Yeast allergy

A yeast allergy is usually caused by either eating foods or drinks containing yeast or by a yeast or candidiasis infection. Simply put, yeast can grow within the human body, though such infections are more often experienced by women than men, but this does not mean that men are completely immune from issues with yeast. In fact, cutting back on sugars can help alleviate yeast infections and yeast allergies as a yeast allergy is an eventual response to a long-term and untreated yeast infection.

Yeast Allergy Symptoms

Yeast allergy symptoms can be controlled and avoided generally by avoiding yeast type foods, including any type of yeast product, as well as some wines, beers, breads, other bakery items and pasta. Reactions or symptoms are similar to that of any food allergy and can range from mild to severe. Some people simply feel unwell or have intestinal or bowel cramps and gas after having yeast. Some people are able to overcome the allergy by stopping the consumption of yeast products and foods for a period of a week or so until the symptoms subside. They might even be able to reintroduce yeast products at a later date and have no reactions. However, in the case of a long-term yeast allergy, the symptoms will reoccur and avoiding yeast foods all together for life might be the only answer.

Food Containing Yeast

Besides wine, beer, bread, pasta and other bakery products, other foods might contain yeast. However, sufferers should not assume that all standard yeast type foods contain yeast, which is the case in some unleavened breads. Yeast does live in the wild and is usually transported in the air as spores, which is why bakers can make sourdough starter for bread without adding yeast. They can grow it from the wild spores that have naturally fallen into the flour from the air. Therefore it is very hard to avoid wild yeast completely as wild yeast is found on other foods. Generally speaking the following foods can contain yeast and/or been contaminated by airborne wild yeast:

• soy sauce
• bean paste
• alcohol
• vinegar
• any fermented products
• pizza dough
• bread
• baking goods
• b type vitamins
• beer
• barley malt
• buttermilk
• blueberries
• blackberries
• bottled or canned juices
• all cheeses
• cider
• fermented corn type citric acid
• dried fruit – especially raisins, figs and apricots
• MSG
• ginger ale
• jellies, jams and fruit compotes
• fermented corn/potato lactic acid
• liquor
• fermented sugar
• fermented starch
• malt
• aged or cured meats
• mushrooms
• grapes
• black tea
• olives
• malted type barley flour
• nuts – mainly peanuts and related products
• pickled or preserved foods
• root beer
• tamari
• miso
• strawberries
• ketchup
• mustard
• tempeh
• hydrolyzed or autolyzed yeast extract
• yeast type spreads – especially marmite and vegemite

Avoiding Yeast and Preventing a Yeast Allergy

Though avoiding yeast and preventing a yeast allergy is very difficult, given the list above, it is possible to reduce the symptoms by washing fruit and making homemade sauces and other products. To properly alter a diet to avoid yeast needs a dietician’s assistance, so getting tested and having medical help is the only way to manage this allergy.


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