Those who love beer would know that hops are what give the drink its bitterness and aroma. Now, scientists have found that part of hops which is not used for making beer contains healthy antioxidants and could be used to battle cavities and gum disease.
Using a technique called chromatography, they found three new compounds, one already known compound that was identified for the first time in plants and 20 already known compounds that were found for the first time in hops. The bracts also contained substantial amounts of proanthocyanidins, which are healthful antioxidants, said Tanaka in a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.