The Health Benefits of Craft Beer

Craft beer has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. Not only does it offer a unique flavor and experience, but it also has some surprising health benefits. A growing body of research confirms that craft beer, when consumed in moderation, can be part of a healthy diet. In fact, the USDA Dietary Guidelines specifically mention the health benefits of moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Both mass-produced beer and small-batch beer contain selenium, B vitamins, phosphorus, folic acid and niacin, as well as protein and fiber. It's also one of the few dietary sources of silicon, which can help prevent osteoporosis, according to NPR. But does that mean that craft beer is healthier for you than regular beer? The answer is no. Craft beer doesn't have a different nutritional profile than mass-produced beer.

However, craft beer offers some important health benefits because it contains antioxidants, proteins and vitamin B complex. Big Beer continues to dominate the market, with AB InBev and MillerCoors controlling 72 percent of beer sales, according to Business Insider. The difference between craft beer and regular beer is that the latter is mass-produced and intentionally diluted to make brewing cheaper, while craft beer focuses on richness of flavor and overall quality, regardless of production costs. Craft breweries invest the time and energy needed to maintain or improve beer quality rather than focusing on large marketing campaigns.

Drinking craft beer regularly (in moderation, of course) can provide these benefits because of the high-quality ingredients used to make it. A visit to the nearest craft brewery will reveal that they use fresh, high-quality organically grown ingredients. Charlie Bamforth, professor at beer science at the University of California at Davis, told NPR that even big beers are largely made with natural grain-based sugars and few additives. The danger of not paying attention to alcoholic alcohol is unknowingly consuming as much alcohol in a beer as you normally consume in two or three. Therefore, it's important to be aware of the alcohol content in craft beers.

Just sign in with your Google, Facebook or Twitter account and fill out a quick form to share the latest and greatest with craft beer fans across the country. Any home brewer or craft beer fan will happily tell you that you're missing out if you just drink Budweiser. Craft beers offer a unique flavor experience and some surprising health benefits when consumed in moderation.