Nutritional Yeast… What?
April 27, 2010
Nutritional Yeast:
An Odd Vegetarian Trend that’s Re-Emerging
With the organics movement leading the way toward healthy food choices, going vegetarian is a growing trend that is here to stay. According to The Vegetarian Resource Group, in 2008, 3% of the U.S. adult population was vegetarian and about one-third of those vegetarians was vegan; this equates to nearly 6-8 million people who choose to not include meat into their daily diets.1
The question remains, why are people choosing to abolish these delicious foods from their diets? On an individual basis, reasons may vary from animal rights to environmental factors; however protecting one’s health may be the leading reason. Researcher and author of The China Study, Collin T. Campbell, says an increased consumption of animal-protein foods is associated with a decrease in longevity.2 Supporting this fact, the position of the American Dietetic Association, ADA, states that those who follow a vegetarian diet have lowered risk of death from heart disease, lower LDL cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes when compared with non-vegetarians.3
Still, there have been long-standing nutritional concerns involving vegetarianism, including protein, vitamin B12, and iron status, just to name a few2. These are real concerns; the USDA advocates that vegetarians need “special guidance in planning healthful diets”.4 To provide background, vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient found naturally only in animal products like meat, poultry and dairy; an adult requires 2.4 micrograms daily from food or fortified products.5 Therefore, vegetarians and vegans have to make an effort to include this vitamin in their diet. Protein, however, is not as big of a concern; the ADA says that a variety of protein foods from plants, including grains and vegetables, can meet protein needs2. A registered dietitian, RD, can educate on the proper guidelines to ensure a complete diet. If followed correctly, there is no need for concern. An RD may also introduce you to new types of foods; for example, they may suggest you try nutritional yeast, a product that is re-emerging and finding its way onto shelves in the specialty health food stores.
Nutritional yeast is a tasty, low-calorie, good-for-the-environment way to get essential B-complex vitamins, a complete protein, and a bit of iron, without eating meat. Similar to brewers yeast, it is a remarkably good source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, and minerals, all while being low in calories, sodium, carbohydrate and fat. A serving size of three tablespoons contains 80 calories, 1g fat, 9g protein, 5g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 150% of the RDA for vitamin B12, not to mention a slew of other nourishing components.6 A study published in the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism proved that after eating nutritional yeast, vegan participants with initially low B12 levels significantly improved.7
Yeast… does not sound very appetizing now, does it? Okay, I am guessing that this is just confirming the notion in your mind that vegetarians and vegans eat bland, weird, cardboard-type food, right? Surprisingly, this odd food actually tastes like cheese! Here is the scoop: nutritional yeast is grown on molasses, then deactivated and dehydrated; left behind are powdered flakes that provide a cheesy, nutty taste that seems too good to be low-calorie. The flakes offer richness in flavor and creaminess in texture when used in recipes. Nutritional yeast can be used as an ingredient in recipes to create rich and cheesy pasta dishes or it can be utilized as a low-calorie condiment that is a suitable replacement for Parmesan cheese or sour cream. Just ask the vegan chef, Tal Ronnen, who cooked for Oprah during her vegan phase, the possibilities are endless! At home, use it to top baked potatoes and steamed or sautéed vegetables; mix it in with mashed potatoes or sprinkle on air-popped popcorn to create a low-calorie, highly nutritious snack.
The most common brands of yeast available are KAL and NOW; they are packaged in a re-sealable can and located in the supplement isle of specialty stores. It does come in the bulk bin section, but many of the enriched vitamins are partially destroyed in the presence of light, so I recommend sticking with the can form. I encourage anyone, vegetarian, vegan or meat-eater looking to cut calories, fat, cholesterol or animal products out of their diet to give nutritional yeast a try! Start by using it as a topping and work up to using it in recipes to create healthy and nutritious sauces and dressings; I promise, you won’t miss your cheese!
Nutritional Yeast Dressing
In food processor, grind to a creamy dressing-like consistency:
½ garlic clove
½ package silken tofu
¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
Serve cold as a salad dressing or as a chip or vegetable dip.
References
1. “How Many Vegetarians Are There?” 2009 Poll — The Vegetarian Resource Group. (2009). Retrieved April 20, 2010 from The Vegetarian Resource Group, How Many Vegetarians Are There?: http://www.vrg.org/press/2009poll.htm.
2. Campbell, C. T., & Campbell, T. (2007). The China Study: the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted and the startling implications for diet, weight loss and long-term health . Walefield, Australia: Wakefield Press.
3. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets. (2009). Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109, 1266-1277.
4. Messina, V., Melina, V., & Mangels, A. (2003). A New Food Guide For North American Vegetarians. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 64, 82-86.
5. National Institutes of Health. (2009). Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet Vitamin B12. Bethesda, Maryland: Office of Dietary Supplements National Institutes of Health.
6. Food Label of NOW Nutritional Yeast
7. Donaldson, M. S. (2000). Metabolic Vitamin B12 Status on a Mostly Raw Vegan Diet with Follow-Up Using Tablets, Nutritional Yeast or Probiotic Supplements. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 44, 229-234.
