Nutritional Yeast is a Beast!

I just absolutely love nutritional yeast. I use it in almost all of my cooking because of how much it elevates every dish I make. It also helps me be a healthier human, too! With its many health benefits and amazing flavor, nutritional yeast is truly a beast!

What is Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional Yeast (also called “nooch”) is one of the many products created from yeast, a living fungus in the air. Yeast is usually used to make bread, beer, mar mite, Vegemite, and baked goods. Nutritional Yeast is made by culturing it in a sugary substance, which feeds the yeast. The yeast is then killed using heat and harvested for consumption. Nutritional Yeast is usually beige or bright yellow in color.

What does it taste like?

Nutritional Yeast has a very strong and recognizable flavor. It is extremely umami, making it perfect for use as a cheese substitute. (its yellow color helps too) Some say it tastes similar to cheese, but beware, that also means it kind of tastes like stinky feet. But don’t let that scare you. Just sprinkle a little bit on pasta or put it in a soup, and you will probably fall in love with it.

What are its health benefits?

Besides tasting really, really good, nutritional yeast comes with some exceptional health benefits. After all, it has “nutrition” in the name. Nutritional yeast is an excellent source of B Vitamins, fiber, and protein. It’s especially useful for vegans, who sometimes struggle to get enough B Vitamins or protein. It can also make your entire meal healthier because of its flavor boosting properties. This is because instead of adding more salt to your dish, which can increase your blood pressure and cause dehydration, you actually add more flavor and vitamins to your dish by sprinkling in some nutritional yeast.

What kinds of dishes can it be used in?

Nutritional yeast is an extremely versatile seasoning, and can be used in all sorts of dishes, but it’s popularly used as a cheese substitute. Just mix it with a little water and corn starch, and you’ve created a cheese sauce that can cover nachos or pasta. You can also get even more creative by adding it to your falafel, giving it an umami kick. You can even add nutritional yeast into your soups, making them taste a whole lot better. Nutritional yeast can also be sprinkled onto popcorn, tossed on a protein, or even used in a meatloaf.

Where can I get Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional yeast is sold in most grocery stores, but more likely in health food stores. Usually it lives in the seasoning or baking aisle. If you want larger quantities of it (because you love it so much), then you can buy truckloads of it online. (Not really, but you get a lot)

Is it worth it?

Yes! Nutritional yeast can boost the flavor of any dish easily. I use it in almost all of my recipes (besides desert) because of how much I like it. Although, keep in mind that the flavor is quite strong, and it may be displeasing to some. It’s really up to you whether you want to buy nutritional yeast or not, but I highly recommend it!