From childhood, we were taught a special attitude to wheat products and laid in our minds that bread is the head of everything. So why today many refuse this product? Some believe that bread is harmful to the figure, since the carbohydrates contained in it in large quantities are poorly combined with proteins and fats of other products, while others refuse to eat it because of yeast.
Indeed, several years ago a series of television programs was released on the harmful effects of yeast microorganisms. But is yeast really dangerous? The harm to the body or the benefit of them will be with the regular use of bread, we will tell in our article. Here we also note which alternative to baking yeast exists and how to bake healthy yeast-free bread at home.
What is yeast?
Yeast is a group of 1,500 thousand unicellular mushrooms that live in liquid and semi-liquid environments rich in organic substances. In nature, they are widespread and often live around sugar-containing soils, on the surface of fruits and berries. Yeast can live even without oxygen. In such an environment, they begin to actively absorb carbohydrates, which causes a fermentation process with the release of alcohols.
A feature of all yeast fungi is their incredible reproduction rate. Like all unicellular organisms, they reproduce vegetatively, that is, cell division. However, in some cases, macroscopic fruiting bodies may form.
Yeast is divided into types according to a number of signs, including the method of reproduction. They are widely used in bakery, brewing, winemaking, etc. Some mushrooms have a pathogenic effect, and the harm of yeast to the body has been conditionally proven. What does it consist of?
Action on the body
When ingested, the yeast begins to multiply exponentially, thereby disrupting the functioning of all digestive organs during fermentation.
How do yeast affect the body:
- fermentation, accompanied by rotting, is a favorable environment for harmful microorganisms that penetrate the blood through damaged intestinal walls;
- the process of removing toxins from the body is disrupted;
- intoxication of the body continues with the waste products of bacteria;
- the protective and digestive functions of the intestine decrease;
- constipation occurs, clots form in the kidneys, stones in the gall bladder and liver.
The harm of yeast to the body is obvious. But how high is the benefit that these unicellular mushrooms bring to the body?
Yeast: harm to the body or good
Until recently, it was believed that yeast was good for the body. They contain a large amount of protein, B vitamins, all kinds of acids, important vitamins and trace elements. With colitis and gastritis, anemia, high cholesterol, doctors recommended yeast. The effect on the body of these artificially bred mushrooms was studied further, and the directly proportional effect of their use was soon proved.
The thing is that when yeast enters the body during active reproduction, they begin to consume all the useful vitamins and minerals that come with food along with carbohydrates. And this means that a person does not receive them, which in the future leads to their deficiency and depletion of the body. Assessing whether the yeast is harmful to the body, one should take into account their type (bakery, wine, dairy, beer). Among all varieties, the most harmful to the body are baking or thermophilic.
Pathogenic yeast
Certain types of yeast cause dangerous diseases in people with weakened immune systems. For example, candida mushrooms are one of the components of normal microflora. But as soon as a person's immunity is reduced as a result of injuries, surgical treatment, or prolonged use of antibiotics, the yeast has a negative effect on the body. Mushrooms begin to develop intensely, causing candidiasis disease, which can be quite dangerous.
No less severe is the harm of yeast to the human body in the case of a disease of cryptococcosis, folliculitis and seborrheic dermatitis. In a healthy body, these fungi may not manifest themselves in any way.
Baker's yeast
For the manufacture of bread used baker's yeast saccharomycetes. The peculiarity of mushrooms is that during the fermentation process they emit carbon dioxide. Thanks to this, the dough kneaded on their basis rises well, and the bread after baking has a characteristic spongy structure. Molasses-based yeast is produced and produced in dry and fresh (pressed) form.
The effect of yeast on the human body is ambiguous. Their supporters say that mushrooms are good for the body, as they are a source of essential vitamins. At the same time, opponents of yeast prove that incoming vitamins are consumed by the same mushrooms. As a result, the body does not get any benefit, and the number of mushrooms in the body increases dramatically.
What is the harm of baker's yeast?
As for baker's yeast, here all doctors and nutritionists agree that they practically do not bring benefits to the body. Some of them call saccharomycetes especially harmful to the body and advise to abandon the use of yeast bread.
The harm of baker's yeast to the body is as follows:
- violate the intestinal microflora and trigger putrefactive processes inside the intestine. As a result, all beneficial bacteria die, immunity decreases, and dysbiosis appears;
- the acid-base balance in the body is disturbed. As a result of the formation of an acidic environment, constipation, gastritis and ulcers occur;
- in the presence of fungal flora, the composition of the blood changes and the amount of calcium in the body decreases sharply;
- as a result of the production of artificial yeast, heavy metals and harmful chemical compounds get into them;
- normal blood circulation is disturbed, blood clots form;
- lead to the formation of malignant tumors in various organs and systems of a person.
Bakery mushrooms have another name - thermophilic yeast. The harm to the body of these mushrooms as part of bread is a matter of dispute between scientists and bakers. The latter agree that yeast can be harmful to the body when consumed fresh. But when baking bread, the temperature inside the crumb reaches 98 degrees. Under such conditions, thermophilic yeast dies. Scientists are trying to prove that the yeast produced in modern conditions can live and develop even at 500 degrees. They enter the body along with bread and disrupt the intestinal microflora and the work of other organs.
Brewer's yeast
Brewer's yeast is a mushroom that grows and multiplies due to barley hops and malt. They are an indispensable component of the brewing process. Distinguish between top and bottom brewer's yeast.
The effect on the body of this type of mushroom, according to scientists, is therapeutic. This is due to the fact that brewer's yeast contains almost the entire set of amino acids known to science, all B vitamins, a large amount of protein, fatty acids, carbohydrates. Thanks to this, brewer's yeast has long been used as a dietary supplement to increase immunity, improve health and well-being.
The difference between brewer's yeast and baker's
Different types of yeast have a different effect on the human body. Indeed, brewer's yeast is good for the body, unlike those used in making bread.
There is such a difference between these two types of yeast:
- Brewer's yeast is not used in baking, as it dies at high temperatures.
- The technology for growing these mushrooms is completely different.
- Brewer's yeast is recommended for the treatment of a number of diseases.
Is brewer's yeast harmful to the body?
Healthy brewer's yeast does not bring specific harm to the body. However, they are not recommended for people with excess body weight, as they contribute to the rapid weight gain. In addition, brewer's yeast may also be involved in the appearance of edema . Their effect on the body with gout and kidney disease can be sharply negative.
Brewer's yeast has only a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract and, unlike baking, does not bring harm.
How to remove yeast from the body?
People who seriously care about their health are ready to go for any manipulations to remove the yeast of their body. But in fact, everything is much simpler than it might seem at first glance.
For those who have realized all the harm of yeast to the body, it will be logical to switch from eating traditional bread to yeast-free. Today it is offered by all large supermarkets with their own bakeries, and it is quite in demand. There are more and more types of such bread every day.
Some time after the rejection of yeast bread, a person notices how normal bowel function is normalized, toxins and toxins are gradually removed from the body, and well-being improves. Yeast in the human body, not receiving recharge from the outside, dies and gradually begins to be excreted. Probiotics also contribute to the speedy restoration of intestinal microflora.
Baking Yeast Alternative
Yeast-free bread is prepared on the basis of sourdough, which can be safely called a useful alternative to yeast. And even more so, knowing about the harm of yeast to the human body, it should be prepared by every person who cares about their health.
There are several types of sourdough: hop-based hop, rye from rye flour and others. The recipe for a healthy hop starter is as follows:
- Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan.
- Pour 1 cup of dry hops into water, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes over low heat.
- Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, pour into a clean glass jar. After that, add a tablespoon of sugar and half a glass of whole grain flour to the broth.
- Put the jar in a warm place for 24 hours. During this time, the leaven should double in volume.
You need to store the starter in the refrigerator, periodically updating it.
How to cook healthy bread?
To prepare yeast-free bread at home, you must adhere to the following recipe:
- Prepare dough from fresh, updated sourdough (2 tbsp.), A glass of water, a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of sugar and a glass of flour. You can take wheat flour (100%) or rye with wheat (50 to 50%)
- Put the dough in a warm place for several hours (from 2 to 10).
- As soon as the dough is suitable, add another 1-2 cups of flour to it. The exact amount will depend on the quality of the flour.
- Put the dough in a baking dish greased with vegetable oil. Put the form in a warm place (you can near the battery) for 6-12 hours. During this time, the volume of the test should increase by 1.5-2 times.
- Bake bread in an oven heated to a maximum temperature for 10 minutes. After that, the heating is turned off, and the bread comes to a readiness in a warm oven.
By using such bread, you will stop worrying about what harm baking yeast can be expected for the body. Baked hop-free yeast- free bread contains all the essential amino acids, carbohydrates, fiber, B vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Such baking does not get stale for a very long time , since hops contain a large amount of essential oils, which are powerful phytoncides with antimicrobial properties.
Finally
Since the advent of thermophilic yeast, their effect on the body has undergone rigorous research. Scientists from around the world at different times have proved the harm of yeast to the body. At the same time, the use of yeast-free bread has helped many people get rid of a number of pathologies. More than 70% of people who changed their diet felt better health. Therefore, you should not test your body for strength by eating unprofitable bread daily, while you can and should refuse it. Moreover, there is a worthy alternative to thermophilic yeast.