Put down your Activia. There may be a more enjoyable way to support gut health — with beer.
According to a professor at Amsterdam University, strong beers can be “very, very healthy” for gut health when consumed in moderation.
Eric Classen presented his beer-based probiotic research at a conference hosted by probiotic drink maker Yakult. Classen’s research revealed that strong Belgian beers like Hoegaarden, Westmalle Tripel, and Echt Kriekenbier have more probiotics than their weaker counterparts, according to The Telegraph.
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The difference is in the fermentation process. While most beers are only fermented once, a beer (like a strong Belgian) that goes through fermentation twice has more of a specific type of probiotic yeast that kills disease-causing bacteria in the gut.
Regular probiotics are most commonly linked to a healthy digestive tract and increased immune system support.
Classen concluded that “if you drink just one of these [probiotic rich] beers every day it would be very good for you.”
Just don’t go too far the other way as excessive drinking can damage the healthy bacteria in your gut.
Although this seems like a pretty awesome way to support digestive health, it’s important to note that the scientific community is not in universal agreement about the benefits of probiotics.
Last year a study by the journal Cell, revealed that probiotics might not be universally beneficial and, in some people, could actually bring “potential adverse side effect[s].”