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another reason to drink beer

douglas

Chocolate Milk Doug
May 15, 2002
9,887
6
Shut up and Ride
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=1282177

Drinker's Delight: Beer May Fight DiseaseA Unique Compound in Ale Intrigues Oregon Researchers

By JOY VICTORY

Nov. 7, 2005 — "Mmmm … beer."

This oft-repeated sentiment of Homer Simpson is a mantra for the millions of beer drinkers in the United States. As popular as beer is, however, it often has gotten a bad rap as a calorie-loaded beverage that only serves to create paunchy beer bellies and alcohol-fueled lapses in judgment.

But that negative image may begin to fade: Research is showing that beer could join the ranks of other guilt-inducing but wildly popular foods — chocolate, coffee and red wine — as a possible disease-fighter.

It turns out that beer hops contain a unique micronutrient that inhibits cancer-causing enzymes. Hops are plants used in beer to give it aroma, flavor and bitterness.

The compound, xanthohumol, was first isolated by researchers with Oregon State University 10 years ago. Initial testing was promising, and now an increasing number of laboratories across the world have begun studying the compound, said Fred Stevens, an assistant professor of medicinal chemistry at Oregon State's College of Pharmacy.

Earlier this year, a German research journal even devoted an entire issue to xanthohumol, he said.

What Stevens and others are discovering is that xanthohumol has several unique effects. Along with inhibiting tumor growth and other enzymes that activate cancer cells, it also helps the body make unhealthy compounds more water-soluble, so they can be excreted.

Most beers made today are low on hops, however, and so don't contain much xanthohumol. But beers known for being "hoppy" — usually porter, stout and ale types — have much higher levels of the compound. Oregon's microbrews ranked particularly high, Stevens said, which is not surprising: U.S. hops are grown almost entirely in the Northwest.

Still, no one knows how much beer is needed to reap the benefits. Mice studies show that the compound is metabolized quickly by the body, so it's hard to get a large amount in the body at one time, Stevens said.

"It clearly has some interesting chemo-preventive properties, and the only way people are getting any of it right now is through beer consumption," he said.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
douglas said:
Earlier this year, a German research journal even devoted an entire issue to xanthohumol, he said.
That's s[c]hocking.

douglas said:
Mice studies show that the compound is metabolized quickly by the body, so it's hard to get a large amount in the body at one time,
Drink early, drink often. And what kind of puss takes drinking lessons from mice, anyhow?
 

hooples3

Fuggetaboutit!
Mar 14, 2005
5,245
0
Brooklyn
Echo said:
Damn you doug for posting this when I'll be at work for the next 9 hours! :mumble:
after sat night.. i still cant look at any alcohol..... i need to get to a doctor to remedy that
 

luken8r

Monkey
Mar 5, 2004
564
0
Melrose MA
I like beer cause it is good. I drink beer because I should.
If there was a song to sing, I sing it and beer you bring.
I drink beer when I am sad 'cuz the beer it makes me glad.
Now there's nothing left to say, so let's go drink beer...

When it's warm it tastes real crappy, but cold beer will make me happy.
When I throw up on the floor, I can go and drink some more.
They say beer will make me DUMB. It are go good with pizza.
Now that we have drunk some beer, let's go drive a car.
 

bluebug32

Asshat
Jan 14, 2005
6,141
0
Floating down the Hudson
"Mice studies show that the compound is metabolized quickly by the body, so it's hard to get a large amount in the body at one time, Stevens said."


Those mice have the best job ever :drool:
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: Thanks for helping save me from cancer, and giving me liquid courage, and for being so tasty, amen.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
SkaredShtles said:
I had a SN pale recently that tasted like swill. I hope it was just a bad bottle..... :think:
Freshness is everything, sounds like that bottle was sitting around too long.:think: The last 12 or so I had last week were good:p

You probably don't get Firestone out in CO, do you? They have a tasty pale ale as well.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
Zark said:
Freshness is everything, sounds like that bottle was sitting around too long.:think: The last 12 or so I had last week were good:p

You probably don't get Firestone out in CO, do you? They have a tasty pale ale as well.
Firestone.... hmmm... I'll check.

These had been sitting around a week, so maybe age was a factor. :p
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
Zark said:
Freshness is everything, sounds like that bottle was sitting around too long.:think: The last 12 or so I had last week were good:p

You probably don't get Firestone out in CO, do you? They have a tasty pale ale as well.
Had another SN pale last night and it must've just been a bad bottle, 'cause this one was good.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
SkaredShtles said:
Had another SN pale last night and it must've just been a bad bottle, 'cause this one was good.
Excellent.

I had a couple Stella's with my buddy for his birthday. Yum!
 
SkaredShtles said:
It's rumored that SN Celebration Ale is in season again. I'll have to go hunting soon for it! :thumb:
Good call...now that NC allows higher ABV beers, I won't have to traverse the East Coast to find some...although since they changed the recipe two or three years ago, I haven't enjoyed it as much.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
gastro said:
Good call...now that NC allows higher ABV beers, I won't have to traverse the East Coast to find some...although since they changed the recipe two or three years ago, I haven't enjoyed it as much.
I've found that it seems to have a distinctive difference almost every year. Of course, that might be because it's usually 9 months between batches for me. :D
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
SkaredShtles said:
It's rumored that SN Celebration Ale is in season again. I'll have to go hunting soon for it! :thumb:
My favorite seasonal is a Belgian called Sami Claus (sp?) Gold foil wrapped 12oz ass kickers. 14.7%abv I know of one place in So-Cal that sells them, they should be in around Turkey day:sneaky:
 

Cooter Brown

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2002
1,453
0
Snow Hall, tweakin on math
I found some brewery beer on my way thru Springfield, Missouri a couple of weeks ago. It was brewed by the Springfield Brewing Company, and it's called Mueller. I tried their sampler of all their brews first and settled on a stout that was brewed with Mud House brand coffee, it's called Mud House Stout. That was some of the best stout that I have ever had, so I had to come home with a case of it. I'll enjoy one or two every evening, and I'm dreading the day that I run out of them. Another good brew they had was Hophead Red, although they were out of it in bottles, so I didn't get to take any of that home with me. So, if you're ever in Springfield, MO., go by and drink, good, good stuff.
 

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
Remember... there are TWO uses for Hops in Beer
Boiling hops and finishing hops (plus Dry hopping)

Boiling hops are used to make beers more bitter (thus why they are also called "bittering hops".) and are used early in teh boiling process. They are mostly to balance out the sweetness that the malt sugars give the beer. The boiling hops would be for an ESB or even in a newcastle.


The finishing hops are used to give beer that floral Cali/PNW micro-brew taste. As the name implies, they are added near the finish of the boiling process.

All beers use some of each. The difference is proportion.

Dry Hops are used after the wart has already cooled down a bit. They are mostly used for aroma.