Is Non-Alcoholic Beer Good for You? What the Numbers and Research Say
Alcohol and calories compared with regular beer, what a marathon study found, why people drink it, and what to keep in mind.
Compared with regular beer, non-alcoholic beer is the better choice in two clear ways: almost no alcohol, and about half the calories. One well-known study also found fewer colds in marathon runners who drank it, though that’s a single study in a narrow group. It isn’t a health drink: most non-alcoholic beer still contains gluten, some carbohydrate and up to 0.5% alcohol. Here’s what the numbers and the research say, and why so many people drink it.
Our picks
See every non-alcoholic beer →
Non-alcoholic beer vs regular beer
| Per 12 oz | Regular beer | Non-alcoholic |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | About 14 g | Up to 1.4 g |
| Calories | About 153 | About 70 (20 to 90) |
| Gluten | Usually | Usually |
Regular beer calories from MedlinePlus; non-alcoholic figures are the median and range of the 43 non-alcoholic beers we carry with a calorie figure on the label. A light beer is about 103 calories.
What the research says
The best-known study is from the Technical University of Munich. In 2012, Johannes Scherr and colleagues gave 277 healthy male marathon runners 1 to 1.5 liters a day of a non-alcoholic wheat beer, or a placebo drink, for three weeks before and two weeks after the Munich Marathon (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise). The beer group had:
- Less post-race inflammation: a smaller rise in the marker interleukin-6, and about 20% fewer white blood cells right after the race.
- Fewer colds: upper respiratory infections were 3.25 times less common in the two weeks after the race.
That’s one study, in men running a marathon, drinking a lot of one particular beer. It’s a promising result, not proof that a can of non-alcoholic beer keeps colds away.
Why people drink non-alcoholic beer
Driving or working
The taste of beer with a trace of alcohol at most. For zero doubt, choose 0.0%; see what breath tests can pick up.
Training
A beer after a run or a game without alcohol’s effect on recovery. See alcohol and race training.
Cutting back
Keep the ritual of a cold beer while drinking less, or not at all.
Pregnancy
Choose a 0.0% beer and check with your doctor; see non-alcoholic beer in pregnancy.
Things to keep in mind
- Up to 0.5% alcohol. Most non-alcoholic beer is labeled under 0.5%; a few are 0.0%. Here’s how much alcohol is in non-alcoholic beer.
- Gluten. Most is brewed from barley or wheat. If you avoid gluten, look for one labeled gluten-free; our gluten-free guide explains the rules.
- Calories vary. From about 20 to about 90 a can across what we carry; stouts and IPAs tend to be higher than light lagers.
- How it’s made matters to taste, not health: how non-alcoholic beer is made.
Shop by what matters to you
Common questions
Is non-alcoholic beer good for you?
It's a better choice than regular beer: almost no alcohol and about half the calories. One study found fewer colds in marathon runners who drank it, but it isn't a health drink, and most still contains gluten.
How many calories are in non-alcoholic beer?
About 70 per 12 oz is typical among the non-alcoholic beers we carry, ranging from about 20 to about 90. Regular beer is about 153.
Does non-alcoholic beer help recovery after exercise?
A 2012 study of 277 marathon runners found less post-race inflammation and fewer colds with 1 to 1.5 liters a day of a non-alcoholic wheat beer. It's one study in a narrow group.
Why do people drink non-alcoholic beer?
To enjoy beer while driving, training, cutting back or pregnant (choosing 0.0%), and for fewer calories than regular beer.
