Nutritional yeast, similar to brewer's yeast, is a deactivated
yeastYeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1,500 species currently described; they dominate fungal diversity in the oceans. Most reproduce asexually by budding, although a few do so by binary fission...
, usually
Saccharomyces cerevisiaeSaccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of budding yeast. It is perhaps the most useful yeast owing to its use since ancient times in baking and brewing. It is believed that it was originally isolated from the skins of grapes...
. It is popular with vegans, who use it as an ingredient in recipes or simply as a
condimentA condiment is a relish, sauce, or seasoning added to food to impart a particular flavour or to complement the dish. Often pungent in flavour and therefore added in fairly small quantities, popular condiments include salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and sugar.Usually applied by...
. It is produced by culturing the yeast with a mixture of sugarcane and beet molasses, then harvesting, washing, drying and packaging the yeast. It is commercially available in the form of flakes, or as a yellow powder similar in texture to
cornmealCornmeal is flour ground from dried corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as cornflour...
, and can be found in the bulk aisle of most
natural food storesA health food store is a type of grocery store that primarily sells health food, organic foods, local produce, and often nutritional supplements...
.
It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins and is a
complete proteinA complete protein is a source of protein that contains an adequate proportion of all of the essential amino acids for the dietary needs of humans or other animals. This does not refer to the protein source only containing all the essential amino acids, but also containing them in complete...
.
Nutritional yeast, similar to brewer's yeast, is a deactivated
yeastYeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1,500 species currently described; they dominate fungal diversity in the oceans. Most reproduce asexually by budding, although a few do so by binary fission...
, usually
Saccharomyces cerevisiaeSaccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of budding yeast. It is perhaps the most useful yeast owing to its use since ancient times in baking and brewing. It is believed that it was originally isolated from the skins of grapes...
. It is popular with vegans, who use it as an ingredient in recipes or simply as a
condimentA condiment is a relish, sauce, or seasoning added to food to impart a particular flavour or to complement the dish. Often pungent in flavour and therefore added in fairly small quantities, popular condiments include salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and sugar.Usually applied by...
. It is produced by culturing the yeast with a mixture of sugarcane and beet molasses, then harvesting, washing, drying and packaging the yeast. It is commercially available in the form of flakes, or as a yellow powder similar in texture to
cornmealCornmeal is flour ground from dried corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as cornflour...
, and can be found in the bulk aisle of most
natural food storesA health food store is a type of grocery store that primarily sells health food, organic foods, local produce, and often nutritional supplements...
.
It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins and is a
complete proteinA complete protein is a source of protein that contains an adequate proportion of all of the essential amino acids for the dietary needs of humans or other animals. This does not refer to the protein source only containing all the essential amino acids, but also containing them in complete...
. It is also naturally low in
fatFats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are generally triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at normal room temperature, depending on their structure and composition...
and
sodiumSodium is a metallic element with a symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals within "group 1"...
. Some brands of nutritional yeast, though not all, are fortified with
vitamin B12Cyanocobalamin is an especially common vitamer of the B-12 vitamin family. It is the most famous vitamer of the family, because it is chemically the most air-stable, and it is the easiest to crystallize and therefore easiest to purify after it is produced by bacterial fermentation. The cyanide is...
. The
vitamin B12Cyanocobalamin is an especially common vitamer of the B-12 vitamin family. It is the most famous vitamer of the family, because it is chemically the most air-stable, and it is the easiest to crystallize and therefore easiest to purify after it is produced by bacterial fermentation. The cyanide is...
is produced separately from
bacteriaThe bacteria are a large group of unicellular microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
and then added to the yeast.
Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that is described as nutty, cheesy, or creamy, which makes it popular as an ingredient in
cheeseCheese is a food consisting of proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. It is produced by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Typically, the milk is acidified and addition of the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into...
substitutes. It is often used by vegans in place of parmesan cheese. Another popular use is as a topping for
popcornPopcorn or popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn popping was originally discovered by Native Americans, but became popular as a snack food during the United States Great Depression, especially in movie theaters.Corn is able to pop because,...
. It can also be used in mashed and fried potatoes, as well as putting it into scrambled eggs. Some movie theaters offer it along with salt or
cayenne pepperThe cayenne, or Guinea pepper or bird pepper is a hot, red chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños, and others...
as a popcorn condiment.
In Australia it is sometimes sold as "savoury yeast flakes." In Canada it has been known to be called "good tasting yeast." In the United States it is sometimes referred to as "yeshi," an Ethiopian name meaning "for a thousand." In New Zealand, it has long been known as Brufax. In Alabama, this substance is illegal. Though "nutritional yeast" usually refers to commercial products, inadequately fed prisoners of war have used "home-grown" yeast to prevent vitamin deficiency.
http://www.cofepow.org.uk/pages/asia_haruku2.htm
Nutritional yeast is different from
yeast extractYeast extract is the common name for various forms of processed yeast products that are used as food additives or flavourings. They are often used in the same way that monosodium glutamate is used, and, like MSG, often contain free glutamic acid. The texture ranges from liquid to a light paste...
, which has a very strong flavour and comes in the form of a dark brown paste. Other strains of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae are commonly used for making beer, wine, and bread.
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