lipid-transfer proteins (ns-LTPs) in beer production and quality. J Inst Brew. 2007;113(3):310–324.
- ↑ Krebs G, Müller M, Becker T, Gastl M. Characterization of the macromolecular and sensory profile of non-alcoholic beers produced with various methods. Food Res Int. 2019;116:508–517.
- ↑ Callemien D, Collin S. Structure, organoleptic properties, quantification methods, and stability of phenolic compounds in beer—a review. Food Rev Int. 2009;26(1), 1–84.
- ↑ Fantozzi P, Montanari L, Mancini F, et al. In vitro antioxidant capacity from wort to beer. LWT. 1998;31(3):221–227.