Carrots, Oranges, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae?

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

By Karen Brothers, ND student, NCNM

You’ve likely heard about whole food supplements and know that they contain 100 percent whole food. When you take them, you ingest the individual vitamins and minerals contained in the whole food as well as the food’s vital phytochemicals and cofactors that enhance the body’s ability to utilize those nutrients. If you’ve read the label of a whole food supplement, you’ve seen food names such as carrots, oranges, blueberries, brown rice, and broccoli. But it’s very likely that you’ve also seen a less familiar name in the list of ingredients: Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of yeast whose various strains have been used in baking and brewing throughout history. It is one of the most thoroughly researched microorganisms in cell biology. Because a yeast cell’s structure and functions are very similar to those of a human cell, it is an extremely valuable model for understanding how human cells work.

Nutritionally, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has great value on its own. It provides protein and B-vitamins that our bodies can effectively absorb and utilize, and it as acts as a probiotic, maintaining good bacteria in our gut that help with overall digestive function and support our immune systems. In addition, it is non-pathogenic and non-allergenic. But there’s more.

Have you ever wondered how all of the goodness of whole foods can be packed into pill form? Some foods, such as carrots and berries, can be crushed, dried, and added to pills, and our bodies absorb and utilize their nutrients just as if we had eaten whole carrots or handfuls of berries. But what about minerals, which are not easily absorbed or utilized in their pure forms? Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the answer.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells are grown in a liquid growth medium in a large fermenter. The medium (think of a nutrient-rich broth) contains the desired minerals and other micronutrients at desired concentrations. As the cells grow and divide, they absorb the minerals and other nutrients in the medium, yielding a nutrient-rich biomass or food concentrate. This food concentrate can be crushed, dried, and added to pills just as carrots and berries are. And just like carrots and berries, the food concentrate is 100 percent whole food.

So the next time you read the label of a whole food supplement, the name Saccharomyces cerevisiae will be a bit more familiar to you and may remind you of just how beneficial saccharomyces cerevisiae can be.

References:
Passwater, RA. Nutritional Yeasts and Yeastophobia: An interview with Dr Seymour Pomper.
Whole Foods magazine. June 1999.
Passwater, RA. Nutritional Yeasts and Yeastophobia, Part 2: An Interview with Dr. Jack D. Sobel. Whole Foods magazine. July 1999.
Angier, NA, A stupid cell with all the answers., Discover, 1986, 7(11), 70-83.

posted by Innate Response at

7:44 PM

2 Comments :

HealthTourism said...: Really nice this post is very useful and informative for all....:)

Regards,
Jonithan
Health Tourism; January 17, 2012 at 1:43 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; January 17, 2012 at 7:34 AM

Carrots, Oranges, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae?

By Karen Brothers, ND student, NCNM

2 Comments :

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