While we can all agree that nutritional yeast may have the
least appealing name possible for a food, it is certainly something you may
want to consider including in your diet.
Never heard of nutritional yeast?
You are not alone! Although it
has been around for quite a while, it has just recently started to become more
popular and a larger number of grocery stores are now carrying it. So just what is this mysterious product and
why should you be eating it? Let’s find
out!
WHAT IS IT?
Nutritional yeast differs from bread and other yeasts in
that is deactivated. This means that it
can’t be used as a substitute when making dough, and shouldn’t be confused with
the type of yeast that is used in baked goods.
The yeast is grown on a food source, in some cases molasses, harvested,
then dried and finally broken into small flakes. This finished product has a wonderful nutty
and cheesy flavor that is delicious with a wide range of foods.
WHY SHOULD YOU EAT
IT?
While these yeast flakes may be small in size, they pack a
supersized nutritional punch!
Nutritional yeast is loaded in protein, and in a ¼ cup serving, you get 8
grams or close to 16% of the recommended daily value. In addition, it is a great source of
fiber. In that same serving size, you
can get close to 12% of what is recommended daily. While it is true that not all brands are
created equal, it is common to find high levels of B12 in most.
Are you ready for the best part? In addition to being a great source of
protein, fiber, and B12, there is almost no downsize to nutritional
yeast. There is zero sodium, zero
cholesterol, zero sugar, and zero fat.
There aren’t too many other foods out there that can make those types of
claims!
WAYS TO ENJOY
So now your interest has been piqued, how exactly do you get
nutritional yeast into your diet? One
simple and tasty way to enjoy this is to sprinkle some on top of popcorn. Skip the buttery/salty variety and pick a
plain flavor in which you can enjoy the naturally cheesy flavor. Another great dish to try this on is
pasta. Instead of reaching for the
overly processed green can of Parmesan, do yourself a favor and grab the
yeast! If you are a little more savvy in
the kitchen and want to try something new, nutritional yeast can also be used
to make some delicious and creamy cheese sauces.
Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, just make sure you are
including it in your diet. Try it
tonight and see what you have been missing out on!
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