As we sail into St. Patrick’s Day, I’m reminded of something I often hear when I go into an Irish pub for a refreshment and/or a wedge of shepherd’s pie. And that is, that not only does a cool glass of Guinness taste good, it’s actually good for you as well.
I’ve read, on various occasions, that Guinness is high in antioxidants, and is a good source of iron and other minerals. I looked into these claims and found differing opinions.
I tracked down an article in the UK Guardian, written by a British dietician who says many mothers-to-be insist their physician recommended a glass of Guinness for its iron content.
Setting aside, for the moment, the fact that the dangers of alcohol in pregnancy are widely accepted, the writer, Catherine Collins, says the iron content benefits of Guinness are a myth.
“You’d need to drink three pints of Guinness to provide the same amount of iron as a single egg yolk,” she says.
Health claims for Guinness go all the way back to an ad campaign in the 1920s, in which drinkers said they felt good after downing a pint. No kidding. But the company subsequently drummed up the slogan, “Guinness is Good For You,” which still finds its way in poster form to American bars even though the company was told to stop using it decades ago.
The brewer now says: “We never make any medical claims for our drinks.”
But the issue bubbles to the surface every once in a while, and no one study has ever helped it come to a head.
The BBC published an article in 2003 quoting a University of Wisconsin study claiming that Guinness reduces clotting in the arteries. The antioxidants it contains also slow down the deposit of cholesterol on artery walls, the BBC said.
Lager doesn’t have the same effect, the researchers concluded. The results were announced at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando.
On the other hand, some researchers maintain that alcohol in any form helps reduce clotting. The benefits of small amounts of red wine have been well publicized.
Let the debate continue, I say. My own conclusion is that I’m willing to tap a cool glass of Guinness, but only because it stands on its own flavorful merit.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikonvscanon/439843801/
