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Good news on the way for beer lovers. It is found in a recent research that drinking beer could offer protection against cancer and other diseases.

Hops, one of the ingredients that give a bitter taste to the drink, is said to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, according to Independent.

Researchers from the University of Idaho reported in the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) that they are close to extracting the healthy compounds present in hops or synthesizing compounds similar to them. These compounds are expected to be of great medicinal value in future, reported Munchies.

It was observed that two compounds, humulones and lupulones, are responsible for the medicinal properties in hops. The humulones are alpha-acids with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties and lupulones are beta-acids, which are assumed to be responsible for other healthy properties.

"When researchers extract healthful chemicals from hops, they first have to determine whether they have separated out the specific compounds they're interested in," said Dr Kristopher Waynant, the lead author of the study.

"But if you can figure out how to make these compounds from scratch, you know they are the right ones," Waynant added, noted Daily Star.

The researcher also added that scientists should make sure that they are extracting the right acids from hops before trying their hands in turning humulones and lupulones into pharmaceuticals. He also noted that these pharmaceutical products could be of great help in treating cancer and other diseases in future.

Waynant noted that while the pathways proposed by him for the process weren't efficient, a fellow researcher, Lucas Sass, could bring progress in the study. He added that their "trial and error" approach has finally yielded good results.