Aaah… Good old “Nooch!!”

If you are not vegan or vegetarian, you might be asking yourself, “what in the world is this Nooch stuff?” Nutritional yeast (aka Nooch, Yeshi, or brufax) is a deactivated form of yeast, primarily Saccharomyce cerevisiae. Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. Nutritional yeast is yellow in color and sold as flakes, granules, or a powder-like form. It is typically grown (or cultured) on a mixture of cane and beet molasses, harvested and subsequently heated to kill the yeast, and finally washed and dried.

The first culture to use yeast for baking or consumption purposes, has not been determined. However, we do know that yeast-raised bread has been consumed since ancient Egyptian times. In fact, Saccharomyce cerevisiae has been isolated and identified from use in ancient baking equipment. Given the anaerobic properties of yeast, it was also the perfect instrument for brewers’ making alcoholic beverages.

Unlike nutritional yeast, brewer’s yeast is often very bitter. This is likely due to the fact that brewer’s yeast is collected during the fermentation process while making beer. Traditionally, baker’s yeast has been considered much more palatable, yet brewer’s yeast has been used as a supplement for B vitamins, chromium, and selenium.

Know your yeasts…

Baker’s and Brewer’s yeasts are sold as food products and both are significant sources of complex B vitamins. Baker’s yeast is often fortified with Vitamin B-12, which is important because people on a plant-based diet do not consume adequate amounts of B12. Nutritional yeast is packed full of protein, with about 5 grams per tablespoon. Each tablespoon also includes: Sodium (25 mg), Carbohydrates (3 g), Fiber (2 g), Calcium (5 mg), Iron (0.4 mg), Potassium (189 mg), Thiamine (2.7 mg), Vitamin B6 (2.8 mg), Riboflavin (2.7 mg), Niacin (14 mg), and Folate (160mg).

Having your yeast…

Nutritional yeast has a savory, cheesy flavor and is often used as a substitute for cheese; it can be added to popcorn or mixed with cashew butter to make a cheesy spread. While the USDA does not provide general recommendations for serving nutritional yeast, one tablespoon satisfies daily intake recommendations for B vitamins. If you are seeking a nutritionally-dense, cheesy replacement, Nooch would be an excellent choice!

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