[Contribution to the intake of macro and micro nutrients exerted by moderate beer consumption]

Moderate beer consumption can be part of a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet. The aim of the present study was to analyse the contribution a moderate beer consumption makes to energy and nutrient intake in Spanish healthy adults.

As part of a larger intervention study, dietary intake was measured by means of a 7-day food dietary record in 24 men and 22 women (age 34.18 +/- 5.80 years) twice: during the last week of the 30 days of complete alcohol abstinence and during the last week of 30 days of moderate beer consumption. Energy and nutrient content of food was analysed by means of the GEA program, based on the Spanish food composition tables.

In women, moderate beer consumption increased significantly (p < 0.05) mean vitamin B6 (1.24 +/- 0.32 to 1.47 +/- 0.34 mg), B12 (3.87 +/- 1.46 to 5.58 +/- 2.76 microg), A (614.45 +/- 224.75 to 788.3 +/- 486.1 microg), and folate (139.5 +/- 39.88 to 168.25 +/- 56.32 microg) intake, whereas there was a decrease in mean iodine intake (327.1 +/- 148.4 to 281.2 +/- 135.02 microg). In men, mean vitamin B2 (1.64 +/- 0.62 to 1.91 +/- 0.46 mg), B6 (1.54 +/- 0.63 to 1.80 +/- 0.37 mg), niacin (30.01 +/- 8.13 to 34.78 +/- 6.26 mg) and folate (153.23 +/- 68.70 to 192.32 +/- 46.73 mg) intake also increased significantly. Energy, macronutrient and mineral intake had non-significant oscillations.

Moderate beer consumption can improve diet quality in regard to B vitamins in healthy adults.