If you're looking for something savory and plant-based to top your pasta, eggs, or soup, consider adding nutritional yeast. It makes a great addition to a vegan diet thanks to its high protein and vitamin B12 content.
"Nutritional yeast tastes very cheesy and nutty, making it a great cheese replacement for plant-based eaters," Debra Shapiro, MD, a plant-based physician with a private practice.
Note: Since nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast, it is unable to grow and thus, cannot be used to bake bread. However, you can use it as a seasoning on top of your bread dough to give it a cheesy, nutty flavor.
Advertisement
Note: You can find nutritional yeast in the health food or spice aisle of your local supermarket or grocery store. It should be stored in a cool place and does not need to be refrigerated.
Here, is the nutritional content of one serving of fortified nutritional yeast, which is about a cup:
Nutritional yeast is a nutritious food that boasts many health benefits. Here are three of them you should know of:
Amino acids are the building blocks for your body, and help your hair, skin, nails, and muscles grow.
Note: Choosing plant-based protein in place of red and processed meat can reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. It may also help you maintain a healthy body weight.
"B vitamins help with metabolism by converting food into energy, creating new blood cells, and maintaining healthy brain cells and other body tissues," Geiger says.
That's because vitamin B12 is most commonly found in animal products like meat and dairy. It is important for the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen from our lungs to tissues throughout our body, and deficiencies are generally more common among the plant-based community
One key nutrient that it contains is beta-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber, Shapiro says. A 2018 study found that participants who consumed beta-glucan from yeast had lower and less severe upper respiratory tract infections, suggesting that this nutrient supports immune function.
"It also contains vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid and iron, that feed our trillions of gut microbiota," Shapiro says. The bacteria in our gut help regulate our immune system, thereby helping combat disease.
Read the original post:
Why you should add nutritional yeast to your diet even if you aren't vegan - and tips on how to cook with it - Business Insider India
