Yeast Intolerance

Yeast Intolerance - are you intolerant to yeast?

Yeast intolerance is a common food intolerance these days, and it can be found in many different food sources. In this FAQ we delve into what yeast is, what yeast intolerance symptoms you can expect if you are intolerant to it, how to achieve a diagnosis and more. You will find a list of foods to avoid, and a list of foods to enjoy. We also cover how a yeast intolerance is NOT a candida infection, and what the differences are between the two.

Read on to learn all about yeast intolerance.

Yeast, a fungus

Yeast is a part of the fungus family and is a single-celled microorganism. It is used extensively in food preparation, and there are an array of different types that are all used for various food prep. Bread making, food fermenting, and beer brewing all use different types of yeast to achieve the desired effects. 

Inside the human body, we have a yeast called Candida Albicans, which is essential in small quantities. When it gets out of balance, we can have a candida outbreak, which can result in thrush and other bodily complications. Yeast intolerance can occur if candida has overgrown in your body.

Yeast Intolerance

Yeast Intolerance

Yeast intolerance uncovered.

Yeast intolerance is a food intolerance to consuming foods that are made with yeast. Like any other food intolerance, the symptoms can take between 2 and 72 hours to occur, so the intolerance itself can be easily missed.

The symptoms are usually digestive, but it can affect the whole body in many different ways.

Symptoms of yeast intolerance

The digestive symptoms of yeast intolerance can include:

  • Lots of bloating
  • Bad breath and a white coating on the tongue
  • Digestive pains and cramps
  • Constipation and diarrhoea

Other common symptoms include :

  • Unexplained fatigue
  • Eczema, psoriasis and itchy red skin rashes
  • Migraines and headaches
  • Moodiness
  • Cravings, especially for bread, sugar and alcohol.
yeast intolerance symptoms

Yeast Intolerance Symptoms

What are the causes of yeast intolerance?

Yeast intolerance is generally caused by the presence of poor digestive health or other food intolerances. Here is a list of the common factors for developing an intolerance to yeast.

  • Poor immunity. This can allow opportunistic bacteria to overgrow in the digestive tract, causing many food intolerances, including yeast.
  • Having a gut full of harmful bacteria can easily allow an overgrowth of yeast. If you then consume food that has yeast in it, you can develop the symptoms of yeast intolerance.
  • Medications, especially oral antibiotics and the oral contraceptive pill. Both of these can damage the bacterial balance in your digestive tract, allowing a yeast overgrowth or food intolerances in general to occur.
  • Existing and often undiagnosed food intolerances. Particularly wheat intolerance and dairy intolerances. Having these can cause yeast intolerance to occur, and they are very commonly found when someone is tested for yeast intolerance.

 

Diagnosis of Yeast intolerance

Yeast intolerance can be diagnosed in two ways.

The first is taking a blood test for IgG intolerances. This is a valid methodand requires a blood draw that is then tested against proteins from various foods. If you do not like needles or blood tests, then there is a much more non-invasive option.

The bio-resonance hair test. This test uses just a few strands of your hair and then analyses this in a bio-resonance machine. 700+ items are tested in this process, so you will discover not only if you have a yeast intolerance, but any other food intolerances you may have as well. 

Yeast Intolerance Test

Foods to enjoy if you are yeast intolerant.

When you are diagnosed with yeast intolerance, you can feel like there isn’t much food left for you to have. However, this is simply not true. Whole foods can be enjoyed in abundance. Here is a list of foods to enjoy:

Vegetables – low starch varieties

Yeast Intolerance Diet

  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Kale
  • Bok choy and other Asian greens
  • Leafy greens – spinach, rocket etc
  • Capsicums
  • Asparagus
  • Avocado
  • Beets
  • Cucumber
  • Celery
  • Green beans
  • Eggplant
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Garlic and ginger
  • Fresh herbs
  • Peas
  • Zucchinis

Do you use the candida diet to treat yeast intolerance?

Fruits – low sugar varieties

  • Berries
  • Citrus – lemons and limes
  • Green apples

Grains to enjoy

  • Quinoa
  • Buckwheat
  • Millet
  • Brown rice

Meats to enjoy, make sure they are all fresh

  • Seafood – Fish, shellfish
  • Chicken and turkey
  • Beef
  • Pork

Vegetarian proteins

  • Tofu
  • Tempeh
  • All beans and legumes/lentils

Other foods to enjoy

  • Nuts and seeds
  • Stevia is a good sweetener option
  • Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • Olive, walnut, coconut, sesame and almond oils
  • Coconut products

What foods is yeast found in?

Yeast can be found in a vast array of common foods, so it’s essential that you check all labels when on a yeast elimination diet.

how do you get a yeast intolerance

How Do You Get a Yeast Intolerance

Foods to avoid on a yeast-free diet

This is a basic list of the foods in which yeast is commonly found

  • All types of baked goods, especially breads, that contain yeast
  • All beers
  • Most alcoholic beverages
  • Dried fruits
  • Meats that are processed, such as deli meats
  • Vinegars (raw apple cider is okay)
  • Stock cubes and gravy cubes and powders
  • Processed fruit juices
  • Condiments – mayo, dressings, chutneys etc
  • Yeast extract
  • Hydrolysed proteins
  • Leavening

Alcohol and yeast.

All alcohols are made with yeast, which is what turns them into alcohol. However, there is a small range of alcoholic beverages that have little to no yeast left in them due to the distilling process. This list includes:

  • Champagne

Some spirits:

  • Vodka
  • Gin
  • Tequila
  • Whiskeys

Are a candida infection and a yeast intolerance the same thing?

No, the two are very different.

A candida infection is due to an overgrowth of the candida type of yeast in the human body. This overgrowth causes infections such as thrush and tinea and can result in oral or vaginal thrush, tongue ulcerations and more. It can be quite painful and is treated with antifungals.

A yeast intolerance is a food intolerance, and the symptoms occur only when a person eats food that has yeast in it. The symptoms are generally digestive in nature, but can also include any of the symptoms that have been mentioned above in the symptoms section.

Can people with yeast intolerance take probiotics?

Yes absolutely. Probiotics can be very helpful for people that have a yeast intolerance. However, you need to be aware that some probiotics do contain yeasts, and make sure that you avoid these. Go for products that are entirely yeast-free.

Is brewers yeast okay for people with yeast intolerance?

Unfortunately no. Brewers yeast is what creates alcohol. If you consume it, you will find yourself with symptoms of your yeast intolerance.

There are alcohols with low to no yeast in them that you may be able to tolerate well, which we’ve covered above.

Can yeast intolerance be cured?

It is not called a cure as such, but yes it is possible to get rid of a yeast intolerance if it is caused by an underlying condition. Treating this condition, whether it be gluten intolerance, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or something similar can often eliminate yeast issues. Undertaking a strict elimination diet with the help of a naturopath or nutritionist can also help to eliminate yeast intolerance.

No. The two diets are quite different, although some of the same foods are restricted. In the candida diet, all sources of sugars, carbohydrates and other foods that feed yeast are removed. It’s a very strict diet with many foods removed.

The diet for someone with yeast intolerance only removes foods that contain yeast, because it is a food intolerance condition. Foods that may feed yeast or other infections in the body aren’t removed unless there is a fungal overgrowth happening as well.

Summary

Yeast intolerance is a painful and frustrating conditioned, caused by a small single-celled organism. It is commonly found in many modern foods, including breads, other baked goods and alcohol, which can make having an intolerance to it seem bothersome and antisocial. The symptoms are mostly digestive in nature, with bloating, stomach cramps and wind featuring heavily. 

However, it can affect all body systems, and you will find a more extensive list of symptoms in the FAQ. The symptoms can take up to 72 hours to appear, which means that pinpointing yeast as the culprit can seem almost impossible.

Your solution to this problem is the bio-resonance hair intolerance test. This test uses a few strands of your hair and will test it against 700+ food and non-food items. If yeast is an issue for you it will show up on the test, along with any other foods that may be causing your problems.

Some risk factors for developing yeast intolerance include the presence of other food intolerances, and any pre-existing digestive issues. We discuss this more thoroughly in the FAQ and outline other causative factors.

Alongside this you will find a very handy list of foods to avoid because they contain yeast, and foods to enjoy that won’t exacerbate your intolerance. Some other common questions about yeast intolerance are also covered, and we hope this article is useful and supportive for you.

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