Cheers! How Beer Fights Cancer

Cheers! How Beer Fights Cancer

By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer
Sunday, June 22, 2008

Ah, beer – the sacred golden nectar of the gods, or at least the preferred drink of tailgaters and party-goers alike. And perhaps now the coveted drink of health-conscious adults. No longer should you hesitate when you want to reach for a frosty cold beer because according to scientific research, beer is your comrade in the fight against cancer. An antioxidant found in hops (a plant used to add depth of flavor to beer), called xanthohumol, has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells and may also slow tumor growth. Researchers from Oregon State University were the first to claim the cancer-fighting properties of xanthohumol more than a decade ago, but the meaning behind it is catching on – could beer be the next health food? The benefit of beer is old news, according to Thomas Jefferson, who once said, “Beer, if drank in moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit, and promotes health.” And who better to support this notion than the beer-loving country of Germany, which published an entire research journal on the health benefits of xanthohumol? How much beer do you need to drink to get the cancer-fighting benefits? Researchers are not quite sure yet and warn that most beers do not contain high enough levels of xanthohumol to start recommending beer for the prevention of cancer. But hey, if you’re going to have a pint of your favorite beer anyway, make it an India Pale Ale (IPA), which has the most hops.