6 Reasons You Should Be Eating Nutritional Yeast

1 min

Nutritional yeast is cultured yeast, often from a strain of yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae that has been deactivated with heat. A versatile food product, it has a nutty, savory flavor akin to the “fifth” flavor, umami (check out Dr. Weil’s recipe for Umami Sauce that uses nutritional yeast). It can be used as a seasoning on foods such as popcorn, vegetables, and nuts, as well as a cheese alternative in sauces and on pizza.

The health benefits of nutritional yeast are plentiful – it is:

1. A complete protein, providing all 18 amino acids. This makes it a good alternative to animal-based proteins, helpful for vegetarian and vegans.
2. A good source of fiber, providing 16 percent of the Daily Value in one serving (two tablespoons)
3. A source of B-complex vitamins, another thing can be hard to obtain in a vegan or vegetarian diet. Nutritional yeast is sometimes fortified with vitamin B12, which is naturally obtained through red meat, fish and shellfish, eggs and dairy.
4. Low in sodium. When combined with its savory taste, it is a good alternative to salt for those on sodium-restricted diets.
5. A source of iron, selenium, potassium and folic acid.
6. Low on the glycemic index.

Nutritional yeast comes in powder or flake form, and both are similar in taste and nutritional benefits. Store it in a cool, dry place for a shelf life of about a year. You can also freeze it in sealed bags where it should keep for up to two years.

Learn more – watch Dr. Weil discuss the benefits of nutritional yeast in this video:

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