Nutritional Supplement
Brewer’s Yeast
Where to Find It
Brewer’s yeast, which has a very bitter taste, is recovered after being used in the beer-brewing process. Brewer’s yeast can also be grown specifically for harvest as a nutritional supplement. “De-bittered” yeast is also available, though most yeast sold in health food stores that does not taste bitter is not real brewer’s yeast.
How to Use It
Brewer’s yeast is often taken as a powder, or as tablets or capsules. High-quality brewer’s yeast powder or flakes contain as much as 60 mcg of chromium per tablespoon (15 grams). When doctors recommend brewer’s yeast, they will often suggest 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 grams) of this high-potency bulk product per day. Remember, if it is not bitter, it is not likely to be real brewer’s yeast and therefore will not contain biologically active chromium. In addition, “primary grown” yeast (i.e., that grown specifically for harvest, as opposed to that recovered in the brewing process) may not contain GTF.