How to Use Brewer's Yeast to Improve Health

Brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) can provide significant health benefits for humans. While grown as a food supplement, it is most often grown on sugar beets. It is dried at a high temperature to kill the live enzymes and to produce a non-leavening yeast that will not ferment. Yeast's beneficial effects on health have been recognized for hundreds of years, but it wasn't until the early 20th century that the nutritional components responsible were identified, along with the discovery of B vitamins.

Things You'll Need

• Brewer's Yeast supplement

Instructions

1. Taking Brewer's yeast offers a wide range of health benefits including lowering trigycerides, raising levels of beneficial cholesterol while lowering levels of bad cholesterol, controlling blood sugar, helping to clear up skin problems such as acne and reducing the risk of liver cancer.

2. Choose which form of Brewer's yeast is most suitable for you. It is available in powder form (which is its most potent form), flakes (good for adding to shakes and protein drinks) or tablets (best for you if you don't enjoy the taste).

3. Check the ingredients of the brand you are considering. The best quality supplements contain good quality protein and a full range of B vitamins, as well as minerals including magnesium, potassium, selenium, zinc, calcium, chromium and copper.

4. Start off with a small amount. If you are not used to Brewer's yeast, a large serving may trigger nausea or diarrhea. A 1/4 teaspoonful is a good place to begin. Double the amount taken every 2 or 3 days until you have reached the recommended dose of 3 tablespoons per day.

Tips & Warnings

• Store Brewer's yeast in a an opaque airtight container, in a cool, dry cupboard or pantry. It should keep for 6 to 8 months. In the refrigerator, it will keep for up to 3 years.

• Sprinkle a tablespoon over cold cereals or mix in with hot oatmeal.

• Add a tablespoon to sauces, casseroles or soups.

• Add a tablespoon of brewer's yeast to baked good such as cookies, bread or pastry.

• Mix a teaspoon of brewer's yeast in with a carton of yogurt.

• Brewer's yeast has a high content of purine, which makes it unsuitable for anyone suffering from high blood pressure, gout or kidney disease.

• No more than 3 tablespoons a day should be consumed by anyone otherwise the high levels of purine can cause elevated blood levels of uric acid.