A beer a day, keeps the doctor away...

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A beer a day keeps the doctor away. Or, more correctly, the orthopaedist.

That's right drink up — beer is good for your bone health.

A regular pint has been shown to help strengthen bones and prevent fractures in old age, according to media reports.

Cheers to that.

The key health ingredient in beer is silicon which has been linked to improved bone mineral density.

But you have to be selective about which brew you use to wet your whistle.

The best beers for silicon are the pale malted ales and lagers.

Dark bitters and stouts aren't as beneficial as they are made with roasted barley, which has a lower silicon content.

Wheat beers contain even less silicon than barley, so steer clear of them for bone health.

The findings have been published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture