Does beer really help produce more breastmilk?
“Will a glass of beer a day increase my milk supply? No scientific evidence supports the popular wisdom that drinking beer boosts milk production or makes better milk, says Julie Mennella, a researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia who studies alcohol’s affect on breast milk. In fact, no one has conducted any research into this area. In the late 1800s, a major U.S. brewery pushed a certain beer blend as a “tonic” for breastfeeding women, but researchers now know that a nutritious diet — not barley malt and hops — is the key to a plentiful milk supply. While scientists have found that beer does increase levels (in men and women) of a hormone necessary for milk production, beer still hasn’t been proven to help a nursing mother produce more milk. Nonalcoholic beer is just as effective in this regard as regular beer, and is preferred if you want to try using it to increase your milk supply.”
