A new study has revealed that beer could be good for the bones, giving lovers of the beverage yet another reason to order an additional round.

As has been discovered by a team of researchers from the Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of California, beer seems to be a rich source of silicon, which could help keep osteoporosis at bay. Dietary silicon, it has been stressed, is an important ingredient for increasing bone material density.

The findings of the study have come after researchers analyzed and tested 100 commercial and popular beers for the silicon content in them, and data was then categorized according to beer style and source.

"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", researcher Charles Bamforth said.

Details of the study have been published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture