The nutrition of beer...

As is my normal practice when I sat down to write I grabbed a tasty beverage. Today on a very rare occassion I happen to have beer on hand, and that seemed exceptionally appealling. I took a big swig and put the bottle on my desk. To my surprise I notice a nutrition label, something I don't believe I have ever seen before on a beer. I understand the move in our society to be more conscious of nutrition, but on a beer? I have looked at nutrition labels on things like cereal, or sauces, or products that present themselves as healthy alternatives. But beer? Who really cares that a "big Rock" -"traditional Ale" has 18% of your daily intake of niacin? Most sane people when looking for something healthy would drink water, juice, or milk.

Because I work as an addiction counsellor I have heard just about every possible justification/rationalization for drinking known to man, and many of them are a little far fetched, but I must admit I have never heard anyone say that they drank because it helped them meet their required daily intake of magnesium.

However I did learn one interesting tibbit, that a beer provides 2% of daily intake calcium. Well I guess I need to drink another 49. :-)