Gut-friendly bacteria found in yoghurt is also in some beer, says scientists, in research worth raising a glass to.

Research has found that some tipples are bursting with probiotic microbes – or bacteria and yeast credited with a host of health benefits, from combating obesity to getting a better night’s sleep.

Examples include strong Belgian beers Hoegaarden, Westmalle Tripel and Echt Kriekenbier, which are rich in probiotic yeast.

Unlike most beers, these brands are fermented twice – once in the brewery and again in the bottle.

The second fermentation increases the strength of the beer and creates a sharper, drier taste.

Importantly for health, the in-bottle fermentation uses a different strain of yeast to the traditional brewer’s yeast. This yeast doesn’t just convert the sugar in the grain into alcohol, it also makes acids that are poisonous to bacteria that can make us ill.

Professor Eric Claassen (CORR), a gut bacteria expert from of Amsterdam University, said: “You are getting a stronger beer that is very, very healthy.

“We don’t want to give people a licence to drink more beer. Those of us who advocate good health know it’s very difficult for people to stop at one.

“In high concentrations alcohol is bad for the gut but if you drink just one of these beers every day it would be very good for you.”