Brewer's Yeast
What is Brewers Yeast?
Brewer’s yeast is commonly used in the making of beer and bread. It is also regarded as a nutritional supplement. Brewers yeast is bitter to taste and is obtained from a one-celled fungus with the scientific name Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As the name suggests, it is commonly combined with malt, hops, and water to brew beer.
The yeast has long been thought to have natural remedy properties, with the founder of Western medicine, Hippocrates, often recommending it for its diuretic properties. Later, in the middle ages, monks caring for lepers took brewers yeast to ward off catching the disease. In the twentieth century, it was given to soldiers in both world wars as a nutritional supplement and has often been prescribed to mothers to help fight the effects of fatigue.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is known to lower cholesterol, boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.
What is the difference between brewers yeast and regular yeast?
| Brewer's Yeast | Baker's (Regular) Yeast |
|---|---|
| Purpose: Used in brewing alcoholic beverages, especially beer. | Purpose: Used in baking to ferment sugars and make dough rise. |
| Taste: Bitter, especially as a byproduct of the beer-making process. | Taste: mild, yeasty aroma when activated. |
| Form: Available in liquid, dried flakes, or powder. | Form: Found in active dry, fresh, and instant forms. |
| Nutritional Content: Rich in B-vitamins (except B12), protein, and minerals like chromium. | Nutritional Content: Contains some B-vitamins and minerals. |
| Byproduct: Produces alcohol during fermentation. | Byproduct: Produces minimal alcohol which evaporates during baking. |
The term brewer's yeast is applied to
- The active yeast used in the brewing and fermentation process
- The leftover S. cerevisiae from the brewing process, this form of yeast has a very bitter flavour.
- Yeast that is not a product of beer but has grown on grain.
One of Australia’s iconic foods - vegemite is made from leftover brewer’s yeast extract. Organic brewer's yeast is made without the use of chemicals.
Brewer's yeast is closely related to nutritional yeast although there are some differences between the two. Both yeasts are grown from S. cerevisiae, however while brewer's yeast is produced through grain fermentation, nutritional yeast is a type of yeast that has been grown specifically as a dietary supplement. Nutritional yeast is a species of yeast that is often fortified with folic acid and vitamin B12.
Brewers yeast is not the same as baker's yeast but can be used for baking purposes. However, due to its somewhat bitter taste it is not recommended for baked goods that are intended to taste sweet.
recommended for baked goods that are intended to taste sweet.
Brewer's yeast in Australia can be found in powder, liquid, tablets or flakes. It can be added to meals in small quantities or taken separately.
The yeast is a source of vitamin B, chromium and its use is considered a digestion aid. The microflora within the yeast help to keep the digestive tract functioning properly. Advocates claim that it helps to keep you feeling young and healthy while also assisting with skin complexion. Some low level small clinical trials have suggested that brewers yeast has some surprising health benefits. The benefits demonstrated in these studies are -:
- A believed improvement in overall gut health.[1] The s. cerevisiae is instrumental in supporting healthy gut bacteria while clearing away bad bacteria. It is also said to help prevent infections and reduce gut inflammation.
- There is some evidence to show that s. cerevisiae also may help reduce the incidence of diarrhea in some cases[2].
- It contains glucose tolerance factor (GTF), a compound that is rich in chromium and is known to decrease blood sugar[3].It has been demonstrated to improve the good cholesterol levels while helping reduce the bad cholesterol levels.
- S. cerevisiae contains natural nucleotides which are known to help improve endurance and reduce fatigue.
- It is a good source of lithium an ingredient that may help in improving mood.[4]
- There is some evidence to indicate that it may help to reduce weight [5]- although the evidence is by no means conclusive. Yeast derived from s. cerevisiae is known to play a part in reducing hunger as well as decreasing fat production by reducing liver enzyme activity which is required to produce fatty acids.
- May improve heart health by improving cholesterol and reducing blood pressure. [3] Before opting to use brewer's yeast to treat cholesterol or blood pressure symptoms, it is advisable to seek medical advice.
- S. cerevisiae Contains a form of vitamin B3 that has been linked to improving cognition. More studies need to be done to confirm whether this ingredient has a particular effect on cognitive functions.[6]
- Some small studies have demonstrated that it may help to relieve premenstrual pain.[7]
- Initial studies have shown that the range of b complex vitamins and beta glucans contained in S. cerevisiae help to improve the immune system.[8]
- This rich source of b vitamins has also been linked to improved hearing[9], the prevention of major birth defects (folate content)[10] and perhaps even slowing the effects of ageing.[11]
Can brewers yeast be harmful?
While the potential benefits of S. cerevisiae are numerous and its healthy ingredients of chromium,essential amino acids and vitamin B12 in particular make it appealing, there are some potential side effects associated with it. In particular these side effects are most likely to manifest in people suffering from digestive diseases, celiac disease, mould allergies and kidney stones. It is highly recommended that if you suffer from any of these problems or any other medical condition that you seek professional medical advice prior to taking any form of S. cerevisiae.
Is there a difference between brewers yeast and regular yeast?
The main difference between baking yeast and brewer's yeast is that brewer's yeast produces alcohol and baker's yeast produced virtually no alcohol at all.
Where to buy brewer’s yeast?
If you have been looking for where to buy brewer’s yeast the answer is clear. The best place to buy organic brewer's yeast powder in Australia is through the Buy Organics Online website. We stock only the finest brewer's yeast products available. If you’re looking to supplement your diet with some brewers yeast in the pantry, then there is no better place to look for a good product then, our brewer's yeast online page which stocks organic pure products that you can rely on.
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The many benefits of Brewer’s yeast
References
1. Yeast Probiotics Shape the Gut Microbiome and Improve the Health of Early-weaned Piglets
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6119770/
2. Brewer's Yeast and Saccharomyces Boulardii Both Attenuate
Difficile-induced Colonic Secretion in the Rat
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9753273/
3. Brewer's yeast Improves Glycemic Indices in TYpe 2 Diabetes Mellitus
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3843299/
4. Effects of nutritional lithium supplementation on mood
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02916824
5. Brewer's Yeast
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/brewers-yeast
6. Recent Insights on Alzheimer’s Disease Originating from Yeast Models
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073265/
7. Winchester Hospital Brewer's Yeast D: Premenstrual Syndrome
https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=625843
8. Immune-modulatory effects of dietary Yeast Beta-1,3/1,6-D-glucan
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4012169/
9 Genetics, Embryology, and Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=e9kzBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=brewers+yeast+and+improved+hearing+study&source=bl&ots=BpAyd8yg2g&sig=ACfU3U1X5TSqR0Hy_aiFWCwscjC6gU4H6Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiirtvy5dLpAhXOzDgGHchPCP0Q6AEwC3oECA0QAQ#v=onepage&q=brewers%20yeast%20and%20improved%20hearing%20study&f=false
10. Folate for pregnant women
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/folate-for-pregnant-women
11. A budding yeast's perspective on aging: The shape I'm in
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4935213/