Ah, St. Patrick’s Day! A day to feast on really fatty foods, talk with a fake Irish accent, color everything green (from pancakes, to beer, to our waterways), and of course, drink a pint of Guinness. I’m not one of those people who can drink Guinness on a regular basis, but I do like to enjoy one every St. Patrick’s Day with my corned beef and cabbage (and a shot of Jameson -sshhhh)! It turns out however, I could maybe stand to drink a pint more often.
You see, compared to other beers, Guinness does have some redeeming qualities. Interestingly, those old ads, such as the one above, came about because people claimed to “feel better” after drinking a Guinness. Go figure, right?
Those ads may not have been that far off though. Guinness has about 125 calories per 12 oz pint, which is about 25 calories less than most other beers of the same size. It also contains trace amounts of calcium and iron (though not enough to be considered a good source), which is where the old recommendation for pregnant women to drink it came from.
Additionally, a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin and presented at the 2003 American Heart Association’s annual conference found that Guinness contained high amounts of the antioxidants known as flavonoids. I would post a link to the study so you could read it for yourselves, but unfortunately it is unpublished. Briefly, the researchers injected 8 dogs with either Guinness or Heineken and what they found was that the dogs injected with Guinness had less blood clots, making the claim that Guinness is good for your heart!
Now am I encouraging everyone to consume massive amounts of Guinness (or any alcohol for that matter)? No, especially not pregnant women! However, I don’t think the occasional pint of beer is going to harm you, and if you choose Guinness, it just might be good for you!
I’ll be enjoying my Guinness in this delicious looking recipe for dinner tonight. Slainte!
Vegetarian Guinness Stew from www.thekitchn.com
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
 |
| picture courtesy of www.thekitchn.com |
3 celery stalks
3 small onions
1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned
3 pounds russett potatoes, peeled
3 large carrots, peeled
1 tablespoon flour
One 11.2-ounce bottle of Guinness
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon vegetable base
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
4 cups water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Finely chop celery, 2 of the onions and 4 mushrooms. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and add chopped vegetables. Cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop the remaining onion, potatoes and carrots into large chunks. Set aside.
3. Add flour to the softened mixture and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour in Guinness and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until all vegetables are fork-tender, about 45 minutes.
Healthfully Yours,
Meghan
“May you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience
and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!”
-An Irish toast
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