Individuals who want to increase their bone health may want to stop by a pub for a cold pint of beer, according to the findings of a new University of California at Davis study.

The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density.

"The factors in brewing that influence silicon levels in beer have not been extensively studied," said the study’s lead author, Charles Bamforth. "We have examined a wide range of beer styles for their silicon content and have also studied the impact of raw materials and the brewing process on the quantities of silicon that enter wort and beer."

The study tested 100 commercial beers for silicon content and categorized the data according to beer style and source. The average silicon content of the beers sampled was 6.4 to 56.5 mg/L.

"Beers containing high levels of malted barley and hops are richest in silicon," concluded Bamforth.

Previous studies have suggested that moderate beer consumption may help fight osteoporosis.