Don’t wine, beer’s ‘healthy’ too
Beer is bad but wine is fine in moderation - the health nuts have got it all wrong.
An ale isn’t all that bad because it’s usually got less sugar than wine and there are plenty of healthy ingredients.
A gut-friendly probiotic beer has been developed at the National University of Singapore, and while it’s not available here, there are plenty of beers you’ll be able to find an excuse for in your diet.
University of Otago food science senior lecturer Dr Graham Eyres says beer has a raw deal, considering wine is touted as being better for you.
‘‘Wine has got this perception that it’s fine to drink, even as part of a diet regime. Often you’ll find that wine has more calories and energy than most beers per standard drink unit due to the higher alcohol content and residual sugar,’’ Eyres says.
For the most part, most sugar in beer is rid during the brewing process by yeast. The perception that you can have wine, but can’t drink beer because you will get a beer belly, is slightly flawed.
Breweries are unlikely to make any health claims on their products in New Zealand, but here are some aspects we think are worth mentioning.
Skurvy staving spruce beer
Mussel Inn’s Captain Cooker beer is brewed the way the great captain brewed his beer on discovering New Zealand in the Bay of Islands.
Beer Nation author and beer judge Michael Donaldson says it’s brewed with spruce and manuka, like Cook brewed on arrival to New Zealand. ‘‘When Captain Cook was making his beer, he was looking to get some vitamin C into [his crew] to prevent skurvy,’’ Donaldson says.
It’s hundreds of years since that original brew was made, but you could try staving off the winter ills with this antiquitous drop.
Low-alcohol for a clearer head
Non-alcholic beer is more of an exercise in hydration than anything else, so the benefits of low-alcohol beers can’t be too far of a stretch.
Low-alcohol beers are not lacking in flavour, as they once were long maligned as being, with plenty of new creations winning awards for their flavour.
Rotorua brewery Croucher’s Lowrider IPA is a great start, but there are plenty of others to keep you happy while you think about how healthy you are. Eyres, who specialises in flavour, says: ‘‘the impressive aspect of Lowrider is that it achieves a full flavour and body with a low alcohol level.’’
Gluten-free for a happy gut
Sorghum is high in protein and contains less fat than quinoa - it’s perfect for good health and beer tastes better than any green smoothie on this good Earth.
Sorghum is often used in gluten-free beers (as well as rice) and has been touted as a super food and has been bestowed the ‘‘ancient grain’’ moniker. There are two GF beers on the market, Kereru’s Auro gluten-free ale or Scott’s gluten-free option, but they’re worth a go.
Hops for a calmer you
Hops are bitter buds that slam your tastebuds but also calm you down, so if you’re looking to chill, an Epic Hop Zombie could be the perfect brew before bed.
If you’re having trouble getting to sleep a hoppy beer will help make your eyelids heavy, as plenty of people drink hop tea if they have bedtime-troubles.
Eyres says hops are well-known to have soporific qualities - meaning they apparently help you sleep - a reason why they’re used in aromatherapy products.
Cold brew, with a taste of coffee
Coffee may have caffeine, but it has tonnes of antioxidants and there are plenty of beers on the market with added coffee.
One such beer is Epic’s Coffee and Fig Imperial Stout, which might go well between kale, kelp and quinoa salads.