What is nutritional yeast? What are the health benefits of nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast or nutritional yeast must be no stranger to cooking enthusiasts, especially the Vietnamese vegetarian community. Why is that? Do you understand everything about nutritional yeast? Join Tnhelearning.edu.vn to find out immediately interesting information about nutritional yeast and its uses for everyone’s health.

What is nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is the English name for nutritional yeast – a species of fungus called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nutritional yeast is made up of proteins, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Nutritional Yeast – Nutritional Yeast

This is a probiotic of the mushroom family, containing many B vitamins such as vitamin B6, vitamin B1,… especially vitamin B12. Nutritional yeast is well known in the preparation of vegetarian dishes , helping vegetarian dishes taste more delicious. If you love vegan cheese, you’ll love this nutritional yeast.

Nutritional yeast is a common type of yeast commonly used in bread making or beer fermentation . Although they share the same fungus, they have different properties.

Nutritional yeast for bread and beer

Bread Yeast : This is a live yeast, used to ferment bread and is a flavoring ingredient for bread.

Brewer’s Yeast : Also a live fungus used to ferment alcohol. Some of the fungal cells that will die after the fermentation process will be taken to use as nutritional yeast. This yeast will have a slightly bitter taste.

Nutritional Yeast : Mushrooms when grown as end products are killed during production. Their taste resembles that of cheese and is used in cooking and food processing.

In fact, there are 2 types of nutritional yeast: nutritional yeast with micronutrients and nutritional yeast without micronutrients.

Nutritional yeast contains additional nutrients

Nutritional yeast fortification: contains multivitamins added during the manufacturing process to increase nutrient content.

Nutritional yeast without micronutrients: contains no added vitamins or minerals, but only natural vitamins and minerals produced by yeast cells as they grow.

Nutritional composition of nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast is known as a nutritious food because it contains a lot of protein and beneficial minerals . The salient features of the nutritional composition of yeast are as follows:

Nutritional composition of nutritional yeast

Contains complete protein : Nutritional yeast contains all 9 essential amino acids found in protein. One tablespoon of nutritional yeast (9g) can have up to 5g of protein.

Contains a large amount of B vitamins : Yeast contains a lot of healthy B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. Besides, there are also riboflavin, niacin.

Contains minerals : In nutritional yeast there are typical minerals such as zinc, selenium, manganese, … beneficial in metabolism, strengthening the immune system.

Health benefits of nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast has many great uses for human health.

Prevention of vitamin B12 deficiency

This is one of the reasons vegetarians choose nutritional yeast. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the nervous system to function properly, metabolism and red blood cell synthesis . Vitamin B12 is abundant in foods such as meat and eggs – foods that vegetarians cannot use, so it is easy to lack this vitamin.

Contains antioxidants

Our body must use free radicals in the process of cell destruction. If the body does not have enough antioxidants, it will enter a state of antioxidant imbalance. If the condition persists for a long time, it can be the cause of many chronic diseases, aging, cancer.

The addition of products containing antioxidants is essential and nutritional yeast is one such food. Nutritional yeast contains antioxidants such as glutathione and selenomethionine. These substances protect the body from free radicals and dangerous heavy metals.

Nutritional yeast lowers cholesterol

Improve immune system

Beta-glucan and alpha-mannan are two substances in nutritional yeast that work against pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella . These substances will prevent bacteria from sticking to the lining of the small intestine , and at the same time stimulate the immune system to work against harmful bacteria effectively.

Lowers cholesterol

Beta-glucan (1 soluble fiber) in nutritional yeast is effective in lowering cholesterol. When entering the intestinal tract, they will form a gel that attracts cholesterol and pushes them out.

How to use nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast can be used flexibly in cooking . You can use nutritional yeast in soups, stews or sauces to both make food more delicious and add nutrients. You can also sprinkle yeast over pizza, pasta, and popcorn dishes for extra flavor.

Nutritional yeast makes popcorn, pizza,…

Nutritional yeast needs to be stored in a cool place, away from direct sunlight to protect vitamins and minerals. You need to avoid placing yeast in damp places . Note that the shelf life of 1 pack of yeast can be up to 2 years.

Where to buy nutritional yeast, how much does it cost?

Nutritional yeast is very popular today, so you can find it in many stores and retail systems, bakeries,… You can also find it on e-commerce platforms like Lazada, Shopee, Tiki or online sales websites if you don’t want to go far.

Where to buy nutritional yeast?

Above is all the important information you need to know about Nutritional yeast. Hopefully, the article has provided you with certain knowledge about nutritional yeast so that it can help you in the preparation of dishes as well as learn the sources of good nutrition for health.

Source: Specialized healthline

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