Intolerant to yeast? Baking soda is the answer!
If you suspect you might have a yeast intolerance (or allergy) or this has been confirmed by a food intolerance test, and you relish baked goods do not despair – you can substitute a formulation that contains baking soda instead of yeast when making breads, rolls and other baked goods. Similarly, seek “quick-bread” recipes that use baking soda and dodge the use of yeast.
Avoid consuming yeast if you are intolerant or allergic because adverse reactions to food can be life-threatening.
Replacement Formula
Mix baking soda together with powdered vitamin C to create a yeast replacement. Use equal parts of each substance. You don’t even have to calculate a new overall amount – simply use the same quantity required by the recipe in terms of yeast. For example, if you need 2 tablespoons yeast, mix 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon powdered vitamin C.
Please note that Baking soda and baking powder are not the same
Benefits
The baking soda substitute makes the backing process quicker. When you use the baking soda and citric acid combination instead of yeast you do not need to let your bread rise. In fact, baking soda is frequently used in quick-breads that do not require you to allow time for rising.
So what’s the secret?
Yeast is used in cooking as a leavening agent, which means that it makes baked goods rise. Leavening agents do this by producing gas. Yeast feeds on the sugars in flour and expels carbon dioxide in the process. Baking soda is also a useful leavening agent. It reacts with acid and creates carbon dioxide, which in turn creates bubbles that get trapped within the batter.
Word of warning
An allergic reaction to yeast can be either mild (intolerance or mind allergy) or serious and life-threatening, so avoid using it even occasionally if you have such symptoms. Common and less severe allergy symptoms include tingling or itching in your mouth, hives or itching, dizziness or fainting, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, trouble breathing or congestion, wheezing and swelling of your face, lips, tongue, throat or other body parts. The life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis has numerous symptoms. These can include constricted or tight airways, a swollen throat that makes it hard to breathe, shock, a drop in blood pressure, a rapid pulse and dizziness or loss of consciousness.
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There are quite a lot of resources and cookbooks about yeast free cooking and you can start your search by looking at this book
