Better Gut Health with BEER?!

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted August 8, 2022

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

Unless you’ve been living under a rock these last few years, you‘ve probably heard of the microbiome. It’s that collection of mostly good bacteria in your gut.

Only a few years ago, mentioning “the microbiome” got you weird looks from almost everyone except researchers and a few crazy health nuts (like me!).

Now, I see products all over the grocery store shelves touting their benefits for your microbiome.

And that’s good.

You want a healthy microbiome with its trillions of microbes tirelessly fighting off invading bacteria, helping you digest food, and improving your digestive health. Not to mention, a healthy microbiome has been linked to a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia.

But how do you get there? How do you create a healthy microbiome?

Well, I’ll tell you, and it all starts with a tall cool draft.

A study published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, found that beer lovers have more diverse microbiomes.

Microbiome diversity refers to the number of different types of bacteria that live in your gut. It’s an important measure of gut health. The more diverse your bacterial community, the healthier your gut is.

The researchers found that beer helps boost healthy bacteria in your digestive tract. They point to certain ingredients found in beer, such as hops, barley, and yeasts, as the source of the benefits.

Those ingredients contain many plant compounds, like polyphenols, that make your microbiome happy.

Plus, like many fermented foods, beer also introduces new bacteria to the gut.

Alcohol itself didn’t seem to make any difference: even non-alcoholic beers improved participants’ microbiome.

The research team found that just one beer with dinner was all that was needed to see gut health improvements. Any more than one didn’t change the outcome.

In other words, with alcohol… as is the case with most things in life… it’s best to not overdo it.

Beer is a good start, but there’s so much more you can do for a healthy microbiome:

Dr. Scott’s Healthy Microbiome Plan:

• Start with food. Eat a low-sugar, non-processed food diet (this will also help with your weight-loss efforts).
• Eat as much fiber as possible. (I prefer fiber from vegetables whenever possible). Fiber helps support healthy microbiome communities.
• Eat fermented foods. My favorite fermented foods are sauerkraut, miso, and yogurt. All three contain healthy bacteria you need.
• Take a probiotic. The only way to ensure you get enough healthy bacteria is to supplement.

PS: Trouble slipping off to sleep when you hit the hay? THIS beer ingredient could help you get a good night’s rest, too.

Source:

Impact of Beer and Nonalcoholic Beer Consumption on the Gut Microbiota: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial, J. Agric. Food Chem. 2022, XXXX, XXX, XXX-XXX, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c00587

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND