Beer doesn’t usually get much credit for its nutritional value, especially lately, but new research suggests it might be doing more for you than previously thought—at least when it comes to vitamin B6.

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry took a close look at 65 commercially available German beers and found that many contain higher levels of vitamin B6 than earlier estimates suggested. Even alcohol-free versions made the cut.

Vitamin B6 is one of those essential nutrients your body can’t produce on its own. It plays a role in brain function, blood health, and the immune system, and it’s usually associated with foods like poultry, bananas, and fortified cereals. But according to the researchers, a standard serving of beer could provide around 15% of your daily requirement.

And that’s not insignificant—especially considering how common mild B6 deficiency is. Roughly one in ten Americans don’t get enough, and low levels have been linked to issues like depression, inflammation, and heart disease.

The researchers found a pretty wide range of B6 levels depending on the beer. Some clocked in at under 100 micrograms per liter, while others topped 1,000. The biggest factor wasn’t how the beer was brewed, but what went into it.

Beers made with barley tended to have the highest levels, since barley naturally contains much more vitamin B6 than alternatives like rice. That helps explain why richer styles like bock—known for their heavy use of malt—came out on top. Standard lagers landed somewhere in the middle, while wheat and rice beers generally had less.

And for anyone skipping alcohol, there’s some good news: alcohol-free beers held their own. The study found no meaningful drop in B6 levels compared to regular lagers. In some cases, alcohol-free versions even performed particularly well, especially when the alcohol was removed after full fermentation rather than limited from the start.

One standout alcohol-free sample contained enough B6 that a single 500ml bottle could deliver about a quarter of a woman’s recommended daily intake.

Of course, this isn’t a green light to treat beer like a health drink. But it does suggest that your pint might be contributing a bit more to your daily nutrition than you’d expect—which, in the world of beer headlines, qualifies as surprisingly good news.

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