An old proverb ascertains: “Wine is fine, but beer is always dear!” People always have been articulating that a glass of red wine or a pint (glass) of beer consumed daily promotes good health. As per the scientific reports available today, this notion has been proven to be true!
Beer and wine are the two most popular alcoholic beverage/drinks consumed world over. However, both beer and wine being alcoholic drinks, are recommended to be consumed by adult populations, and at moderate amounts only (175-200ml).
Beer and health
Beer (alcohol content range: 4-67 per cent) is usually sweet, malty, fruity or bitter in taste. The vital ingredients used in beer preparations include barley/malt/corn/wheat (as raw material), hops (flowers of Humulus lupulus plant, used as a flavouring or stability agent), brewer’s yeast (for fermentation) and water.
For a unique taste, traditional beers are produced in many countries by using cassava, sorghum, rice, ancient grains, fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc. The art of beer brewing spans more than 5000 years and as of today a wide range of flavoured beers are available in the international and local markets. Beer flavour (taste and aroma) depends on the raw material and ingredients used as well as on the presence of volatile compounds.
Nutritionally, beer is rich in protein, soluble fibre, vitamins (vitamin E, B6, B12, niacin, and folic acids), starch/carbohydrates, and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and sodium). While, beer hops encompasses health beneficial bioactive polyphenolic compounds such as ferulic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, tyrosol, and xanthohumol (flavonoids). Bioactive compounds in beer hops have been proved to exhibit rich antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. The humulones and lupulones acids found in beer hops have been used for developing cancer-treating drugs.
As per the reports accessible on scientific databases, moderate amounts of beer consumption (less than 5 per cent alcohol strength) are related to reduction in the incidence of heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. Further, the anticancer, antioxidant, anti-ageing and anti-hypertensive properties of beer have been proven. Beer consumption is also related with decreased incidences of stress, dementia, kidney and gall stones.
Scientific evidence is available where bioactive compounds in beer are capable of overcoming skin infections, acute eczema, dermatitis, pigment disorders, skin ageing, etc. The antioxidant compounds in beer are proved to be capable of providing protection against mitochondrial damage in cells too. With proved diuretic properties, beer consumption is linked with enhanced urination and toxins removal from body.
Also, moderate amounts of beer consumption can enhance digestion wherein gastric acids and enzymes (gastrin and pancreatic enzymes) are stimulated. Increase in the level of good cholesterol (HDL) with decrease in bile juice concentration (helpful to overcome gall stones) is related with beer consumption. Owing to presence of soluble fibre, moderate amounts of beer consumption can be beneficial to control blood sugar also. Besides, daily consumption of a glass of beer is linked with significant reductions in risks associated with bone fractures/osteoporosis.
Wine and health
Like beer, wine is also an alcoholic beverage (alcohol percentage varies between 5-15 per cent) which is prepared mainly from grapes (red or green varieties) and fermented along with yeasts and other added ingredients such as enzymes, sugar and acids and water, followed by the aging process. The taste usually varies between sweet, salty, acidic, astringent to bitter and strong. Historically, grape wine preparation is reported to exist as early as 8000 BC.
Nutritionally, a glass of wine is devoid of any fat and is low in protein. Wine is a good source of carbohydrates, polyphenolic compounds, vitamins (vitamin B6, B2, niacin and riboflavin) and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and zinc). Even though red and white wine (prepared using red and white grapes) are individually considered to have unique taste, but when it comes to health effects imparted, red wine is considered a better choice.
Red wine consumption in moderate amounts is linked with improved cardio-vascular heath, reduction in stress, decrease in depression associated symptoms, reduction in risks associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases and dementia. Red wine consumption can raise omega-3 fatty acid levels, reduce aging effects and provide protection against sun burn (owed to antioxidant compounds — mainly polyphenols and flavonoids).
Resveratrol (a polyphenol) is the key component of red wines that helps in increasing the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL/good cholesterol) and thus preventing damages incurred to blood vessels.
Further, resveratrol is reported to be highly effective in individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and are capable of increasing heme-oxygenase enzyme levels (known to protect nerve cells in brain). So also, anti-aging effects of red wine is linked to the presence of pro-cyanidins and resveratrol compounds. In certain instances wine consumption has been correlated with prevention of type 2-diabetes, as well as preventing age-related macular degeneration of eyes in diabetic patients.
Wine consumption is also linked with providing protection against prostate and colon cancer (because of the presence of flavonoids and resveratrol) and breast cancer (owed to bioactive compounds in seeds capable of reducing oestrogen levels in pre-menopausal women). Apart from grapes based wine, there are exotic wines prepared by fermenting rice, betel leaves, citrus fruits, etc but the health benefits of these remains undocumented.
Consumption limits,
safety and quality
Though drinking wine and beer is not recommended (for non-drinkers), results from a controlled scientific study had indicated that moderate consumption of wine or beer during dinner time can have beneficial effects on the plasminogen system (decreasing the risks associated with coronary heart diseases).
However, as a word of precaution: age, gender, health conditions, and limit of consumption of alcoholic drinks needs to be monitored carefully, as excessive consumption can have side-effects and can be dangerous. Some common problems related to over-consumption of alcoholic drinks include; liver damage, variations in blood pressure, obesity, etc.
Monitoring the quality and safety of raw materials used for beer/wine production with a sustainable approach, adopting hygienic handling and manufacturing practices along with a HACCP approach (hazard analysis and critical control points) and instigating international manufacturing protocols/standards can ensure high quality and safer products (beer and wine) are produced for consumers.
Expanding and supporting local beer and wine production at the competitive international market by setting up new manufacturing units can ensure additional jobs being created for local population.
Besides, in Fiji, owing to wide availability of cultivable lands with favourable climatic conditions, local farmers have tremendous scope to explore and cultivate basic raw materials required for wine or beer production, which can be supplied (exported) to meet the demands of international markets. These approaches will definitely ensure an additional income source for local farming communities.
* Dr Rajeev Bhat is an associate professor and the head of FNU’s Food Science Department. Views expressed are his and not of this newspaper or his employer. For queries, email: rajeev.bhat@fnu.ac.fj or hodfs@fnu.ac.fj.