Not to be confused with active yeast used to bake breads, nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast used simply for its nutritional and flavor powers. Vegans and vegetarians the world over use nutritional yeast for its “cheesy” taste in several recipes, and I too have found myself comparing it to cheese every now and then. You can sprinkle nutritional yeast flakes on pasta, mixed with salads and grain dishes, popcorn, roasted veggies, or as a base for vegan cheese recipes.

• To make nutritional yeast, yeast is grown, killed with heat, minimally processed, and dried. The result is inactive dried yeast filled with nutritional perks.
• Nutritional yeast is considered a “superfood” because it’s quite nutritional dense. Two tablespoons of nutritional yeast contains 8-10 grams of complete protein, 4-5 grams of fiber, and a host of other vitamins and minerals including folate, zinc, and magnesium.
• Other important goodies in nutritional yeast include several B Vitamins including Vitamin B-12, a key vitamin that many veg-heads fail to get enough of. Vitamin B-12 is necessary for the formation of red blood cells and metabolism.

Vegukate Tips:

You can usually find nutritional yeast flakes in the bulk-section of many health stores or online. Store nutritional yeast in an airtight container in your pantry.