I can almost hear the sound of cheering from every bar!

I daresay a lot of men are feeling very happy tonight after reading this report in the Huffington Post.

Does beer have anti-virus powers? According to a new study funded by Japanese beer company Sapporo Breweries, a "key ingredient" found in the world's most popular alcoholic beverage may very well help stave off winter sniffles.

Researchers at Sapporo Medical University found that humulone, a chemical compound in hops, was effective against the respiratory syncytial (RS) virus, AFP reports. In addition, humulone was also found to have an anti-inflammatory effect, according to Sapporo's news release.

. . .

But before you reach for that bottle of your favorite brew, harboring dreams of winter-illness domination, be warned: Since only small quantities of humulone can be found in beer, researchers say a person would have to drink about 30 12 oz. cans of the alcoholic drink to benefit from the anti-virus effect, AFP notes.

. . .

In November, Alexis Nasard, Heineken's chief commercial officer, announced that beer was not only natural but "healthy." In an interview with CNBC, Nasard also said that beer has fewer calories than a lot of things, including a glass of milk.

There's more at the link.

I daresay real beer-drinkers won't be put off by the news that they're going to have to drink a lot of it in order to derive an antiviral benefit.  They're clearly very dedicated - no sacrifice is too great for their health, you know!





Peter