I have to confess, I’m not a beer drinker, but there’s someone in my household that loves it, so I had to figure out the truth. Is beer really healthy? Why are the ingredients not listed on the label? Which brands can we trust? Which brands are trying to slowly poison us with cheap and harmful ingredients? All of these questions were going through my head at once at lightning speed. So a year ago, I started to research what was really in beer and after questioning several beer companies, reading books about food science, and talking to experts, the information I discovered was downright shocking.
I see it all the time. Someone who eats organic, makes the right choices at the grocery store, is fit and lives an extraordinarily healthy lifestyle but then drinks beer like it is going out of style.
Caring about what you eat doesn’t necessarily translate into caring about what you drink and this is a HUGE MISTAKE.
Before we get into what exactly is in beer that you should be worried about, let’s talk about how body reacts to alcohol in general.
Alcohol is metabolized by the body differently than all other calories you consume. Alcohol is one of the only substances that you consume that can permeate your digestive system and go straight into your bloodstream. It bypasses normal digestion and is absorbed into the body intact, where it goes straight into the liver.
Your liver is your main fat-burning organ. If you are trying to lose weight or even maintain your ideal weight, drinking alcohol is one of your worst enemies. The liver is going to metabolize alcohol first vs. the fat you want to get rid of – making weight loss even harder. Additionally, one of the primary functions of the liver is to remove environmental toxins from your body – if it is overtaxed with alcohol, the normal removal of these toxins becomes extremely diminished and can result in rapid aging, loss of libido, and other diseases.
The one thing that has gotten me before and I’m sure many of you – is the health marketing claims on alcohol products making drinking them seem like a good idea and an added “benefit” to your health. The low alcohol content of beer makes it appear as an innocuous beverage and something people throw back without even thinking about it. Who hasn’t seen those studies that say a beer a day is great for you (I want to ask who ever stops at just one beer?)?
So, inherently, alcohol by itself is not a healthy person’s best friend – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Beer, especially American beer, is made with all sorts of ingredients beyond the basic hops, malt and yeast. There are numerous other ingredients used to clarify, stabilize, preserve, enhance the color and flavor of beer.
When you drink beer, there is almost a 100% chance that you don’t know what you are drinking (unless you quizzed the beer companies like I did). The ingredients in beer are not required by law to be listed anywhere on the label and manufacturers have no legal obligation to disclose the ingredients. For regular beer, calorie levels and percent alcohol are optional and for light beer calories are mandatory but alcohol levels are optional.
Michele Simon, a public health lawyer, author of Appetite for Profit, and president of Eat Drink Politics told me the reason that beer companies don’t disclose ingredients is simple: they don’t have to.
“Ingredient labeling on food products and non-alcoholic beverages is required by the Food and Drug Administration. But a whole other federal agency regulates beer, and not very well. The Department of Treasury – the same folks who collect your taxes – oversees alcoholic beverages. That probably explains why we know more about what’s in a can of Coke than a can of Bud. You can also thank the alcohol industry, which has lobbied for years against efforts to require ingredient labeling.”
I figured if the beer companies aren’t required to tell us the exact list of ingredients, I needed to investigate this for myself and asked them the pointed questions until I got the truth.
First of all, I was able to obtain a baseline list of “legal” additives allowed in beer from the book “Chemicals Additives in Beer” by the Center of Science and Public Interest. This list allowed me to ask specific questions about each beer I investigated. For example – beer sold here in America can contain several of the following ingredients:
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Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – alcohol is already addictive with some people, but with MSG?! Holy smokes.
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Propylene Glycol (an ingredient found in anti-freeze)
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Calcium Disodium EDTA (made from formaldehyde, sodium cayanide, and Ethylenediamine)
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Many different types of sulfites and anti-microbial preservatives (linked to allergies and asthma)
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Natural Flavors (can come from anything natural including a beavers anal gland)
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High Fructose Corn Syrup
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GMO Sugars – Dextrose, Corn Syrup
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Caramel Coloring (Class III or IV made from ammonia and classified as a carcinogen)
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FD&C Blue 1 (Made from petroleum, linked to allergies, asthma and hyperactivity)
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FD&C Red 40 (Made from petroleum, linked to allergies, asthma and hyperactivity)
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FD&C Yellow 5 (Made from petroleum, linked to allergies, asthma and hyperactivity)
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Insect-Based Dyes: carmine derived from cochineal insects to color their beer.
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Animal Based Clarifiers: Findings include isinglass (dried fish bladder), gelatin (from skin, connective tissue, and bones), and casein (found in milk)
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Foam Control: Used for head retention; (glyceryl monostearate and pepsin are both potentially derived from animals)
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BPA (Bisphenol A is a component in many can liners and it may leach into the beer. BPA can mimic the female hormone estrogen and may affect sperm count, and other organ functions.)
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Carrageenan (linked to inflammation in digestive system, IBS and considered a carcinogen in some circumstances)
During my investigation, I couldn’t get a single mainstream beer company to share the full list of ingredients contained in their beer. But I did get some of them to fess up to the use of these ingredients in writing so I’m going to share this information with you now.
Carcinogenic Caramel Coloring
Newcastle, a UK brand, confessed to using what I would consider one of the most controversial food additives. Toasted barley is usually what gives beer its golden or deep brown color, however in this case, Newcastle beer is also colored artificially with caramel color. This caramel coloring is manufactured by heating ammonia and sulfites under high pressure, which creating carcinogenic compounds. If beer companies were required by law to list the ingredients, Newcastle would likely have to have a cancer warning label under California law because it is a carcinogen proven to cause liver tumors, lung tumors, and thyroid tumors in rats and mice.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Many of the beers I questioned contained one or more possible GMO ingredients.
- High Fructose Corn Syrup (Guinness – unable to provide an affidavit for non-GMO proof)
- Corn syrup (Miller Light, Coors, Corona, Fosters, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Red Stripe)
- Dextrose (Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch Light, Michelob Ultra)
- Corn (Red Stripe, Miller Coors Brand, Anheuser-Busch Brands)
Most beers brewed commercially are made with more GMO corn than barley. Many of the companies I contacted dodged the GMO question – however Miller Coors had a very forthcoming and honest response. They stated “Corn syrup gives beer a milder and lighter-bodied flavor” and “Corn syrups may be derived from a mixture of corn (conventional and biotech.)”, admitting their use of GMOs.
Pabst Blue Ribbon responded saying their corn syrup was “special” and “made of carbohydrates and some simple sugars like dextrose and maltose. The sugars are fermented into alcohol and CO2, and the carbohydrates, both from the corn syrup and the malt, remain in the beers as flavor, color and body components.”
Dextrose and maltose can come from a variety of substances that are sweet, but likely are derived from GMO corn because it is super cheap for a company to use corn instead of fruit or other non-GMO sources. With cheap beer – you are not just getting a cheap buzz, you are getting the worst of the worst. Just like with cheap fast food – if you don’t invest in your beer – you will be drinking a lower quality product like Pabst Blue Ribbon that is made from GMO Corn and Corn Syrup.
In 2007, Greenpeace found unapproved and experimental GMO Rice strain in Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser, Bud Light) beer. Anheuser-Busch responded saying their US-grown long-grained rice “may have micro levels” of a genetically engineered protein called Liberty Link, but added that the protein is “substantially removed or destroyed” during the brewing of beer sold domestically. Don’t you think it’s hard to trust any beer company that gets caught using experimental food made in a laboratory? GMOs have not been tested long term on human beings and one of the main pesticides (Roundup) they spray on GMO crops are linked to inflammation, cancer and other diseases.
High Fructose Corn Syrup & Fish Bladders
Speaking of trusting companies, let’s get one thing straight, Guinness beer is no longer owned by the Irish, they are now owned by a large beer conglomerate called Diageo and manufactured in over 50 different countries. No matter how many St. Patty’s Day celebrations you’ve had with this dark stout, it’s time to stop because they use high fructose corn syrup in their beer (4/2/14 Update: Guinness Beer claims they do not use high fructose corn syrup any longer, but refuses to disclose ingredient affidavits or full of list of ingredients.) But, Guinness beer also contains isinglass, a gelatin-like substance produced from the swim bladder of a fish. This ingredient helps remove any “haziness,” solids, or yeast byproducts from the beer. Mmmmm… fish bladder sounds delicious, doesn’t? The sneaky thing this beer company does like many of the companies mentioned here today is create an illusion of using the best ingredients when in actuality what they tell you publicly on their websites is a complete farce. On Guinness FAQ’s – they have a question that states: “What are the key ingredients in Guinness” and the answer doesn’t reveal the whole picture – it only states “Our key ingredients – other than inspiration – are roasted, malted barley, hops, yeast and water.” What BS, right? You have to call, email, question and know the right things to ask to even have a chance at getting the truth. This is insanity.
So What Beers Are Additive and GMO Free?
If you enjoy the occasional beer and wish to maintain your healthy lifestyle, choosing one without GMOs and additives is ideal. Unfortunately, most of the mainstream beers available have additives, but luckily, there are a few that don’t. For example, Sierra Nevada, Heineken, and Amstel Light (7/31/13 UPDATE: It has come to my attention that Heinken USA has changed their formula to use GMOs – I called their customer service line 1-914-681-4100 to confirm and asked for the list of ingredients – the man told me “water, yeast, malted barley and hops” – then I asked if their beer contained any genetically engineered material and he confirmed “YES,” but wouldn’t tell me what ingredients are genetically engineered. They recently changed their formula after my initial research that started in late 2012.) (8/1/13 Update: Heineken reached out to me personally to say their customer service department made an error in telling me and others who called their beer has GMOs. I met with a head brew master and have viewed affidavits from the company and confirmed Heinken and Amstel Light do not contain GMOs – they apologize for the confusion.) appear to be pretty clean (but these companies still wouldn’t disclose the full list of ingredients to me. They did say they use non-GMO grains, no artificial ingredients, stabilizers or preservatives).
German Beers are also a good bet. The Germans are very serious about the purity of their beers and enacted a purity law called “Reinheitsgebot” that requires all German beers to be only produced with a core ingredient list of water, hops, yeast, malted barley or wheat. Advocates of German beers insist that they taste cleaner and some even claim they don’t suffer from hangovers as a result.
An obvious choice to consider is also Certified Organic Beers. They are required by law to not include GMOs and other harmful additives. Organic beers also support environmental friendly practices and reduce the amount of pesticides and toxins in our air, support organic farmers – which is a huge plus. (To this day, the beer drinkers in my family haven’t found one they love so if you have suggestions, please let us know in the comments!)
Craft & Microbrews Beers – For certain local craft and micro beers, you can ask those companies for a list of ingredients and many of them will be up front with you. However, companies like Miller Coors are slowly closing in on craft beers and buying them up one by one… like they did when they created the unique popular variety called Blue Moon (the beer you drink with an orange) and Anhesuer-Busch did this with Rolling Rock and Goose Island Brewery. Make sure your favorite craft and microbrew is still independently owned and controlled before taking a sip.
In the end – if you decide to drink beer, you are definitely drinking at your own risk for more reasons than just the crazy ingredients that could be in them. The key point to remember is – if you like to drink beer and want to be healthy, drink it infrequently and quiz the beer companies for the truth. Find a beer that you can trust and stick with it.
For your reference, here are some important questions to ask your favorite beer company:
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What are the ingredients in your beer – all of them from start to finish?
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Are any of your ingredients GMO?
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Do you use any soy, corn, or rice processing ingredients? (Examples include: dextrose, corn syrup, etc.)
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Do you add any natural, artificial flavors or colors to the beer? (Examples include: yellow #5, caramel coloring, red #40, MSG, natural flavors)
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Are there any additional preservatives, stabilizers and/or clarifying agents added to your beer during processing? (Examples include: propylene glycol, Calcium Disodium EDTA, anything ending in “sulfite” like sodium metabisulfite, Heptylparaben, isinglass)
If you know someone who drinks beer – share this post with them.
These ingredients are no joke. We must inform and protect each other from these industrial chemicals, untested and potentially harmful ingredients and it starts by sharing your knowledge with the ones you love.
Bottoms up!
Food Babe
As someone who brews their own beer, I find this article a little troubling.
First, it’s not titled “The shocking ingredients in super massive production beers”, so it makes it seem like all beer is crap. Wrong. She does make a point to identify that craft breweries are likely to have better ingredients, but you don’t ever know that. Maybe it’s cheaper to buy GMO 2-row (or 6, or pilsner…etc) malt, the base grain that provides the sugars the yeast convert to alcohol.
Second, the language is on par with that you would find on any shock news network. Colorful as it may be, that it’s aimed at a largely female audience leads me to believe that the shock factor versus the information is what’s driving people to share this article (and thus providing higher ad revenue…I work in online advertising as well).
The grains don’t really make it into the beer. The sugars are extracted from them to feed the yeast which turns the sugar into alcohol. If you’re worried about the yeast eating GMO foods, maybe take up a case with the human society or something, not sure if they cater to fungi or not. There are some left over proteins, most of which are filtered out (unfortunately sometimes with gelatin or fish bladders which is bad for vegetarians and people with allergies).
As for the chemicals and the rest of the additives for clarifying or coloring or preserving beer…that is something to be concerned about. Consuming massively produced products almost always comes with a hidden cost to offset the lower price of goods. Imagine asking your street food vendor or taco stand where they source their ingredients! I just don’t eat there.
As for the beer, well, brew your own. It’s relatively easy and you’ll know exactly what’s in it. Otherwise, drink craft beer from a local brewery. Most of those guys and girls come from roots as home brewers and really take pride in making great beer. Just be careful, you might end up drinking something with sage or thyme or yam in it!!! So Shocking!
I’m with you Jake. Incredibly biased and poorly informed post.
I dont drink big beer anymore, but I have tried many german beers and I m sure beers like Eirdinger are tasty enough but there yeast based and really filling. I did however find a gem and its called Paulaner also a weisse beer. (Last time i had a beer was back in feb, at my nieces christening) Maybe others can confirm anything ive just commented. Thank you
That’s because German beers are, generally, only allowed to consist of four ingredients: hops, barley, yeast and water. It’s called the Reinheitsgebot 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinheitsgebot
Reinheitsgebot is no longer law. They allow more ingredients now, but none on the list here. The article you point to even says Reinheitsgebot is no longer law. The Food Babe also seems to have missed this bit of information.
Yeast based? All beer has yeast in it.
I don’t agree with you at all. I think you’re just being dramatic and in the end you’ll said the same thing.
Right! At the end he totally says the same thing. I also find it odd that Jake thinks this article is more geared toward women. I don’t get that sense at all. Is it because it was written by a smart female who calls herself Food Babe, so it should OBVIOUSLY ONLY be read by other women???? Gah.
Yeah, “you’ll said the same thing!”
If you are trying to prove a point or tear down someone else’s post, at least learn to type correctly. Pathetic.
Hey smart guy…”you’ll” is a contraction for ” you all”. Who’s “pathetic” now.
Hahahahahahaha man I’m 30 and have been using “you’ll” for “you all” as long as I can remember! And I’m always the one people go to for spelling…oh boy that’s hilarious. Learn something new everyday. Y’all were really whoring me out huh?! Lol Either way, my point waaaaas, I think it’s a good article and she was saying some micro brews could be good u just gotta check on them. Nice chat lol
I’m with you, this is clearly written in a way to generate shock value. You need look no further than where she lists propylene glycol and states “an ingdedient used in anti freeze”. Yea OK you know what else its used in DRINKING WATER. Cold weather places such as Alaska put it in there drinking water to prevent it from freezing.
Oh…hey, that’s smart logic for you…. since Alaska puts it in drinking water, it must be “safe”. I guess that makes chlorine and fluoride in drinking water “safe”. I’m shaking my head at how pathetic this all sounds.
Fluoride is safe, do your research. Dental Caries is the most chronic disease in America, yes dental caries (cavities) is considered a disease. Not only do issues due to dental caries cost tax payers millions becauseMedicaid only covers tooth extractions, but fluoride in you’re water when you were inutero and a c hild is responsible for your permanent teeth developing correctly. But maybe you are not thankful for this and would prefer mottled, pitted teeth or lack of teeth all together.
fluoride causes cavities and is very toxic. The only way to prevent cavities is to have good nutrition.
Fluoride as what they put in now, not the natural fluoride found in certain mineral springs (which is why they got the idea int eh first place) is very dangerous. It can be directly linked to one my autoimmune disorders. So please dont tell me its safe.
Just believing something does not make it true. I suggest you do research about the dangers of fluoride. I’ve lived in numerous (developing) countries that do not add fluoride to their water supply and yet the citizens there have much healthier teeth than Americans – even with no dental care. The cause of cavities – poor diet and poor dental hygiene.
Think about what you just said… How can it be that caries are so epidemic in the US if we all drink fluoridated water? (Because it does NOT protect your teeth) I guess humans never correctly developed permanent teeth until mid last century. Phew! Good thing we finally figured that one out… smh
Dani your wrong….fluoride is bad over a period of time, especially to those with little to no enamel. I know people who never used fluoride in their life and perfect teeth
Jake,
the grains don’t make it into the beer? Are you kidding? if you really think that only the sugar from the GMO grains makes it into the beer then you have a funny view of biochemistry. And just what stops all of those other chemicals from getting into the beer? I make my own wine, and I can assure you that any chemical compounds in the must make it into the final product. That is why it is so important to control the ingredients. The yeast only ferments the sugar and certain other compounds, it DOES NOT perform any filtering of unwanted chemicals. And, you can’t filter out proteins. The filtering takes out solids, it doesn’t work at the molecular lelvel. If it did, it would also take out the flavoring molecules.
Good luck with your beer!
Dani,
I can’t believe the ignorance you display concerning fluoride. Even the ADA has admitted that fluoride only works topically, if at all, and ingesting it provides NO BENEFIT to the teeth. Your fairy tale about permanent tooth development is an outright falsehood. I HAVE done my research, perhaps you should read something about the subject that isn’t 50 years out of date. The toxic effects of fluoride are well documented. Why do you think that tubes of fluoride toothpaste carry the warning “do not swallow?” Egad, you are either pathetically ignorant or an employee of the potash industry that produces this crap.
Before telling somebody to do their research, perhaps you should know whether or not they have. I have done YEARS of research and I can confidently say you are very wrong in your assumptions. Mindsets like this are what help bring about horrible pitting, darkening, and even dental caries – all resulting from FLUORIDE. I suggest you do your research using reputable studies. It was proven quite some time ago that fluoride is a waste product, is dangerous, and does NOTHNG for cavity prevention. I treat it like poison. Because it IS poison. Don’t reply to this – I won’t read it. I don’t have time for nonsense.
For the record, I am a well educated, REGISTERED dental hygienist with an Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene and Health Sciences. You will never convince me otherwise that caries are not an epidemic or that fluoride is not responsible for proper tooth development. Read ANY dental anatomy, histology or pathology book and you will find how very important fluoride is to the proper development of teeth in-utero and during the first 5 years of life. In my profession, I have seen first hand what lack of fluoridated water can do to teeth. I lived in a town for two years without fluoridated water and the amount of dental anomalies and caries was ASTOUNDING in that town. I have read an extensive amount of peer reviewed articles on fluoride and have yet to come across any that are compelling or convincing enough to expose any proven causation of the literal microscopic amounts of fluoride in drinking water and it being toxic to you. The amounts you are talking about are by consuming an ENTIRE bottle of mouthwash or at least three tubes of standard size toothpaste. Fluoride in drinking water is measured by PPM or parts per million. Do you have any idea how very little that is compared to even one application of toothpaste on a toothbrush?
Oh, and, it would be impossible to accurately say that there are people who have never had fluoride in their body, in their lives unless you know for a fact that they have always drank completely unfluoridated well water and did not ever consume fruits, vegetables or grains that were watered with fluoridated water, their mothers who breastfed them did not consume fluoridated water or fruits and vegetables and they never went to dentist.
Fluoride could not possibly cause cavities considering cavities is directly a BACTERIA driven process, hence the reason it is able to be considered a chronic disease. Cavities are caused by bacteria already present it the mouth (typically S. mutans). Some people never get a cavity because they either a-were never exposed to a person that had the bacteria, b-had the bacteria in their mouth but always practiced proper oral hygiene to not allow it to demineralize the tooth structure. If you have the bacteria and consume ANYTHING with sugar, that is food for the bacteria and they eat the sugar and digest it in your mouth in the form of acid which breaks down the hydroxyapatite (enamel matrix) in the tooth , causing a cavity. Fluoride is easily absorbed by the tooth surface and turns into hydroxyapatite remineralizing the tooth so that a cavity can no longer form. It can also stop small cavities in their tracks so they will not progress further. I work with 5 oral surgeons and 8 dentists who have all said that they too have yet to see any convincing, provable evidence that fluoride, in the dose I am speaking of, is toxic. Yes, if you swallowed two tubes of toothpaste you could get fluoride toxicity, but if you did that, you would probably not be very smart.
Please do not tell me to do more research because I have done my research, and would not be in the profession that I am if I did not.
I would not have posted if I did not completely believe in what I do and what I know. This is my career and my passion.
Hopefully you don’t also believe that cardiovascular disease, diabetes and poor oral health are not at all related. But that is an entirely different conversation.
Propylene glycol has an NFPA 704 health hazzard rating of 0. It is chemically similar to alcohol and is mainly used to lower the freezing point of the liquids it is added to. Ethyl Alcohol… the stuff we use in medical wipes, as hand sanitizer and drink has a health rating of 2!
NFPA 704 (Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response). It is a system to help emergency responders know the risks of materials/substances. It’s that set of 4 diamonds you see on chemical trucks.
We would need an international conspiracy of scientists to get away with improperly labeling propylene glycol.
Not to mention propylene glycol is quickly metabolized into pyruvic acid…. You know, the ketone that starts the citric acid cycle or Krebs cycle which is what makes energy for the body. It’s all pretty basic undergrad chemistry. Vani should at least mention that. You’d have to basically eat kgs of the stuff for it to have any acute effect and humans come no where near that much. Funny how people don’t listen to the FDA, folks with PhDs… But they listen to the Internet… Classic!
No Jim, I’m not kidding. I just racked a beer last night and there weren’t any grains in it. I also didn’t claim that no proteins make it to the beer, I said most. Measure that how you will, but by volume of weight that I use for my mash, the vast majority of the proteins don’t make it to the beer. A good amount of those that do make it into the beer have been broken down into simpler amino acids that the yeast eat and use for reproduction and cell formulation. Some are left over of course and provide body, head retention and flavor.
The point is that through mashing and boiling along with modifications from the yeast, the original source material is highly modified from its original state.
As some people have pointed out, we’re basically coming to the same conclusion (don’t drink crap beer…or more abstract: Don’t consume crap food). However I’m not happy with the way the author uses fantastic claims of how bad beer is for you based on the fact that large firms use GMO materials, and trace amounts of chemicals in production.
The real danger is abusing the alcohol itself (also pointed out in the article, but certainly not the main point, and largely negated by the author holding a champagne flute!). That’s far more harmful than any of the trace elements or GMO sourcing of the materials.
Precisely why I don’t want to drink water from Alaska…duh!
Alaska may not be the best place to reference in your comment, i.e Sarah Palin.
And that doesnt effect your health?
very good comment, and i also worked in marketing, and what you said i couldnt of said it better, good intentions , but doing it in the wrong way.now shes holding a glass of wine, do an article on that based on the chemicals they spray on the vines of the grapes, and everyone i know says organic wine isnt the same.
organic wine is the only wine I can drink without getting a migraine. Your right it isn’t the same It is amazing in comparison. in taste, flavor and after effects
good comment. I was thinking the same thing!
Jake is right-on… The article points out that the big agri-biz situation permeates commercial beer production. This should surprise no one! Jake is right about making your own beer, too… it’s easy, inexpensive, and you completely control the process and ingredients. One can make a 100% natural, all malt (no sugar or “junk grain” additives included only to boost alcohol content on the cheap) beer, in TINY quantities, for about half the price of commercial beers. What’s not to like about that? Control the content, save money! Awesome!
I don’t know how you get that the article is directed at mostly females. I mean, be serious, sex sells, and the Food Babe is a babe, and straight men will stand at attention more quickly if there is a babe delivering the news than Chet Huntley. Besides the obvious sexist commentary, more men drink beer than women. I appreciate the article, and have shunned big beer companies for this very reason: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The bigger a company gets, the more likely it is that they are ignoring the quality based business that got them there, and opting for the profit driven empire so popular in America today. Give me quality over quantity any day.
“sex sells, and the Food Babe is a babe, and straight men will stand at attention more quickly if there is a babe delivering the news than Chet Huntley. Besides the obvious sexist commentary,”
And I’m being sexist?
I shun big beer because it tastes like…well, nothing. Here I think we agree.
Jake,
the grains don’t make it into the beer? Are you kidding? if you really think that only the sugar from the GMO grains makes it into the beer then you have a funny view of biochemistry. And just what stops all of those other chemicals from getting into the beer? I make my own wine, and I can assure you that any chemical compounds in the must make it into the final product. That is why it is so important to control the ingredients. The yeast only ferments the sugar and certain other compounds, it DOES NOT perform any filtering of unwanted chemicals. And, you can’t filter out proteins. The filtering takes out solids, it doesn’t work at the molecular lelvel. If it did, it would also take out the flavoring molecules.
Good luck with your beer!
(reposted to the right thread):
No Jim, I’m not kidding. I just racked a beer last night and there weren’t any grains in it. I also didn’t claim that no proteins make it to the beer, I said most. Measure that how you will, but by volume of weight that I use for my mash, the vast majority of the proteins don’t make it to the beer. A good amount of those that do make it into the beer have been broken down into simpler amino acids that the yeast eat and use for reproduction and cell formulation. Some are left over of course and provide body, head retention and flavor.
The point is that through mashing and boiling along with modifications from the yeast, the original source material is highly modified from its original state.
As some people have pointed out, we’re basically coming to the same conclusion (don’t drink crap beer…or more abstract: Don’t consume crap food). However I’m not happy with the way the author uses fantastic claims of how bad beer is for you based on the fact that large firms use GMO materials, and trace amounts of chemicals in production.
The real danger is abusing the alcohol itself (also pointed out in the article, but certainly not the main point, and largely negated by the author holding a champagne flute!). That’s far more harmful than any of the trace elements or GMO sourcing of the materials.
Spot on, Jake. Besides the tone of the article, she purposefully misleads the reader wtih things like “contains Propylene glycol – an ingredient in antifreeze!!” – Um, water is also an ingredient in antifreeze (and PG is in all SORTS of things, seriously!!! In mass produced beer, it’s used as a foam stabilizer). **Note, I’m not suggesting I like PG added to beer – and I almost only consume home brew or my wonderful local craft beer that does not use it, but it’s the sensationalist add-ons like the antifreeze comparison that make the entire article subject to bottoming out my credibility meter.
I found the article to be quite informative, and well stated. As someone who is educated on and completely against GMOs, additives, other poisons and chemicals in my foods, I was more inclined to boast about preferring to choose my beers as someone would their wine, not thinking too much on ingredients but taste. So although I do avoid the beers mentioned in this article, and drink micro-brewed and craft beers, I also know that those beers mentioned are the top sellers and advertised beers in the United States, so that would mean millions of people would become better informed and hopefully insist on at least labeling laws. Keep in mind the author also brought up how these large corporate beer companies have bought out smaller companies, which I personally had already learned through research including watching the documentary Beer Wars.
Interestingly enough, you somehow turn the article into “shock news”. Is this to suggest that the delivery of truth is shocking especially so because it is written by a female and further has a female audience – which I guess you’ve done your research on that (and from what I can see with the comments below, has equal, if not more males)? Seemingly you are on par with using GMO corn and other additives in your beer, and if so is mainly because it is cheaper? It is more important then to drink a beer using cheap carcinogenic corn, boasting that you make your own, when you don’t even use healthy ingredients? That the grain does not make it into the sugars used is beside the point, because all that was the grain is now a sugar thus maintaining carcinogenic properties. You basically have proven the author’s point in this article, that everyone should do their research to avoid drinking crap beer.
If you then use organic ingredients in your beer then why find the need to be rude to the author, her readers, and about the article. If you are as informed as I am, then you are aware that a lot of information is withheld from the American people mainly through advertisement, and mass news medias. It is blogs, citizen journalists, and grassroot news media sources that provide more truth than what you would get in mass-corporate controlled media outlets. In other words, there are millions of Americans that do not even have half the knowledge that is shared in this article, and any truth put out there should always be welcomed.
For organic beer…try Pinkus, it’s also from Germany. Another would be Schneiders Wiesenthal edel weisse.
I like….Mill St. Organic.
Yes! Crafty Ontario beers. Here’s hoping they don’t sell out to a biggie.
For those interested I have been researching beers myself:
Here are some gmo free beers that I came across:
oskar blues brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Sam Smiths, Wolavers, Orlio, New Planet, Steam Whistle, Peak, Eel River, Pinkus, Butte Creek, Stone mill, Lakefront, Goose Island
Now for beers to watch out for. These have all been bought out by Anheuser Busch:
Stella Artois, Becks, Budweiser, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Alexander Keith’s, Antarctica, Aqua Fratelli Vita, Baisha, BagBier, Bass, Belle-Vue, Boddingtons, Bohemia, Boomerang, Bud Light (U.S.), Bud Light (Canada), Caracu, Chernigivske, Diebels, Diekirch, Dommelsch, Double Deer, Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel, Franziskaner Weissbier Kristallklar, Gilde Ratskeller, Guaraná Antarctica, Guaraná Brahma, Haake-Beck, Harbin, Hasserõder, Hertog Jan, Hoegaarden Citrons, Hougaerdse Das, Jinling, Jinlongquan, Julius, Jupiler, KK, Klinskoye, Kokanee, La Bécasse, Labatt Blue, Labatt Blue Light, Labatt Family, Labatt Ice, Labatt Sterling, Lakeport Pilsener, Liber, Löwenbräu, Löwenbräu Oktoberfestbier, Löwenbräu Original, Michelob Lager, Mousel, Paceña, Permskoye, Gubernskoye, Piedboeuf, Quilmes Cristal, Red Shilliang, Rifey, Rogan, Safir, Sedrin, Sibirskaya Korona, Skol, Spaten Original Munich Beer, St. Pauli Girl, Sukita, Tolstiak, Vieux Temps, Yali, Yantar, Zizhulin
Thanks for the heads up Curtis.
This article states correctly that Goose Island was purchased by Anheuser Busch InBev; it was back in 2011 and caused quite the stir in the beer industry. Curtis says his research indicates that Goose Island beers are gmo-free, but he doesn’t list them as a brand that AB has “bought out.” Is it possible Goose Island beers are both gmo-free and owned by ABI? Here’s what I know about Goose Island’s beer production: while some of it’s largest brands are now manufactured in select (I don’t remember how many off the top of my head), large AB facilities in the US (that predominately produce other AB brands), Goose Island’s smaller brands are still manufactured at the Goose Island plant in Chicago. It’s unclear how ingredient-sourcing for the company has changed. My understanding is that certainly those smaller brands and perhaps all of the Goose Island brands are made largely (if not entirely) the same as before the purchase (some though on a much-larger scale). I should also note that the deal did not include the two Goose Island brewpub locations in Chicago, which are still independent. I’m not sure if Curtis’ research pin-pointed Goose Island brews as gmo-free prior to the 2011 purchase or after the purchase, if it’s specific to all Goose Island brands, only AB-owned, Chicago-made beers or perhaps just to the still-independent, brewpub-made beers. Point is: there are lots of complexities and still lots of questions, well beyond those about Goose Island’s gmo-free status. Obviously, information-seeking (and sharing) is to be commended. But I’m wary of some of the generalizations here (for example, that small brewing companies are being bought “one by one” by larger companies: very few purchases have occurred recently as we near 3000 independent brewers in the US).
Fuck you, beer is awesome and I’ll still drink it. And if you share this with your friends who drink they’ll all just think your a health nut who hates fun.
Are you drunk?
Hilarious.
most negative comments seem to be from men. hilarious.
Interesting observation!
Yeah, to me the number of closed minds is nothing short of sad. No wonder we men die younger… 😉 I appreciate the info here. I have seen a dramatic improvement in my health and my family’s health since we started down this journey as “health nuts” just two years ago. We have even more fun now! Did you hear that Peter? More fun…
Your statement that alcohol bypasses the digestive system is complete bullshit. The enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase begins breaking down alcohol into acetaldehyde in the stomach. Women actually have much less alcohol dehydrogenase in their stomachs and this means that women will have a higher BAC than men, even adjusting for weight.
The mouth is also part of the digestive system. I’m quite certain FoodBabe knows that beer does not bypass your mouth. And yes, alcohol is absorbed through the lining of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach thereby bypassing the other 20-40 feet of the entire GI tract…so what she is saying has merit.
No it does not! Alcohol is processed at every point in the digestive system! Enzymes are present at every point of the process: Alcohol dehydrogenase (AHD), cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1), and catalase. The author simply has no idea what she’s talking about.
She didn’t say alcohol is not broken down by enzymes. She said it bypasses normal digestion. Being absorbed through the lining of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach bypasses most of the length of the GI tract. That is not “normal” for food we eat. It is normal for many poisons, however, of which alcohol could be considered. It is liver toxic, and toxic in general. Anything that has the capacity to reduce the livers efficiency has the ability to potentiate cancer growth and potentiate the development of all degenerative diseases. Hence, a poison. A poison I enjoy on occasion, but I would rather not have unknown secret poisons added to my widely known and socially accepted poison.
Amy, you simply don’t understand. the process, nor does the author. ALL of the food we eat begins breaking down and absorbed the moment it enters our mouth. The same thing happens with alcohol and every other chemical that enters our body. It doesn’t bypass our GI tract.
What I nave read about digestion indicated that the breakdown of carbohydrates begins with the saliva in your mouth, protein with the acid in your stomach, and fat with the bile in your intestines.
She didn’t say it bypasses digestion. She stated it bypasses NORMAL digestion. There is a difference and she is correct. Grab a nutrition book.
Alcohol doesn’t bypass ANY part of the digestive system! Or any NORMAL part of the digestive system. It is processed the entire way! It begins breaking down in the stomach and continues all the way into the intestines. There are several enzymes responsible (ADH, CYP2E1, and catalase) and they all take time to work. The statement “Alcohol is the only substance that you consume that can permeate your digestive system and go straight into your bloodstream. It bypasses normal digestion and is absorbed into the body intact, where it goes straight into the liver.” is simply completely false, plain and simple. You really need to look into how the body metabolizes chemicals.
I think we are just miscommunicating. You are speaking of a digestive PROCESS… it seems she was referring to the majority of the digestive system, ie the small intestine etc. Yes, it can and is also absorbed there, but it is possible for some of it to be absorbed before reaching there. …I am curious about the “alcohol being the only substance” statement…there are many substances that are absorbed into the bloodstream from the mouth, esophagus, even outer skin, straight into the bloodstream. Maybe FB will clarity what she was thinking.
I think this is what she is referring to: Once alcohol enters your stomach, up to 20% of it can be absorbed there and go directly into your bloodstream. Within minutes, alcohol will reach your brain and give the feeling of being a stimulant. NO OTHER NUTRIENT IS ABLE TO DO THIS. The remaining alcohol goes to your intestines and is absorbed there with the rest of the nutrients…..Your liver is the primary site for alcohol metabolism – From http://www.medicinenet.com
Thank you so much for doing this type of detective work – it is well needed!
“I see it all the time. Someone who eats organic, makes the right choices at the grocery store, is fit and lives an extraordinary healthy lifestyle but then drinks beer like it is going out of style.” That statement is so me! Beer has been the one thing that I didn’t want to look into or give up! Time to check out the alternatives. I really enjoy relaxing with a few beers or glass of wine after work while I am cooking a healthy dinner. Thank you for always looking out for us! The truth hurts sometimes but is worth its weight in gold!!
Marsha – that statement is many of us out there (and me included until I found out the truth)… Keep up the good work!
Can I see your reference for HFCS & Guinness beer?
Hey guys…This is not a scientific article from a peer reviewed journal. The information IS shocking. The language and tone match the information being reported. Not too many things are more shocking than the insanity of ourselves and our children being poisoned by our own food supply, with the added bonus of massive cover-ups of it in the name of greed. I’m in an industry where I watch young vibrant people be told they are going to be dead of cancer in 3 months or less. That almost always means they will probably be dead in about 4 weeks. One in two people will now be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime. How long before that number is one in one? Not long. These poisons are not a joke. If you need a duller tone go to PubMed.
Having studied and practiced a bit of herbalism, a lot of natural nutrition, and extensive mindbody healing R&D since 1969, I have to side with Food Babe and Amy, especially her last comment (7-17, 9:23). FB got some bad or inaccurate info about our ingestion & metabolic processing of alcohol, but the latest, most accurate science that studies what affects human health is called epigenetics. It proved that weird gene expression and cancer are caused mainly by the weird mix of endotoxins (our own weird emotional secretions), endocrine dysruptors, hormonal analogs, and other synthetic chemicals that arrive at the cell wall “playing its receptors like a computer keyboard” (in the words of Bruce Lipton, Nobel Prize winning biochemist who pioneered epigentic research). She’s also right about Food Babe not trying to publish for a peer reviewed scientific journal. It is not so shocking to me that mass-produced beer is loaded with crap, including yeast crap contaminated with glyphosate (Roundup), other AgriBiz toxins, and their yeast metabolites. Nor do I think its shocking that some people react to truths with angry denial. That’s the first stage reaction to a diagnosis of terminal illness. I’m creating a new brewery-distillery startup because I understand the basic truths mentioned above (not all the boo-boos). Food Babe is doing a good job as an amateur consumer advocate supporting better health, immunity, longevity, better brews & breweries. Besides, she is a Babe and free to package her articles’ content anyway she thinks best to get her points across. Anybody who has time to nitpick, whine, or rant about her work has more time to waste then I do. I’m grateful to the Babe for doing some of my homework for me (for my CrowdFunding campaign, business plan, and PR-promo campaign). Support the launch of BioAlchemy Artisans Inc. and drink heartier & healthier. Thanks & Cheers to the Babe & Friends!
The “Food Babe”? Really? Someone has a pretty health self-image. I’m going to go see if thebeerstud.com is available. BRB.
You obviously haven’t heard my story or how this blog was named… so shut it.
Hilarious. A flame war. Okay, I’ll end it here. I believe in what you do and I’m glad you’re doing it. This information has to get out there. We’re being poisoned in the name of sickening depths of industrial greed. Your site is great. But really “babe”? What would Susan Faludi say??
Maybe I should write to her… good idea! I think she would like me. 🙂
Great idea. And if she says anything that doesn’t work for you, just tell her to “shut it”. I have to run, I have celebrity photo-ops to collect. Best wishes!
she is a total babe inside and out….. I think you might need some manners and some glasses
Declan King is just jealous. Gain some self esteem so you can stop feeling the need to squash others.
Well, she is a babe.
Also she is food, technically. Like, to fungus or bacteria, or worst-case scenario, a tiger.
Thank you for the information. I’m glad I stopped drinking beer about 10 years ago. However, could you do an article and some investigations on wine and/or liquor?
Thanks!!!
I don’t drink beer either(or any alcohol), but I think what you’re doing is awesome!
Thankfully, I don’t drink any of the beers you researched. I pretty much only drink craft brews, so I’m not worried about your research. However, try Napa Smith – they are completely organic and have some stuff in which you might be interested.
THIS IS WHY I DO NOT DRINK (well that and I am allergic) but you have honestly made me so happy about me avoiding this CRAP!
What’s your beef with carmine? Isn’t that more of a “natural” ingredient? I will admit the concept is gross, but would you rather a red dye be used?
Local craft beers taste better and are better for you because they have to be, to keep selling locally. The corporate beers are as one would expect cheap as they can get with ingredients and are engineered for taste with chemistry tricks now including GMO crap. I refuse to drink rot ass corporate American pilsners. The West Coast is craft beer heaven with an unlimited access to the best beer in the world. Butte Creek from CA is as good as it gets with organic Pale Ale, IPA and even a Pilsner that’s immaculate. Fish Tale Ale from Seattle, Deschutes Brewery out of Oregon make organic beers second to none. Search out your local craft brewer and toast cheers!
For anyone looking into organic beers, I personally love Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout. Their other varieties are also quite tasty!
Sage, most of your comments in the beginning about the digestive tract processes had validity, but now your comments are just ridiculous………really just because deadly ingredients such as propylene glycol are approved ingredients in foods doesn’t mean it BELONGS in the foods we as human beings ingest. Please STOP your unnecessary rant.
Food babe, well, you did say it was controversial. Obviously some readers have been upset that their Beer world has been rocked, so they are attacking you and your work. Thank you for sharing. Please continue to do so. If anyone has issues, they can work it out with themselves (and their digestive systems). haha!
Great article….people just seem upset perhaps because the BEER they drink was probably on this list! Thanks for doing all the digging and sharing the information.
Best ORGANIC BEER…Fish Tale…IPA, Pale Ale, Amber, Oatmeal Stout…all great ORGANIC varieties.
Best ORGANIC WINE….Frey…their BIODYNAMIC varieties are just as tasty if not better. Plenty of varieties to choose from!
Foodbabe, after you give these a swirl, be sure to thank me for the GREAT recommendations! I’m positive you won’t or your housemate won’t be disappointed. Keep up the good work!
Amanda – Thank you for the suggestions. They are on my shopping list 🙂
Thanks again FB & Friends. I ‘second’ the good emotions & all the positive attitudes expressed here. I didn’t expect such a rich vein of goodies for my startup & marketing campaign. Glad you’re on the beat. Please do keep up the good work and your youthful good looks! 😉
I’ll drink to all this! With no fear btw.
I like Peak Organic beers, but now I’d really like to see a post about conventional wines.
I am a man: with all the scams in food & agriculture today – GMO, glycophate, RoundUp, chemicals, HFCS, BPA, fluoride, on and on…why would anyone trust ingredients in frickin beer? This is a great article – a topic I have always wondered about myself. Anyone who has a problem with this article is clueless about the same ingredients, crap, & GMO in their foods – so who cares what they say. On the other hand, smart people ( men included like myself) have taken notes – and now have a list of clean GMO-free & organic beers + a “rare biodynamic Frey wine (of course those commenters ranting about this article won’t even know what “biodynamic means). Awesome article….some great smart comments & tips from some practical researchers. And to the others: go drink a Bud & eat a GMO burger.
Wow! Thank you for looking closer at beer. I enjoy a good brown nut ale once in a while and am shocked about Newcastle. How about Rogue. Time to look elsewhere and stick with organic. Keep up the good work and the name. My wife and I love it.
Terrible alarmist hippie bull$hit! You obviously know nothing about the brewing processes or ingredients. Just keep your fear mongering to yourself and live in your plastic bubble organic Barbie.
Good idea. We all need to be more trusting and less fearful of these well meaning companies. I’m going to be more compliant about blindly trusting them regardless of a label stating what ingredients are in my beer, and less fearful now…thanks to your post. Phew. So much easier too! What am I going to do with all this new found time on my hands now that I can just blindly follow the herd? Drink more Newcastle I guess. Yay.
Cris, FB doesn’t need to know all there is to no about brewing to know about the effects of contaminants in our foods & drinks. Fortunately, as far as I know now, GMO barley is not being developed — yet. Still, some synthetic contaminants in GMO crops, like glyphosate (from RoundUp) and hormone analogs (mutagenic endocrine disruptors) may affect some of us at microgram levels or less. Just because all your karmas (activities) haven’t ripened into results yet, doesn’t mean they won’t. People who don’t care about ingesting toxic crap from AgriBiz & Big Pharma are destined to be among those who help the Big Elitists depopulate our species, along with the bees, butterflies, and other nonhuman pollinators. But, hey, if you survive, maybe Monsanto or Cargill will start a company that hires you to pollinate toxic crops. Wouldn’t that be fun!? No – not really. If you don’t believe me, go ask a Chinese crop pollinator. By the way, supporting the healthiness of soil, water, air, etc., really is a great reason for switching to products made with ingredients grown with the best organic & biodynamic methods. If you disagree with that, then maybe you’ve been possessed by demonic reptilian mind-masters from another planet (trying to make this one more like their stinking toxic home world).
Propylene Glycol MSDS
http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927239
Explains Sarah Palin.
I like beer.
“If you’re going to drink beer, drink it infrequently”. Seriously? You’re messing with ideologies here.
On the other hand, fish bladders and cochineal beetles is just shock-jocking. Big woop. We’ve been eating insects and animal parts for years. Wonder what’s in your mascara?
I do have to admit, while I agree with most of this in knowing what ingredients really are, I was going to take issue with and will instead do it in this comment…the thing with gelatin or fish bladders.
Most health foodies seriously PROMOTE gelatin and other “gross” things like liver and cod liver oils and adrenal glands.. Now I will be honest and say I dont know if this is a vegan blog as I came through a link. Neither of those tings are bad or shocking IMO> I know a LOT of home and small brewers, and while some are willing to drink the sediment and floaters that naturally occur in beer and always have (the original beers were THICK and a food substance) , many people arent.
Now I dont like beer myself, but probably lean towards home small or organic and local microbrews is best for those that do.
I personally would like more cites on the Guinness though as that one I do not think is accurate.
I tried to inform the folks at my local Coop about this a couple of years ago. I’m Grateful to Foodbabe for sharing this with a larger audience!
I used to own a micro-brewery. As stated in other comments, these “shocking” ingredients will most likely be found in the large national brands, not microbrews.
One other key point about ingredients: The are not listed on the label because the ingredients do not equal the contents. The ingredients are transformed into something else in the process of brewing beer. One key ingredient, yeast, is not in the final beer (assuming proper filtering).
If your beer has corn or rice in it, you’re doing it wrong, stop buying mass market corporate swill, it tastes like crap anyway. Also, you could go with German beers since the Provisional German Beer Law forbids all the ingredients in this list.
As always I thank you for telling me what ingrediants are in our food and drink. Never liked beer so am glad I don’t drink it. Keep up the good work regardless of people who don’t want to know what they consume
The really shocking part of this article is the author’s complete lack of scientific background. Who would have thought an armchair food ‘expert’ would have gotten it so terribly wrong?
Its the constructive part in your criticism that is so riveting. Allow me to bask in your glory of telling someone they are so wrong and then neglecting to explain why. No, seriously, let me bask because it takes massive balls to be that publicly ignorant and toolish.
Bottom line, I started drinking Organic Beer and not only is the Hangover halved but I don’t loose the plot when I’ve drank too many. Don’t believe me…. try it.
Great information, thank you Food Babe for taking the time to investigate and share. Regarding all of the negativity posted in response to this…she advocates for each of us as individuals to do our own investigation, to ask the questions for ourselves. Food Babe is simply trying to get the conversation going about what people are drinking.
Excellent and revealing article, Vani! People are so cognizant of eating healthfully and organic, but sometimes they forget about what they drink!
Best,
Michele
My sons-in-law and husband seem to like Peak Organic beer (from Maine).
Food Babe, you really need to hire an editor or stop blogging. I can’t take a page with multiple typos seriously. I continue to be shocked that you are still relevant in the blogging world.
Maybe you need to be less snarky and stop consuming my original content for free. I’ve spent countless hours researching this information and instead of mouthing off – you could be helpful and let me know if I made a typo. Just saying…
This doesn’t surprise me at all. HFCS is in bread and other foods. I’m okay with fish bladder, after all, my family was raised with taking cod liver oil to obtain enough Vit D to make it through winter.
But please, .. it’s St. *Paddy’s* Day, a nickname for Patrick, not Patty, a nickname for Patricia.
Thanks!
this is such nonsense. The alcohol is a heck of lot more damaging than any of the ingredients listed. I know you have an agenda but really???
I see you’ve missed the entire point then?
IF you’re interested in drinking beer.
WATCHOUT for these things.
Clearly, to anyone half-witted or better, if you’re not interested in alcohol none of the alcohol investigation matters much for you specifically.
I think this article is a good start in making people aware of the fact that large corporations are putting ingredients in our foods and drinks that we are unaware of. I am also curious as to the percentages used of the GMO products in a bottle/can/serving which can also help people understand the immediate impact/danger levels. I would not argue against long term use causing problems but I think more data would also help the discussion (and yes, I understand that’s probably almost impossible to come by). Thanks for the article!
Gosh – I’m glad I live in the Uk sometimes – REAL ale, brewed to a quality only known in a few countries…. There is a reason we drink so much in this country.
And that would be quality. I think it’s reckless to publish stories like this on the whole and whilst illuminating on all fronts – Especially the Guinness (who’d have thought that It had Fish guts in it?) section – it is clear you have an audience and you intend to terrify that audience with tales of food horror and so forth.
I, for one, will not stop consuming Ales, Stouts (ooh, I;ll take this opportunity to be educational – Guinness is Stout, NOT a Beer) and Lagers (you call it Beer, but it is in fact Lager – Pronounced – Lah-Gerr) Actually, I don’t drink Lager (Lah-Gerr) as it tastes awful and is so despicably manufactured – “beers” as they are known on the continent (Europe) are thoroughly pleasant and do earn the distinction of being “beers” – These are often manufactured to a high quality – probably because it is not legal in this part of the world to call something it is not.
Look at the legislation that permits manufacturers to create such things as opposed to shaking your finger at those who consume it – they consume it for a reason, you may not appreciate that reason – but do not lecture morals to others when you judge them yourself – with the mere publishing of an article such as this.
Please Enjoy Responsibly 🙂
Waaaahhhhhh! Beer! I’ve been vegan for a year now. Recently reading every day about how to clean up our diets and now giving up all GMO foods I can, as best I can. Enduring the rolling eyes and patient tolerance of family and friends as I cross over into the camp of the PETA/health-nut/conspiracy-theory food ‘nuts’. Dragging omnivore new hubby along (he is good-natured and patient). Juicing a lot. No junk in the house…… but BEER! We love our nightly beer and wine!!! Okay…. time to get serious and figure out how to deal with this next hurdle. Thanks for the info, Food Babe…. and yes, you *ARE* a babe! 🙂 ————————-PS. I do know about how to make paragraphs, but not sure you can do it without inadvertantly ‘posting’, so please excuse this long run-on stream….. PPS. And FB, I guess you’ve got on your teflon jacket, ’cause whenever you hit home, the sh*t’s gonna fly. That’s a given.
Hi Foodbabe,
I am totally agree with you, Foodbabe! I believe in creators and government knew it already and they won’t show you lists of GMO. But good things you found information of GMO! 🙂
I am not beer and any alcoholic drinker. I am wondering if O’doules non-alcoholic have GMO? My step-father drinks O’doules one time a day.
Thanks,
Jeremy
Good to know I should aim for some GMO free, fructose-free beers but it is it weird that the fish bladder thing didn’t bother me at all. You should see what my family eats overseas. I don’t see it as that crazy.
I bet Andrew Zimmern wouldn’t mind eating beaver anal glands or fish bladders…
Hey Food Babe, does anyone have any info on Japanese beers? I’ll be here for a while and with the summer heat and humidity I need beer! I hate to think that Kirin and Asahi are crappified, but I want to stay clean. any help appreciated.
Kirin is distributed by AB now I think… Asahi – not sure. But I figured out Sapporo is pretty clean but made from rice. Hope that helps!
Hi Food Babe. Can you do Vodkas next? There are some nasty GMOs in this spirit and I have finally found one distilled from grapes (Ciroc). It did not upset my stomach, as I am sensitive to wheat and thus Ketel One and all the others distilled from wheat. Also, some popular brands are distilled from corn. When I drink, I like to make myself a vodka cranberry (organic unsweetened) with stevia to sweeten it up and some lemon from my tree. I quit beer last year when I went gluten free. I did find Greens gluten free beer which is okay for vegetarians and other highly allergic people. My hophead hubby says it is perfectly fine for a beer, gluten free or otherwise. When he drinks, he only drinks local craft brewed beer and we are lucky to live within 15 minutes of a dozen micro breweries.
Your last picture is of you drinking wine. Wine uses the same animal based clarifying agents, stabalizers, and sulfites. Also a wine can list, “Made with Organic Grapes.” and still keep all the same winemaking processes that are inorganic.
I am well aware! I’ve visited wineries all over the globe learning about wine – Argentina, Peru, Chile, South Africa, France, Several USA spots, Spain, etc. Thanks for the info… and an investigation on wine is coming up soon too!
Lot’s a of feelings and emotions when you attack one of societies icons! I really appreciate your description of how come drinking any alcohol may not be the best thing for our health. Let’s just label it and let people make their own decisions. I drink a few beers but I appreciate the information about new choices that maybe a little better for me than others. Thanks and keep blogging…..who cares if you can spell or not!
You’re doing a great public service…….and you’re a Babe!
What did I spell wrong? Want to edit my posts for free in the future?
I know that comment wasn’t directed towards me and you were most likely joking but I would love to edit your posts in the future, even if it is for free. I enjoy editing and am a big supporter in what you do. I’m on my way to becoming a registered dietitian, beginning grad school this fall. I’ve been following your blog for about a year and in that time, you’ve been a great inspiration to me. I admire your courage. Keep up the good fight and don’t let these negative comments get to you.