Sprinkling nooch on your food can help sneak in extra vitamins heres what to know
Hold the parm, pass the nooch.The plant-based seasoning, officially called nutritional yeast, has long been a go-to for vegans looking to give their food a savory, umami boost. But it’s not just about flavor.Nooch is packed with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that can do wonders for your health.
Here’s how to use it — and why newbies should proceed with caution. It’s made from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an ancient species of living yeast, according to Food Network.The single-celled fungus is also used to bake bread, but nutritional yeast goes through a heating and drying process that deactivates it, stripping it of its leavening properties.That same process unlocks its amino acids and gives nooch its signature nutty, savory flavor.
Afterward, it’s crushed into flakes or ground into powder and packaged.People commonly sprinkle nutritional yeast on popcorn, pasta, salads, and roasted veggies to amp up the flavor.It’s also stirred into soups, stews, and sauces as a thickening agent.Natural nutritional yeast contains a few nutrients on its own, but most of the products on store shelves are fortified — meaning they’ve been enriched with added vitamins and minerals.“Nutritional yeast is a beneficial food for anyone, but particularly so for those following a plant-based diet,” Christina Manian, a registered dietitian nutritionist, told Real Simple. “This is primarily due to the B vitamins it contains, including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folate, and B12.
These will all aid in optimal energy metabolism in the body,” she noted. B12 is especially important, since it’s hard to get on a vegan diet.The vitamin supports healthy blood and nerve cells, helps your body make DNA and can give you an energy boost.Folic acid, another B vitamin, is essential for women who may become pregnant, helping protect developing fetuses from certain birth defects.
The CDC recommends 400 micrograms per day — and most nooch products provide more than ...