A Spanish research study published in the journal Nutrition has found that women who drink beer have denser bones than non-drinking women.

The scienists during the study asked almost 1,700 healthy women with an average age of 48 about their drinking habits.

In the study the women then underwent ultrasound scans, which showed the bones in the hands of beer drinkers to be denser.

The women's hands were chosen because the bones in the fingers are among the first to show signs of osteoporosis.

Those women classed as light beer drinkers - drinking less than a pint a day - showed similar results to those women classed as moderate drinkers, suggesting that even small amounts of beer a day can help prevent brittle bone disease and osteoporosis.

The reason why beer may prevent brittle bone disease is down to teh fact that beer contains high levels of silicon which slows down the the wear and tear of bones which leads to bone thinning and ultimately bone fractures.

Beer is also rich in phytoestrogens, plant versions of oestrogen, which is required to keep bones healthy.