Bud Light touts that it does not brew its beer with corn syrup, but does that mean it’s healthier than beers that do?
Not necessarily, according to David Ludwig, professor of nutrition at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
Beer is made when yeast converts sugar into alcohol. The type of sugar used during fermentation isn’t important, Ludwig said in a February 4, 2019 New York Times article. “Whether that sugar is produced by first milling and then enzymatically treating the grain, or doing so from corn in a separate process, isn’t going to matter much to the final nutritional quality.”
It would be more of a concern if corn syrup were added to beer after fermentation, Ludwig said, noting that sugary beverages promote weight gain and increase chronic disease risk.
Consumers looking for a healthier beer should focus on alcohol and carbohydrate content, according to the article.
Read the New York Times article: Bud Light Picks Fight With Corn Syrup in Super Bowl Ad
Learn more
Watch out for misleading food packaging claims (Harvard Chan School news)
High-fructose corn syrup or table sugar: For better health, avoid too much of either (Harvard Chan School news)