Fact or fiction: Is light beer better for you?

Could a beer a day keep the doctor away? Not necessarily, but a pint a day isn't bad for you, says Caleb Staton, head brewer at Bloomington's Upland Brewery. \nThere is a widespread misconception about traditional beer being unhealthy, which Staton says is untrue if you drink it in moderation. \nBecause nutritional information is not required by law to be on the sides of alcohol containers, many people misjudge its dietary content. Some might be surprised that even regular beer has healthful nutrients such as vitamin B and riboflavin -- which helps the body break down carbs and produce red blood cells -- and can be good for you.\nLight beers have fewer calories and fewer carbohydrates than regular beer. But is it really so much different that drinking only light beer will help students avoid the dreaded "beer belly"? Regular beer is actually relatively low in carbohydrates to begin with. A traditional 12 oz. beer has about 13 grams of carbohydrates and about 146 calories, according to DietFacts.com, while 12 oz. light beers have 100 calories and five grams of carbohydrates.\nLight beers are created through fermenting out more of the maltose, or sugar, than traditional beer. When watching carbohydrates, either type of beer might seem more appealing when compared to a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola Classic, which contains significantly more sugar than a can of beer and has 140 calories and 39 grams of carbohydrates, according to DietFacts. \n"Too much of anything can be bad for you. The same goes with beer," Upland Brewery's Staton said.\nHe said he enjoys a light beer in the summer. However, he insists that there are many unique regular beers that are worth trying. \n"I can sacrifice 50 calories for something that intrigues my palate a little more," he said.