Yeast Wonders
Decades ago, before multivitamin/mineral pills were developed, some people took yeast for its B vitamins (particularly thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and B^) and trace minerals (including chromium, copper, selenium and zinc). Yeast supplements are still popular today, but are they still a good way to get your nutrients?
There are hundreds of different kinds of yeasts, which is a type of fungus. Health food stores and internet marketers sell brewer’s yeast and nutritional (or primary) yeast containing ‘saccharomyces cerevisiae’ in powder, flakes, liquid and tablet form. Brewer’s yeast, grown on grains and recovered from beer brewing, tends to have a bitter hops flavour and cause intestinal gas. Some brewer’s yeast is “debittered” but the process destroys nutrients. Nutritional yeast is grown on sugar beets or molasses, making it more palatable as a supplement. Both brewer’s and nutritional yeast are inactive and non leavening – that is, they won’t make bread rise as live baker’s yeast does. Neither is related to candida, the yeast that causes yeast infections.
Yeast powder or flakes generally have about 75 to 100 calories, 6 grams of fribre and 15 grams of protein per 2 tablespoon serving. But their nutritional quality varies tremendously depending on the medium on which the yeast is grown (to be rich in a nutrient, yeast must grow on a medium containing that nutrient), how they’re processed and whether they’re fortified. Some are much higher in chromium or selenium, for example. And not all are rich in folic acid or B12.
Though the nutrients in yeast are important for heart health, blood sugar control and other body functions, there’s little or no evidence to back the claims made by supplement manufacturers. A good option is a basic multi that contains 100% of the daily value of vitamins and minerals.
Food sources of yeast and B vitamins: Idli, dosa, dhokla, appam, sour dough bread – and, yes, beer!
Source: magnamags
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08-05-2007, 01:42 AM
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