You may have heard it before, but it bears repeating: beer is healthy in moderation. The Birmingham (Alabama) News ran a story yesterday with all the details from UC Davis brewing scientist Charles Bamforth. Bamforth, chair of the UC Davis Food Science and Technology Department, is the author of "Grape vs. Grain, A Historical, Technological, and Social Comparison of Wine and Beer" (available for just $17.82 on Amazon.com).

According to the story, Bamforth extolled the virtues of beer in a speech to the Birmingham Rotary Club last week. Among his grains of wisdom:

• Beer is the perfect accompaniment for more foods than wine.
• No pathogens grow in beer. It's the safest item in the grocery store.
• The best dose is two 12-ounce servings of beer a day, every day.
• Beer is a good source of most B vitamins and folic acid.
• Beer is a rich source of silicon, which helps bone and cartilage health.
• Beer beats wine in providing antioxidants.