What is it?
Unlike other yeasts used in producing items like bread and beer, nutritional yeast is specifically grown to be used as a food product. People eating plant-based diets tend to include nutritional yeast in their food as it is highly nutritious in key vitamins, and can be used as a replacement for cheese - given its cheesy, nutty flavour.
There are two types of nutritional yeast, fortified and unfortified. Pips sell fortified nutritional yeast, which means that it contains vitamins such as B-12 to boost its nutrient content. Unfortified yeast typically does not contain added vitamins or minerals.
What are the ways to eat it?
Nutritional yeast can be eaten in a number of ways. The most common way is to cook it within dishes, such as casseroles and pasta, as a replacement for cheese. You can also chose to sprinkle it on dishes at the end, to add a nutty, cheesy taste and has a light crispy texture when uncooked.
What are the nutritional benefits?
It is a complete protein: Nutritional yeast contains all nine essential amino acids. Just one tablespoon of yeast contains 2g protein, making it an easy and tasty way to consume high-quality protein.
It contains a variety of B vitamins: One tablespoon of nutritional yeast contains up to 180% of the recommended daily intake for B vitamins. When fortified, it can contain nutrients like riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin and thiamine.
It contains minerals: One tablespoon contains up to 30% of the recommended daily intake for minerals like zinc, selenium and manganese.