Brewer's yeast is a product that has been in fashion for many years among all those who are committed to a healthy lifestyle. It is not, therefore, among the relative newcomers to the shelves of organic supermarkets and those specializing in healthy food, such as spirulina or matcha tea, since brewer's yeast “has a halo of a grandmother's product that, However, over the years it has maintained very stable consumption among those who take it both regularly and for specific periods of time,” explains Elena Díaz-Morera, co-owner of the supermarket specializing in organic products Obbio, in Barcelona.
Brewer's yeast is sold in flakes, powder or capsules and "is the result of the fermentation process of barley, which is usually also presented in its debittered version, since its original flavor is bitter and is sometimes difficult for some consumers,” continues Díaz-Morera, who recommends using it in numerous preparations, for example in a vegan pesto. "The idea is to replace the parmesan with debittered brewer's yeast, and the result, both in terms of its flavor and texture, is very pleasant." It can also be used "in smoothies, accompanying the typical vegetable smoothies that feel so good in summer, as it is a good way not only to provide protein, but also B vitamins and antioxidants," says the expert, who also recommends incorporating it into cereals in the morning or bowls with yogurt and fruits, among other recipes.
Ideal for vegetarians and vegans Luisa Castillo, sports nutritionist at Welthy, a prepared food delivery service that offers a healthy eating plan with five daily meals made with organic and local products, highlights that brewer's yeast "has very high protein good quality, which have the required amount of essential amino acids to maintain muscle mass and other metabolic functions of the body in good condition.” Among these amino acids, lysine stands out, essential for the production of hormones, enzymes and antibodies, as well as for the assimilation of calcium and the proper functioning of the immune system.
The expert insists on the need to guarantee a correct protein intake to maintain muscle mass in good condition. “A body works well if it has good muscle mass, and even if we want to lose weight in a healthy way, we must do so thinking about maintaining good muscle health, without paying so much attention to what the scale shows.” Castillo indicates, in fact, that there are thin patients with sarcopenia (deficit in muscle mass), which can be reversed with a correct combination of diet (prioritizing the consumption of high-quality proteins) and regular practice of strength physical exercise. .
In this sense, Díaz-Morera highlights, for his part, that among consumers of brewer's yeast there are “both vegans and vegetarians, who have to be especially rigorous with protein consumption, and people who want to reduce the intake of products. of animal origin and, aware of the importance of taking protein, they look for the protein contribution in other foods.”
Good for skin, hair and nails
Brewer's yeast is rich in antioxidants, “which help in the transport of amino acids to the skin, nails or hair, which strengthens and rebuilds them, visibly improving their appearance,” explains Castillo. This is why many people, without being regular consumers of brewer's yeast, "make batches of consumption at specific periods, either after the summer or before Christmas, to obtain an extra supply of nutrients and improve certain functions of the body," says Díaz-Morera.
In addition, brewer's yeast contains numerous B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, niacin and folic acid), and minerals such as selenium, iron, calcium or zinc. It is also a good source of fiber, which promotes intestinal transit and therefore improves constipation, and could also help lower blood cholesterol levels.
The false myth of B12
Many people approach brewer's yeast thinking that it is rich in vitamin B12 without knowing that this is not true. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in foods of animal origin, so vegans usually supplement it to guarantee the correct supply of a vitamin that is essential for numerous body functions. What happens is that it is common to find B12 capsules combined with brewer's yeast, ideal for all those people who do not consume animal products, so many people mistakenly associate them.
Is it advisable to supplement it?
It is a question that many consumers ask themselves both with brewer's yeast and with other superfoods, a priori loaded with nutrients, which we can purchase without a prescription in numerous establishments. The answer, however, is overwhelming: no. “A good part of supplements are over-the-counter and do not usually require a prescription, so we tend to think that we can self-diagnose without problems, especially considering that we live in a world in which a good part of the population believes that they have deficiencies,” explains Castillo. However, the expert points out that "it is not convenient to do so, since many supplements do not carry the quality seal and others may contain added substances that we may not need, or that may even alter our metabolism at a hormonal and enzymatic level." For Castillo, it is essential to "visit a nutrition professional first, who will decide based on blood tests and an enzymatic and hormonal profile if we really need those nutrients that we want to supplement." In fact, the nutritionist recalls that “in most cases, a complete diet that ranges between 1,500 and 2,000 calories usually contains all of these micronutrients by itself,” except in specific cases that it would be advisable to analyze in detail.
This maxim can be applied to both brewer's yeast and other very popular supplements among the population that are usually sold in capsule form. “Many women with long and abundant menstruations take iron supplements without a prescription, which can even be counterproductive and end up generating much higher anemia,” explains Castillo. The same thing happens with vitamin D, which although it has been shown that there is a general deficit in European countries, it must also always be supplemented under professional guidelines and within the framework of a diet that allows its correct absorption.
Thus, although brewer's yeast is a nutritionally very interesting product, Castillo remembers that it is not essential in the basic shopping basket, as are fruits, vegetables, legumes, eggs, seeds, dairy products, dried or proteins of animal origin. “In reality, all the nutrients are already found in these products if we know how to combine and prepare them,” concludes the Welthy nutritionist.
