Before I switched to a plant-based diet, I had never heard of nutritional yeast. Aside from it sounding like something you’d only find in a crunchy health food store, the name gives no indication to what it actually is or what it can be used for. It took some experimenting over the years, but I can now say nutritional yeast – oftentimes affectionately called “nooch” – is a staple in my kitchen.

Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast sold in the form of flakes (that look a lot like fish food) or a yellow powder. It’s vegan and a complete source of protein, which makes it a staple in many vegans’ diets. It contains B-vitamins and is oftentimes fortified with vitamin B12, which is absent from plant foods unless its been added in as a supplement. For more information on nutritional yeast, this post on Fat Free Vegan Kitchen is very helpful. Read more »

Have you tried nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a source of great mystery for most people. Isn’t yeast what makes bread rise? And beer ferment? Yes, but nutritional yeast is quite different. It’s non-active yeast that has been grown (usually on glucose or another simple sugar), deactivated by heat, then dried, pasteurized and eventually sold in your neighborhood health food store. You may see it commercially as flakes for a yellowish powder (looks like cornmeal). Some cook with it but it is also popular as a condiment. So what’s the hype?

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