If you are not vegetarian or vegan, the terms ‘nutritional yeast’ may sound like Mandarin Chinese. Well, we are facing a very interesting nutritionally speaking food that is used in the kitchen as a condiment and whose salty taste may remind you of cheese. We tell you more!
Nutritional yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) is an inactive yeast so it does not have the ability to ferment. It is grown in the molasses of sugar cane, beet or barley and then dried at a temperature below 60 degrees Celsius so that its nutrients and heat-sensitive enzymes are not destroyed. Later it is left to ferment, harvested, washed and subjected to a pasteurization process that renders it inactive.
Although similar in appearance to brewer’s yeast, it is not the same food. Beer, although it comes from the same fungus as nutritional, is a by-product obtained in the production of said alcoholic beverage. Nutritional yeast is marketed in the form of flakes, granules or powder and is widely used by vegans to emulate the flavor of cheese, as well as to thicken sauces, add to soups, gratin in a lasagna, sprinkle on a salad … The options are infinite.
Nutritional yeast benefits
What does this food provide nutritionally? “ Mainly protein (50% of its composition, which is also very digestible), a lower amount of carbohydrates (mostly fiber) and a very low amount of fat. However, in terms of micronutrients, there are great variations between the different brands that sell it, since it is a condiment that is usually additionally fortified. Nutritional yeast is naturally rich in B vitamins and minerals such as iron, selenium, magnesium and zinc , but it is common to find it enriched in some other vitamins or minerals, such as vitamin B12, which it lacks in its natural state ” , explains Julia Jiménez, dietician-nutritionist and director of the Consultation of Psiconutrición I do not know what to have dinner.
Nutritional yeast has a salty taste that curiously does not correspond to its low sodium content (70 mg per 100 g), so it can be an ally to reduce or even substitute salt, something especially interesting for hypertensive patients. It does not contain gluten so it is suitable for celiacs or people with a non-celiac gluten allergy or sensitivity.
As we have already commented, this food is high in protein, but the nutritionist warns: “The fact that it is a condiment with more than 50 grams of protein per 100 grams, or rich in fiber and micronutrients and low in fat, could lead us to think that we are before the philosopher’s stone of nutrition, but let’s not forget that, being a condiment, the amount used (1 teaspoon per plate) is not comparable to that of a staple food such as tofu or eggs. It can be a fabulous “nutritional boost” in any type of diet, especially those that are 100% vegetable, but in no case will it make a significant difference in the overall calculation of the diet if it is not accompanied by a sufficient and balanced consumption of the essential nutrients through staple foods ”.
