Non-alcoholic beer might also be bad for you, scientists find
Following tests in which 44 "young men" drank around a pint of non-alcoholic beer (NAB) a day for a month, the researchers said they observed "metabolic alterations" that sent glucose and fat levels up.
The rise in glucose and fat was likely caused by sugar and other "caloric content" in the buzz-free beers, according to the study, published in the journal Nutrients.
The team led by Germany's Ruhr-University Bochum and including scientists from the University of California San Diego, St. Louis University and the University of the Basque Country, said they set out to investigate how "daily consumption" of NAB affected "glucose and fat metabolism, body composition and liver function."
Of the three categories of booze-free beer studied, pilsener-type drinks were the least bad, the team reported, with wheat-based pints and mixed drinks — the kind with sweeteners or soda blended in — leading to metabolic effects similar to those of fizzy sweet drinks, which have long been a bête noir for health campaigners.
Sales of drinks with little or no alcohol have grown in recent years, with the UK, known for its boozy culture, seeing a doubling of sales to almost 1.3 million hectolitres in 2023, going by data put together by drinks industry analysis company IWSR.
The study is not the first to undermine the health credentials of booze-free beer, the recent market success of which follows decades of warnings about how alcohol can lead to liver disease and addiction, often with devastating consequences for families of the drinker.
In 2023, researchers at Cornell Agritech published proof that zero-alcohol drinks are more susceptible to bacterial contamination than real beer, where the alcohol acts as an "antimicrobial hurdle."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
29 minutes ago
- CNN
UK regulator bans shower gel ad for perpetuating racial stereotypes
UK regulators have banned a TV commercial for Sanex shower gel after ruling that it 'could be interpreted as suggesting that white skin was superior to black skin.' The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) acted after receiving complaints about the ad from two people 'who believed the ad perpetuated negative stereotypes about people with darker skin tones,' it said in a statement Wednesday. The spot, which aired in June, featured a Black model whose skin is covered with red scratch marks and another covered with a cracked material that looks like clay. 'Try to take a shower with the new Sanex skin therapy and its patented amino acid complex. For 24-hour hydration feel,' a voice-over said, accompanying video of a White woman showering. 'Relief could be as simple as a shower,' it added. US consumer products company Colgate-Palmolive, which owns the Sanex brand, said the fact that the ad featured models with different skin tones demonstrated its commitment to diversity, according to the ASA's statement. The regulator said Colgate-Palmolive believed 'the depiction of diverse models in the ad, either experiencing skin discomfort or post-product relief, was utilised in a 'before and after' scenario to show their product was suitable and effective for all, rather than as a comparison based on race or ethnicity.' Clearcast, a company that checks whether TV commercials follow the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising before they can be aired, also said the ad demonstrated the inclusivity of Sanex. While the ASA accepted the argument that the ad showed 'before and after' scenarios to demonstrate the effectiveness of the product, it ruled that its structure was problematic. 'It was the black skin, depicted in association with itchy and dry skin, which was shown to be problematic and uncomfortable, whereas the white skin, depicted as smoother and clean after using the product, was shown successfully changed and resolved,' the statement said. 'That could be interpreted as suggesting that white skin was superior to black skin,' it added, while acknowledging that 'we understood that this message was not the one intended and might appear coincidental or pass unnoticed by some viewers.' The ASA added that it had concluded the ad had breached the broadcast advertising code and was likely to cause serious offense. CNN has contacted Colgate-Palmolive for comment.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'Much-loved' animal dies at zoo
A "much-loved" animal has died at a zoo near Lowestoft. Jabu the African lion died earlier this week at Africa Alive in Kessingland. A spokesman for the zoo said: "We would like you to join us in celebrating the life of Jabu our much-loved male African lion, who sadly passed away under veterinary care this week. "Following ongoing veterinary care and regular observation due to age-related health changes, Jabu was recently diagnosed with advanced kidney disease. READ MORE: 'Sea of people' enjoy return of carnival parade "After careful consideration, and in line with established welfare protocols, our team made the kindest decision to ensure his comfort and well-being, preventing his condition from deteriorating further." Jabu was born in the zoo in 2009 and quickly became a firm favourite among staff, volunteers and visitors. "He leaves behind a lasting legacy, helping to engage millions of visitors in the challenges facing African lions and the importance of their conservation," the zoo added. "He was often seen playing alongside his sister Kaya and enjoying enrichment provided by his keepers, cardboard boxes being one of his favourites."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Parents call for better mental health care after daughter died in understaffed London hospital
A young woman died at an understaffed private west London mental health hospital due to 'neglect' when staff failed to assess the risk she posed to herself, an inquest has found. Bonnie Newton was just 20 years old when she took her own life in her room at the Cygnet Hospital in Ealing, west London in July 2019. She was 100 miles away from her family in Wimborne, Dorset, and had been assured she needed to go to the private hospital for help with her mental health. But West London coroners court heard of a catalogue of failings, including 'unsafe' staffing levels and a lack of risk assessments vital to Bonnie's safety. Cygnet Health Care was hit with a £1.53 million fine in 2023 over Bonnie's death, after it pleaded guilty in a Care Quality Commission prosecution for failing to provide safe care and treatment. Bonnie's family have now spoken publicly for the first time in the wake of the inquest, to call for better mental health care for vulnerable young people. Bonnie's mother Marie, speaking for herself, Bonnie's father Jon, and her brother Alex, said: 'Our hearts are broken. The pain both mentally and physically is like nothing else. Not only was Bonnie my daughter, she was my best friend. She was my world. 'Although Bonnie had her struggles, alongside her talent for singing and great sense of humour, she continued to be the most kind, polite, caring and wonderful daughter anyone could ever wish for. She will never be forgotten. What Bonnie had to go through shouldn't happen to anyone. She didn't want to feel the way she did, Bonnie was desperate to have a life without sadness. 'Bonnie was reluctant to transfer to Cygnet Ealing but was told she needed to so she could receive the dialectical behavioural therapy she had waited almost half her life for, and ultimately, for her to get better. 'However, she found it challenging and we found communication with the hospital was poor. Any responses we got seemed curt. All we were told was to 'stop worrying and Bonnie was getting better'. 'I'll always believe that if Cygnet, who were entrusted to care for Bonnie, had looked after her properly she would still be with us now. 'We just hope by sharing our story we can improve care for vulnerable young people. I wouldn't wish the pain we face each day on anyone.' Bonnie, who had been diagnosed with a personality disorder, spent 18 months as an inpatient at a hospital near her home, and was transferred to the New Dawn ward of Cygnet Hospital Ealing on 20 November 2018. The inquest heard Bonnie became isolated and pre-occupied on 21 July 2019, and she was put on 15-minute observations the following day. Her mother also made a concerned call to the ward after speaking on a video call to Bonnie. In the early hours of the following morning, Bonnie was found unresponsive in her room by the only mental health nurse on duty in the ward, and she died the following day. At the time she was found, one of just two healthcare assistants on duty on the ward that night was on a break, and no effort had been made to bring in extra staff as cover. The inquest was told that staffing levels on the night were 'unsafe' as a minimum of two nurses and two assistants should have been on duty. Lawyers from Irwin Mitchell, representing Bonnie's family, said she had been involved in a serious incident involving a ligature four months earlier. However her care plans and risk assessments were not updated, and the safety of her room was not scrutinised properly. When she was found unresponsive in her room, staff tried to use alarms which did not work, and they attempted 'ineffective CPR' with Bonnie lying on her front, the inquest heard. The jury concluded neglect had contributed to her death, and the 'lack of documentation at Cygnet was insufficient to provide Bonnie with a safe level of care'. Camilla Burton, an expert human rights lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said Bonnie's family believe her death was 'entirely preventable', and added: 'Sadly, this isn't an isolated incident. We continue to see too many cases of young people with mental health problems not receiving the level of care they deserve, often miles from home. 'Young people with mental health problems are some of society's most vulnerable. We join Marie and Jon in calling for lessons to be learned from Bonnie's death so other families don't suffer a similar tragedy.' A Cygnet spokesperson said: 'We continue to extend our deepest condolences to Bonnie's family and loved ones. 'We are always committed to enhancing our practices to ensure the delivery of safe, quality care. At the last inspection, the Care Quality Commission rated Cygnet Hospital Ealing as 'Good' and we continue to work closely with the CQC and other partners to uphold the highest standards of safety and provide compassionate care. 'Whilst this cannot change what has happened, we are not complacent and wish to take this opportunity to once again convey our sincere condolences to all those affected.'
