May 2015 Beer as a food source (part 2)

Nutrition

As I mentioned in the previous article, beer contained energy and water which was needed when working, but you also need other things than just energy. Now malt contains more than just energy and this transfers into the beer that you make. Vitamin B is a good example, it even contains vitamin B12 which is rare to find in many other sources of food. Nowdays we often have to think about what we eat and we are more aware of what we should it (I said aware, not always doing as we know we should) but back then people didnt know much about vitamins so getting that from what you did drink and eat is very much a good thing.

Also as I stated earlier the beer was weak, which also meant that it didnt contain all that much but then again you drank several liters every day it can add up to a fair amount of what you need per day. Also it contains potassium which is required by your body when you work physically and sweat a lot, which people most likely did back then. 

To add more to this, beer also contains traces of protein, calcium and phosphorus. Although not in great quantaties but still better than not getting any of it at all. Now this will be most true for dark beers but even the light ones may contain fiber which is good for your digestive system.