--> At the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting on
--> Tuesday, Professor Charles Bamforth said: "Beer, if you
--> looked at it holistically, is healthier than wine. But it is
--> not perceived that way."
-->
--> He cited the soluble fibre, vitamin B12, folic acid, niacin
--> and antioxidants present in The Drink That Built An Empire.
--> He said the hard liquor component of beer has the same magic
--> artery-unblocking prowess as in wine, too.
-->
--> Bamforth conducted a study of 325 visitors to breweries in
--> the States. When asked which is the healthiest alcoholic
--> beverage, naïve tipplers put red and white wine at the top
--> of the list. Then came something called light beer
--> (apparently popular in the New World), then normal lager,
--> and finally dark beer.
-->
--> A paltry 39 per cent of those polled were aware of the
--> miraculous nutritional fortitude of the glorious loopy
--> juice.
-->
--> Even more chillingly, Bamforth says the custodians of our
--> health are among those peddling misinformation about beer.
--> He said: "I have a friend who is a doctor who says, 'don't
--> drink beer because it has fat'. There's no fat in it at
--> all."
-->
--> Bamforth is Anheuser-Busch endowed Professor of Brewing
--> Science at the University of California. Funnily enough,
--> Anheuser-Busch is responsible for rubbish rice-based brew
--> Budweiser.