The Unusual Ingredient Nutritionists Are Totally Obsessed With Right Now
They’re a friend to food bloggers and all over Insta right now. But what the hell is nutritional yeast anyway? Glad you asked!
Also known as deactivated yeast, these golden flakes have a nutty taste, which makes them the ideal cheese substitute. They’re also packed with B vitamins and are sometimes fortified with B12.
Even better? They’re a complete protein, which means they contain all nine essential amino acids – great news for vegans and vegetarians!
But that’s not all.
In a study conducted on endurance athletes and published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, researchers found that those who had nutritional yeast before a marathon had better overall health, decreased fatigue and seemed to recover faster.
It also contains selenium – which helps repair cell damage – and zinc, to aid tissue repair and healing. Plus, its antibacterial properties make it a great immune booster. So add it to soups, stews, sauces and salads, stat!
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Low-carb cashew cheese hot sauce
Cover 100g cashews with water and boil for 30 mins. Blend nuts and water with 1 tbs lemon juice, a pinch each of paprika, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, cumin, 1⁄4 cup nutritional yeast and 5 pickled cherry peppers (adding more water if needed).
Creamy vegan "melted cheese" nachos
- 1 potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1⁄4 cup nutritional yeast
Method:
1. Pinch each salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper Boil the potato and carrot in a little water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once tender, remove from the heat.
2. Place the ingredients into a food processor with some of the veggie water, then blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary.
3. Assemble the corn chips on a platter with lettuce, tomato salsa and guac. Pour the “cheese” over. Garnish with coriander.
What else? Use as a dairy-free parmesan substitute in pasta and salads or sprinkle over popcorn instead of salt for a cool umami taste.
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