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Nutritional yeast

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Nutritional yeast flakes
Some theatres offer visitors nutritional yeast for popcorn seasoning.
Large-flake nutritional yeast (fortified)
Nutritional value per 15 g
Energy250 kJ (60 kcal)
5 g
Sugars0 g
Dietary fibre3 g
0.5 g
8 g
Vitamins and minerals
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Thiamine (B1)
992%
11.9 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
746%
9.7 mg
Niacin (B3)
288%
46 mg
Vitamin B6
347%
5.9 mg
Vitamin B12
733%
17.6 μg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
0%
6 mg
Iron
6%
1 mg
Potassium
1%
25 mg
Sodium
1%
25 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Cholesterol0 mg
Bob's Red Mill brand, manufacturer reported values.[1] See also SR LEGACY data for yeast (active dry #1103594) for an idea about pre-fortification values and nutrients not reported above. SR surveys are performed by unbiased USDA personnel.
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[2] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[3]

Nutritional yeast (also known as nooch[4]) is a deactivated (i.e. dead) yeast, often a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, that is sold commercially as a food product. It is sold in the form of yellow flakes, granules, or powder and can be found in the bulk aisle of most natural food stores. It is popular with vegans and vegetarians and may be used as an ingredient in recipes or as a condiment.[5]

It is a significant source of some B-complex vitamins and contains trace amounts of several other vitamins and minerals.[6] Sometimes nutritional yeast is fortified with vitamin B12, another reason it is popular with vegans.

Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that is described as nutty or cheesy, which makes it popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. It is often used by vegans in place of cheese[7] in, for example, mashed and fried potatoes or scrambled tofu, or as a topping for popcorn.[8]

Though "nutritional yeast" usually refers to commercial products, inadequately fed prisoners of war have used "home-grown" yeast to prevent vitamin deficiency.[9] Nutritional yeast is a whole-cell inactive yeast that contains both soluble and insoluble parts, which is different from yeast extract. Yeast extract is made by centrifuging inactive nutritional yeast and concentrating the water-soluble yeast cell proteins which are rich in glutamic acid, nucleotides, and peptides, the flavor compounds responsible for umami taste.

Commercial production

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Nutritional yeast is produced by culturing yeast in a nutrient medium for several days. The primary ingredient in the growth medium is glucose, often from either sugarcane or beet molasses. When the yeast is ready, it is killed with heat and then harvested, washed, dried and packaged. The species of yeast used is often a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.[10] The strains are cultured and selected for desirable characteristics and often exhibit a different phenotype from strains of S. cerevisiae used in baking and brewing.[11]

Nutrition

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Nutritional values for nutritional yeast vary from one manufacturer to another. On average, two tablespoons (about 30 ml) provides 60 calories with five grams of carbohydrates and four grams of fiber. A serving also provides 9 grams of protein, which is complete protein, providing all nine amino acids the human body cannot produce.[12] Nutritional yeast can be classified into fortified and unfortified. While both kinds provide iron, fortified yeast provides 20 percent of the recommended daily value, while unfortified yeast provides only 5 percent. Unfortified nutritional yeast provides from 35 to 100 percent of vitamins B1 and B2.[13]

Since nutritional yeast is often used by vegans who may be interested in supplementing their diets with vitamin B12, there has been confusion about the source of the B12 in nutritional yeast. Yeast cannot produce B12, which is naturally produced only by some bacteria.[14] Some brands of nutritional yeast, though not all, are fortified with vitamin B12. When it is fortified, the vitamin B12 (commonly cyanocobalamin) is produced separately and then added to the yeast.[15][16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "FoodData Central #1946780". fdc.nal.usda.gov.
  2. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. ^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  4. ^ Hughes, Becky (8 May 2020). "Nutritional Yeast Is for Hippies. 'Nooch' Is for Everyone". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  5. ^ Brown, Elizabeth (25 April 2009). "Singing the praises of nutritional yeast". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Large flake nutritional yeast". USDA Branded Food Products Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 26 September 2018.[dead link]
  7. ^ Stepaniak, Joanne (2003). The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook (10th ed.). Summertown, Tenn.: Book Pub. Co. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-57067-151-7.
  8. ^ Wasserman, Debra (1997). Conveniently Vegan (Revised. ed.). Baltimore, Md.: Vegetarian Resource Group. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-931411-18-2.
  9. ^ J G Lee HARUKOE (HARUKU)
  10. ^ Industrial Exploitation Of Microorganisms. New Delhi: I.K. International Pub. House. 2010. p. 6. ISBN 9789380026534.
  11. ^ "'Definite parmesan cheese vibes': how to cook with nutritional yeast". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2024. Nutritional yeast (affectionately known as nooch) ... Unlike baker's yeast, it can't be used as a raising agent, and it's also different to the food supplement – dried brewer's yeast – which has a bitter taste.
  12. ^ Prater, Danny (27 January 2016). "What Is Nutritional Yeast? How Will It Change You?". People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  13. ^ Diet, microbiome and health. Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Alina Maria Holban. London, United Kingdom. 2018. ISBN 978-0-12-811492-6. OCLC 1018307483.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. ^ Fang, Huan; Kang, Jie; Zhang, Dawei (30 January 2017). "Microbial production of vitamin B12: a review and future perspectives". Microbial Cell Factories. 16 (1): 15. doi:10.1186/s12934-017-0631-y. ISSN 1475-2859. PMC 5282855. PMID 28137297.
  15. ^ "Nutritional Yeast". bestnaturalfoods.com. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  16. ^ "THE 5 STEPS IN MANUFACTURING NUTRITIONAL YEAST". Lessafre Human Care. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
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