NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Beer drinkers need not worry about the carbs, Anheuser-Busch said Thursday.
The brewing company issued a press release disputing claims advanced by The South Beach Diet author Dr. Arthur Agatston that beer is high in maltose, a form of sugar derived from barley malt.
The South Beach diet plan doesn't bill itself as either "low-carb" or "low-fat." Rather, the diet distinguishes the "right carbs" and the "right fats" from their malevolent peers. Maltose, the diet says, is one of those "bad carbs."
"Independent testing confirms there is no maltose -- or any other sugar -- in our beers, or most other popular beers," Douglas J. Muhleman, group vice president and chief brewmaster at Anheuser-Busch, said in the written release.
"This is a basic fact of brewing science, and a call to any brewer would have cleared this up for Dr. Agatston."
According to the company, maltose is only present in beer in its early brewing stages before being eliminated when yeast converts it to alcohol and carbonation.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau ruled in early April beers containing no more than 7 grams of carbohydrates per serving can be labeled "low carb."
That's good news for Anheuser-Busch, as two of their best-selling brands fall within those guidelines. Bud Light has 6.6 grams of carbs while Michelob ULTRA contains a mere 2.6 grams. A regular Budweiser has 10.6 grams.
Anheuser-Busch (BUD: Research, Estimates) is spending nearly $1 million to place full-page ads in 31 national and local newspapers challenging Dr. Agatston's claims. The ads, which read, "Have a beer with your South Beach Diet," will run on April 23.
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