Nutritional yeast is pareve with a delectable cheese flavor.
Nutritional yeast, also known as “nooch,” is laden with breakthrough properties, especially a delectable pareve cheese aroma. It’s a deactivated yeast that’s “nutritionally” packed with protein, fiber and vitamins. OU kosher-certified Harmony House Foods offers various sizes. Popcorn, pasta and lamb will never taste the same once this enchanted yeast is mixed together with them.
How Nutritional Yeast is Made
When we think of food production, we often think of ingredients and flavors that make up the product. But a huge area of food production is now taking place in the area of fermentation. In fermentation, chemical reactions transform foods to bring out new flavors and textures.
Nutritional yeast starts out as the live strain S. cerevisiae which is grown in the laboratory and is then deactivated using high temperatures.
Nutritional yeast is related to the fermentation industry because if its strain, S. cerevisiae, was not deactivated by high temperatures, it would go on to ferment bread, beer and wine.
The net result is a product that now has the word “nutritional” in its description, due to its substantial health benefits and a product that carries an irresistible cheese flavor. It’s no surprise that sales in this sector are growing. As Future Marketing Insights reveals, nutritional yeast has a current U.S. market valuation of $257.38 million with an expected value of $894.07 million by year 2034.
The Nutrition Profile
An abundance of vitamin B12 is found in nutritional yeast. Vitamin B12 is essential for maintaining a robust central nervous system.
As mentioned, nutritional yeast is named for its inherent nutritious properties, which include substantial amounts of protein, fiber and essential vitamins, especially B12. Verywell Fit is an online portal set up by a dedicated team of medical experts whose one aim is to bring out the facts to aid in achieving fitness. In breaking down nutritional yeast, they charted that in 16 grams, which they note is equivalent to about 1.5 tablespoons, you receive 8 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and 24mcg of B12. These three nutritional assets play key roles in body wellness.
Nutritional yeast protein, which is non-animal in nature, is significant because it’s able to provides the body with the nine amino acids it needs but can’t produce on its own. This fact is advantageous to the plant-based and vegan population as they need not compromise on losing any essential proteins.
The fiber in nutritional yeast is unique in that contains beta-glucan, a specific kind of fiber. In regard to this type of fiber, Health, an online wellness site with over 120 million readers annually, notes that beta-glucan “supports immunity and bone density, reduces cholesterol and blood pressure and potentially lowers cancer risk.”
The vitamin B12 found in nutritional yeast is critical for brain function. It helps in the proper operation of the central nervous system and in creating neurotransmitters, chemicals that transmit signals between neurons and cells. This notion is voiced in an article by Forbes, where Michigan-based Aarti Soorya, M.D. notes, “Having your B12 levels optimal is essential all the way down to the cellular level.”
OU Kosher-Certified Harmony House Foods
One option of where to procure your nutritional yeast from is OU kosher-certified Harmony House Foods, a distributor of premium dehydrated foods. They conveniently offer nutritional yeast in different sizes. They also have many resources on their website including a Dried & Dehydrated Food Rehydration Chart, a Soup Mixes & Blends Comparison Chart, and a How to Use Dehydrated Food: Q&A. All of their products are organic and gluten-free.
What Pairs Well with Nutritional Yeast
Melt dairy butter or pareve margarine onto the popcorn and then top it with nutritional yeast.
Popcorn is one popular item that combines well with nutritional yeast. Because it’s dry in form, VegNews recommends adding “melted vegan butter” first to the popcorn. Of course, pareve margarine can be used as well. Besides the great taste, you have a healthy combination of two foods that are high in fiber and low in calories.
Creamy pesto pasta is the perfect fit for nutritional yeast.
Pasta is versatile in that it can be served as a side or main dish. It also has the advantage of being easy to make. But perhaps most important, it calls for a cheese flavor. Maya Maizlech, on Kosher.com, has a recipe for Healthy Creamy Pesto Pasta using nutritional yeast. In a mere twenty minutes you could have a serving for two or four.
Sprinkle nutritional yeast on lamb with vegetables to enjoy the cheese accent.
Best of yet, you need not compromise on the taste and health benefits of nutritional yeast when preparing your meat meal. This pareve cheese-flavored wonder can be used in unimaginable ways for your meat dishes. Whether it’s beef spaghetti, lamb with vegetables or chicken marsala, the possibilities are endless.
Conclusion
Food production has been metamorphosizing since the beginning of time. There are ways to take advantage of all processes that create foods. Nutritional yeast, though deactivated, will always be connected to fermentation, as it has a short-lived strain that could have fermented other foods. The revolutionary taste and health benefits that are imparted onto nutritional yeast from the deactivation are astounding. In one sitting, you can now enjoy a complete protein, specific fiber that helps in numerous health areas, a B12 vitamin that helps manage your brain activity, a delectable cheese flavor, and the potential of mixing it with some of your favorite foods like popcorn, pasta and lamb.