(HER) - There’s few things in life we cherish as much as our glass of wine after work.

A long day in the office is often improved with a small tipple, but if you’re looking to improve your health, you might want to swap that glass for a bottle of beer.

A study, published by the Natural Medicine Journal, points to a beer boasting some serious benefits to our bone density.

While you might be supping on pints of milk, it turns out a pint of beer is rich in silicon, which is essential to bone structure.

The researchers found that participants who drank beer absorbed 64 per cent more calcium compared to those who ate a banana (who absorbed just four per cent of calcium).

According to the research, the hops and flavonoids in beer can actually slow the release of calcium from the bones.