Nutritional Yeast - it's really a Fun-gi

If you haven't come across this unusual bright yellow ingredient yet, you likely soon will. 

Transforming the vegan scene as not only a great-tasting cheese substitute, nutritional yeast provides a readily available, natural fiber source, and high quality proteins that are easily assimilated.

But we've heard too much yeast isn't good for the gut?
Correct, too much active yeast can over-whelm the body disrupting the immune system with unhealthy bacteria levels in the gut and other parts of the body. 

However because nutritional yeast is inactive, and it does not contain Candida albicans. 

Different to bakers yeast, nutritional yeast has been made inactive by heat and does not 'grow' or leaven like brewers Yeast.
While both are Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nutritional yeast has been roller-dried to deactivate the single-cell organism. 

If the idea of a dead organism raises your animal-loving hackles..don't worry, it's cruelty free, as saccharomyces cerevisie is part of the fungi family. 

Fortified with vitamins and minerals during it's growth, nutritional yeast has super-power benefits to the immune system, with anti-bacterial properties as well as anti-viral.

Successfully used in many savoury vegan dishes as a dairy-free alternative to traditional cheese, nutritional yeast has the added benefit of being a complete protein source with all 9 essential amino acids being present. 

It can be sprinkled on salads for an excellent nutritional boost, or added to any vegetarian dish.

Nutritional yeast has a distinctly 'umami' flavour that will have you wondering why you waited so long to try it. 


Quick facts
Approx 34% Protein

Minerals             
Sodium 74 mg
Calcium 99 mg
Iron 4 mg
Potassium 1730 mg

Vitamins             
Vitamin A < 100 IU
Vitamin C < 1 mg
Thiamine HCl (B1) 1 mg
Riboflavin (B2) 3 mg
Niacin  33 mg
Pantothenic acid 14 mg
Pyridoxine (B6) 1 mg
Biotin 30 mcg
Folic acid 1720 mcg

 Image via the minimalist baker