Can Babies Eat Yeast?

Yeast is a single-celled microorganism belonging to the fungus species. Yeasts are usually grown in laboratories on solid growth media like potato dextrose agar or in liquid broths like potato dextrose broth. Yeast is used in many domains: for the fermentation of sugars, beer and wine, baker’s yeast in bread production and it is also used for xylitol production, which is a sugar substitute.

Beer yeasts can be top-cropping or bottom-cropping yeasts. Top-cropping yeasts form a layer of foam at the top of the wort during the process of fermentation, and result in ale-type products, while bottom-cropping yeasts are usually used in the production of lager-type beers.

Yeast is used not only in beer making, but also in winemaking, where it transforms the sugars in grape juice into ethanol. In baking, yeast is used as a leavening agent, where it converts the fermentable sugars from the dough into the gas carbon dioxide. As a consequence, the dough expands as the gas forms bubbles. Once the dough is baked, the yeast dies and the air bubbles set, resulting in the soft texture of the baked product.

Nutritional Yeast

Yeast used in nutritional supplements is called nutritional yeast. It is low in fat and sodium, but it has high levels of protein and vitamin B. It has a nutty, cheesy flavor, a reason why it is mostly used as an ingredient in cheese substitutes for vegans. It might be used in fried and mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs or as topping for popcorn. Some probiotic supplements use yeast in order to maintain and also to restore the natural flora in the gastrointestinal tract.

When Can Yeast Be Introduced Into A Baby’s Diet?

Nutritional yeast may be introduced into your baby’s diet around the age of 6 months old. It supports the immune system and reduces inflammation caused by bacterial infection, but it can have unpleasant digestive side effects and may cause rashes.