What is nutritional yeast? Health benefits and delicious ways to incorporate it into your vegan diet

Nutritional yeast, aka nooch, has become a staple in many plant-based kitchens thanks to its range of health benefits and savoury, cheese-like flavour.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll answer all your questions about nutritional yeast and show you some creative ways to incorporate it into your meals.

What is nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated form of yeast, typically Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is grown on molasses or a similar medium. Nutritional yeast is a versatile and nutrient-rich ingredient that has gained popularity in vegan and plant-based diets.

With its savoury, cheese-like flavour, nutritional yeast is often used as a dairy-free substitute for cheese in various dishes.

Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and complete protein, it offers a range of health benefits.

Whether sprinkled on popcorn, added to sauces, or used to make vegan cheeses, nutritional yeast is a flavourful way to boost the nutritional value of your meals while adding a distinctive cheesy taste.

How is nutritional yeast made?

The small, yellow flakes that make up nutritional yeast are dried, deactivated forms of yeast (usually the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain).

These differ from other types of yeast such as Brewer’s yeast and Baker’s yeast. These are usually purchased alive/active or reactivated upon cooking.

Nutritional yeast spores are killed during their manufacturing. They are therefore inactive when they reach your plate.

In order to produce nutritional yeast, the cells are cultured (grown) for several days using a source of sugar, such as molasses or beet sugar.

Once the yeast has grown, the culture is heat-treated to deactivate it.

It is then washed, dried, and crumbled into small flakes.

Then, the yeast makes its final journey into packaging, ready for you to sprinkle, blitz, and blend in whatever recipes take your fancy.

Health benefits of nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast is a particularly valuable addition to vegan diets as it is one of the few plant-based sources of vitamin B12, an essential nutrient important for energy production, nerve function, and the formation of red blood cells.

Just 5g of nooch contains almost your entire daily nutrient requirements for vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B5, as well as being rich in biotin.

Nutritional yeast also contains trace minerals, such as selenium and zinc. These can aid in healthy immunity and regular bodily metabolism.

Glutathione and Selenomethionine antioxidants are also found in nutritional yeast.

Antioxidants work to help your body process damage caused by pollutants, stress, and environmental toxins.

Additionally, beta-glucan, a dietary source of soluble fibre, is abundant in nooch flakes, which can help towards lowering cholesterol.

Each different brand and type of nooch will vary in its nutritional and vitamin profiles. So, if you’re looking for a particular fortification, shop around to find the product which suits your needs.

Protein in nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast is naturally low in fat and carbohydrates, but comparatively high in protein.

For example, per 5g serving of unfortified nutritional yeast, there’s 2.4g of protein, 0.25g of fat, and 0.95g of carbohydrates, with next to no sugar or salt.

The protein found in these yellow flakes is also high-quality and complete. This means it contains all nine essential amino acids that we need to source from our foods.

How many calories are in nutritional yeast?

The calorie content of nutritional yeast can vary slightly depending on the brand and specific nutritional composition. However, on average, one tablespoon (about 5 grams) of nutritional yeast contains approximately 20-30 calories. These calories primarily come from protein and carbohydrates, as nutritional yeast is low in fat.

It’s worth noting that nutritional yeast is often used as a flavouring or garnish, so the amount typically consumed in a serving is relatively small.

How to use nutritional yeast

You don’t need to prepare nutritional yeast, it’s ready to go straight out of the packet. It also has a really long shelf life, so there’s no need to worry about it going off anytime soon.

Nooch is a really versatile ingredient and can be used in a variety of ways based on your cooking style.

The flavour of nutritional yeast is hard to define but lies somewhere in-between hard cheese, such as parmesan, and cashew nuts.

It has a distinctive, cheesy taste which makes it an ideal cheese substitute for use in cheese-based recipes.

Here are a few ideas for how to use it in your recipes:

1. Seasoning and flavouring

Nutritional yeast has a rich, cheesy and nutty flavour, which makes it a great substitute for cheese in vegan or dairy-free recipes.

The simplest way to use nutritional yeast is to sprinkle it onto your finished dishes as you would cheese. Simply sprinkle it over popcorn, roasted vegetables, pasta, or vegan salads for a savoury and umami taste.

You can also mix it into soups, stews, and sauces to add depth and richness to the flavours. You can even stir it into a bechamel to make an unbelievable vegan cheese sauce.

2. Vegan cheese substitutes

Nutritional yeast is a great ingredient to use in homemade vegan cheese alternatives. Some of our favourite recipes to make include almond feta, tofu ricotta-style cheese, and cashew cream cheese.

One of our favourite ways to use it is to blend nutritional yeast with soaked cashews, plant-based milk, garlic, and spices.

This creamy, queso-like mixture can be used as a spread, dip, or sauce for sandwiches, nachos, or vegan pasta dishes.

3. Baking and cooking

Nutritional yeast can be incorporated into various baked goods and savoury dishes like vegan quiches to add a depth of flavour.

Add it to bread dough or pizza crusts for a hint of cheesy flavour. It can also be used as a binding agent in vegan burgers or meatless meatballs Additionally, you can mix it into scrambled tofu or tofu-based dishes to mimic the taste and texture of scrambled eggs.

What’s the difference between fortified nutritional yeast and unfortified?

Much like plant-based milks, nutritional yeast comes in two distinct forms: fortified and unfortified.

The unfortified yeast is free from any added vitamins or minerals and contains only the nutrients which are naturally found in the yeast itself.

Fortified yeast has additional vitamins and minerals added to the flakes in order to enhance their health benefits. It is the most common type of nooch you’ll find on supermarket shelves.

Don’t forget, if the product is labelled as vegan, particularly if it has the Vegan Trademark logo on the packaging, these additional ingredients will have a plant-based origin. So there’s no need to worry about potentially unethical hidden ingredients.

It’ll come as no surprise that fortified nutritional yeast products contain more vitamins than the unfortified alternatives.

However, both types do contain B vitamins and trace minerals.

A popular choice amongst vegans is to buy nutritional yeast which is fortified with vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is a vitamin that is not readily available in modern foods and is particularly not abundant in a plant-based diet.

Are there any side effects from eating nutritional yeast?

Some people may find the high niacin (B3) content in nutritional yeast may cause skin flushing or redness, but this shouldn’t occur if you have around 1 Tbsp per day.

Nutritional yeast also contains purines, which are natural compounds found in various foods. Purines are broken down by the body into uric acid, and high levels of uric acid can contribute to gout flare-ups in individuals who are prone to this condition. If you have gout or a history of gout attacks, it’s advisable to moderate your intake.

Additionally, some individuals may experience mild digestive discomfort, such as bloating, gas, or upset stomach, after consuming nutritional yeast due to the high fiber content.

Where to buy nutritional yeast

Nooch has been a staple in specialist health shops for many years, but with more people eating a vegan diet nutritional yeast is now much easier to locate.

These days you can often find it at larger supermarket outlets and high street health and wellbeing chains.

Once you’re used to using it in your everyday cooking, you’ll soon find yourself bulk-buying the stuff online!