Healthy Hippie dust? Nooch!? Get to know nutritional yeast.
Years ago, along my own path to get my body, mind and spirit back to feeling good, I remember the happy discovery of NUTRITIONAL YEAST. Yummy and functional? A great alternative to parmesan if you're avoiding dairy for any reason? Sign me up!
Nutritional yeast has a great ‘cheesy’ taste and, is loaded with nutritional benefits. Read on for my top reasons to add it to your pantry and sprinkle liberally.
With origins in ancient Egypt, nutritional yeast only really came into popularity in the 1950's and 1960's with the movement towards plant-based eating. With the current swell of vegan and vegetarian diets, more and more people are discovering the healing power of whole food, plant-based diets and things like nutritional yeast.
It's actually an inactive form of yeast, from the same form found in brewer's and baking yeast and it adds a delicious cheesy umami flavor to things like popcorn, vegetables, or pasta (basically anywhere you'd sprinkle parmesan). I love to add to lightly steamed or roasted vegetables with olive or coconut oil, and it works perfect on your favorite pasta or pasta alternative (I like to use shirataki noodles with basic pesto SO good).
Key Nutritional benefits include:
1. Contains B12: especially important for those eating vegan, vegetarian or plant based. It's essential because our bodies require it to function and is only found in animal sources like meat, fish and eggs. B12 is important for energy production, the creation of new red blood cells, DNA production and a healthy nervous system. A key sign you may be deficient is experiencing frequent fatigue. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736N recommends that plant-based eaters consume more fortified foods to avoid deficiencies.. Nutritional yeast is one way to keep your energy levels up so you can show up full-on for your life.
2. Source of naturally occurring beta-glucan fiber: a soluable fiber in the cell walls of yeast that help improve immunity, fight infections, and promote healthy blood sugar
3. High-quality complete protein - nutritional yeast provides all 9 essential amino acids your body needs to build protein. Your body doesn't produce these 9 essential amino acids so it's important to give your body all 9 of them from your diet.
4. Good source of iron.
5. Packed with B Vitamins - supporting metabolism as well as skin and hair health
I never talk about counting calories or fat-free but it is also both - low in calories, fat free and also gluten free.
Will you try it? You can find it at most local health food stores as well as on Amazon. I like Foods Alive and Bragg’s brands. I’m not receiving any sort of compensation from either company - they are just two brands I like and personally use. Give it a go and let me know how it goes.
Cheering you on to your HEALTHIEST, SIMPLEST, BEST YEAR EVER!
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