Brewer's Yeast

Brewer's yeast is a nonleavening yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that is marketed as a nutritional supplement. It should not be confused with baker's yeast, which is used to leaven breads and rolls. Instead, brewer's yeast is a bitter-tasting supplement that is usually obtained as a by-product of brewing beer or it can be specifically cultivated and grown for use as a supplement. It's the ingredient that gives beer its unique flavor. Although brewer's yeast products vary greatly in nutrient content, some are quite rich in protein, minerals, and several of the B vitamins. Some vitamin and mineral products are inoculated with brewer's yeast cultures and an emulsion of active yeast is "grown" with specific vitamin-rich properties. Tablets made from the resultant powders have been shown to be more bioavailable than standard supplements.

Naturopaths and other alternative practitioners often recommend brewer's yeast as a remedy or supportive treatment for a wide variety of ailments, including diabetes, fatigue, eczema, cancer, high blood cholesterol, and constipation. Some brewer's yeast products are rich in amino acids, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12, chromium, copper, zinc, and selenium.

There is no scientific evidence that brewer's yeast provides unique health benefits over and above what you would expect from a vitamin/mineral supplement containing the same nutrients.

Brewer's yeast comes in tablet, flake, and powder forms. Because of its bitter taste, tablets may be the most palatable way to take it. However, in tablet form, the dosage may be as high as six to twelve tablets a day. Flakes work well when added to shakes and other dishes. But too much can overwhelm the flavor of the food, so it works best when added to strongly flavored foods. There are debittered brewer's yeast products, but the process used to debitter the yeast can remove some nutrients. As a result, some products are fortified with nutrients. Debittered yeast is sometimes called "nutritional yeast" and is somewhat more palatable than regular brewer's yeast.

Brewer's yeast can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea, so start off with a small amount of brewer's yeast (about 1/8 to 1 teaspoon a day), and build up slowly to 1 to 2 tablespoons a day. Some people may also experience allergic reactions, but it should be noted that brewer's yeast is unrelated to Candida albicans, an organism that causes yeast infections.