Is Stout Actually Good For You? How?

[lukemarsh]

When I ordered my first ever stout at a bar a couple of months ago (Coopers Best Extra... changed my world!) the bar guy told me straight off "yep... a winter's drink, that... good for you too" and also a few other people have told me stout is 'good for you'.
Is this true? And why is this so? As far as I know, stout is the same as any beer, just very dark roasted ingredients...

 

[Pete2501]

I always think of it like liquid Vegemite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite

 

[Greg Lawrence]

I always think of it like liquid Vegemite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite

You might want to try a new recipe

 

[wabster]

Guinness was always advertised as "Good for you" and it, and stout generally, has always been an old wives type of "Tonic" for invalids and nursing mothers too, if I recall correctly.

Part of this was because the high levels of dark malt which reputedly contained lots of minerals and other beneficial trace elements.

It also packs a pretty solid nutritive punch which will show around your waistline if you drink it to excess

Back in the days prior to sanitation as we know it, think England in the mid 1800's, stout was totally clean and safe to drink as well, when the same could not be said of the water.

So yes, it could be said stout IS good for you. Moderation is the key Cheerz Wabster

 

[Dazza_devil]

It puts lead in your pencil.
Too much water is bad for you.

 

[RdeVjun]

The association between stout and "good for you" probably has its origins in Guinness marketing of the 1930's- John Gilroy's iconic posters with the theme "Guinness is good for you" are now well- embedded in beer culture (wikipedia, you can even buy them as reprints).
The manufacturer though, Diageo, makes no health claims of the product as they were told to desist from this practice decades ago by advertising authorities. This is despite the University of Wisconsin's own research, reported on the BBC, finding some health benefits to be had from stout (which was in fact Guinness) compared with lager. Also note the BBC article mentions that the "good for you" concept may have derived from market research in the 1920s.

My 2c, hope this helps! :icon_cheers:

 

[bum]

Wow. That was thorough.

Can you next address the claims that Carlton Draught is "Made From Beer"?

Or even that it is "beer"?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

MMMMm Coopers Best Extra Stout with fresh ground pepper sprinkled on top....Peppered steak in a glass..

Even doctors have perscribed stout as being good for old folk and pregnant mothers....

 

[Polar Beer]

I have heard Guinness has a lot of iron in it? Maybe only compared to lagers, not sure. But this would tally with my experience - many years ago when I was 18 a mate and I spent the weekend up at the Port Fairy Folk Festival. It was my first year there legal. We did nothing but drink Guinness for 3 days, only stopping for the very very occasional sausage. (we also dominated the pool table at one stage too, another story)
Back Tuesday, I'd forgotten I had booked to give blood. Became concerned that after a such an unhealthy weekend, I wouldn't pass the iron test. Well, I nearly blew the thing up. I was something like 1/100th of a unit off having too much iron to be able to donate.
True story.
So there maybe something too it. Probably not though. If ti's got booze in it, it can't be good for you.

 

[muzza]

I love drinking it! It makes me happy, therefore I consider it good for me!

 

[praxis178]

MMMMm Coopers Best Extra Stout with fresh ground pepper sprinkled on top....Peppered steak in a glass..

Even doctors have perscribed stout as being good for old folk and pregnant mothers....

In Denmark (at least when I and my siblings were born), new mothers were given stout after delivering the kid and were told to have one everyday or so for the next month. Tough medicine to take that, if like my Mum you hate stout!

 

[lukiep8]

Stout has a high Iron content, and thus it is good for new mothers.

 

[driveitlikeustoleit]

Stout is bloody good. I try and make sure i always have some form of it on tap.

Yes iron, yes pregnant chicks, YES INEBRIATION!!

:chug:

 

[Nick JD]

I would think that anything with that much charred carbohydrate in it would be pretty bloody carcinogenic.

What's the rate of arse cancer in Ireland? That stuff makes me shit black.

If Stout is good for you I'm Jenny Craig.

 

[big78sam]

There was some controversy about a coopers stout marketing comment recently

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/...91126-jser.html

 

[Polar Beer]

I would think that anything with that much charred carbohydrate in it would be pretty bloody carcinogenic.

What's the rate of arse cancer in Ireland? That stuff makes me shit black.

If Stout is good for you I'm Jenny Craig.

Good question.
What's the rate of mouth cancer in Queensland? That XXXX makes me spit XXXX.

 

[Muggus]

Considering the amount of malted/unmalted grain used to make stout, in comparison to paler styles, you could come to the conclusion that the higher grain to liquid ratio would make it more nutritrious, and essentially "better" for you than normal beer.
I've always wondered about hops though...are they a good source of antioxidiants?

 

[coe-crl]

Good for pregnant ladies...and good for making ladies pregnant?! h34r:

Like anything else in life, good for you in moderation




...and better in inebriation (sorry couldn't resist)

 

[Rabbitz]

... I'd forgotten I had booked to give blood. Became concerned that after a such an unhealthy weekend, I wouldn't pass the iron test. Well, I nearly blew the thing up. I was something like 1/100th of a unit off having too much iron to be able to donate.
True story.
...

Sounds more like haematomacrosis to me

I'd get a medico check it out.

 

[leiothrix]

Sounds more like haematomacrosis to me

I'd get a medico check it out.

Do you mean hemochromatosis by any chance?