Non-alcoholic Mamma Beer Helps Czech Cancer Patients Endure Side Effect Of Chemotherapy

Czechs are renowned beer lovers: per capita consumption is more than 36 gallons per person. But cancer patients, who often spurn alcohol when undergoing chemotherapy, miss out on the health benefits of beer at exactly the wrong time because beer boosts vitamin intake, aids digestion, and stimulates the appetite. Researchers have shown that taste disturbance in cancer patients not only interferes with nutritional status, it may also affect treatment and recovery. The answer for many such patients is a non-alcoholic brew dubbed “Mamma Beer,” which counteracts a side effect of chemotherapy that makes food and drink taste bitter or bland. One cancer patient who underwent chemotherapy years ago is the creative force behind Mamma Beer, whose sweet, fruity flavor and tangy finish have proven to be just what the doctor ordered.