If you've fallen in love with this savory topping with a nutty, cheesy flavor, you'll be happy to know it fits perfectly into the vegan diet! Not only does it add dairy-free cheesy goodness to your plant-based meals, it's also a great source of vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, and even B12. But, is it always 100% vegan? Keep reading to find out!

What Is Nutritional Yeast, or 'Nooch'?

Nutritional yeast is a form of inactive dry yeast typically grown on enriched beetroot or cane molasses. It's often used as a natural flavor enhancer in vegan soups, gravies, sauces, and more. Although its name may seem off-putting, this powder actually boasts an appealing savory flavor that some describe as a mild 'cheesy' or 'nutty flavor'.

Not only is nutritional yeast used for elevating plant-based dishes, it's also an exceptional source of essential amino acids, providing about 8 grams of protein per 15g serving! This vegan source of protein can even be used in shakes and smoothies to up their nutritional value, just like a protein powder. However, it also offers a host of B vitamins, iron, and potassium.

Is Nutritional Yeast Vegan?

The good news is, nutritional yeast flakes are totally free of animal products, made out of a single-cell organism called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the bad news is that their vegan status, surprisingly, can be questionable. The reason is, some nutritional yeast may be grown on whey (a milk derivative), instead of vegan-friendly molasses. So, if the product is not listed as vegan, or the label/brand website does not specify that it was grown on molasses, this could be a red flag.

On the other hand, if your product is labeled vegan or vegan-friendly, you can incorporate it confidently into your plant-based diet. Luckily, most nutritional yeast brands do specify that their product is vegan, so don't sweat it!

Is Nutritional Yeast Healthy For You?

Veganism is meant to improve the health and wellbeing of all sentient animals. That includes you! So, we believe vegan foods should be healthy and nutritious, too.

That said, nutritional yeast is an excellent source of iron, protein, B-complex vitamins (including vitamin B12, when fortified), and other nutrients, which can offer a plethora of potential health benefits. You may even notice a boost in your energy levels once you begin incorporating it into your regular, everyday diet.

However, there are a few controversies surrounding nutritional yeast, which we'd like to cover! Keep reading for the complete breakdown.

Should I Be Concerned About Synthetic Vitamins?

It's no secret that the most popular fortified nutritional yeast brands use synthetic vitamins like folic acid, thiamin hydrochloride, and pyridoxine hydrochloride in their products. So, let's address this topic... Currently, the safety and efficacy of synthetic vitamins is a very controversial topic in the medical community. The consensus on whether synthetic vitamins are as effective and risk-free as naturally-occurring ones is far from established.

While plenty of physicians have helped their patients to combat deficiencies through the use of supplements containing synthetic vitamins, other health professionals have spoken out against them, suggesting that some may be ineffective and even harmful. Likewise, among these synthetic vitamins, certain varieties are generally considered safe, while others are associated with a plethora of health risks, as is the case with synthetic vitamin E.

So, while we know that some synthetic vitamins have been used to treat patients with serious diseases and deficiencies, more studies will need to be conducted in order to determine all potential side effects.

Meanwhile, we encourage you to have a chat with your healthcare provider before consuming fortified products like nutritional yeast if this is concerning to you. Otherwise, you can always go for a non-fortified nutritional yeast product, like those displayed in the gallery below! However, we'd like to note that non-fortified nutritional yeast products do not contain vitamin B12, which is a very important and scarce nutrient in plant-based diets.

Non-Fortified Nutritional Yeast

A Word on MSG

You may be wondering what gives these yellow flakes their delicious savory flavor! The answer is simple: glutamic acid, one of the most common naturally occurring amino acids.

Because the controversial compound MSG (monosodium glutamate) is derived from glutamic acid, this has raised concerns that nutritional yeast could potentially contain MSG. And the fact is, this yeast may in fact develop small amounts of naturally-occurring MSG. For example, Bob's Red Mill has found traces of MSG in their nutritional yeast, which had not been added to the product.

While MSG has been generally considered safe to consume, and is even naturally present in some unprocessed, whole foods (like tomatoes), it's been plagued for years with a bad reputation.

The debate revolves around a condition called 'MSG symptom complex', which is the term used to describe a variety of reactions experienced by individuals who had recently consumed foods prepared with MSG. These symptoms include chest pain, nausea, headaches, weakness, etc. Although researchers have found no clear link between MSG consumption and these symptoms, the safety of this sodium salt is still an ongoing debate.

Because the most popular nutritional yeast brands do not contain any added MSG, only small amounts that occur naturally during processing, we would not discourage the consumption of this product over this issue. However, again, if you have any particular concerns surrounding the MSG present in nutritional yeast, we would recommend consulting this issue with your healthcare provider before incorporating it into your diet.

Where To Buy Fortified Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast has always been a common find at most health food stores, and nowadays, is even available at popular online grocery stores. However, the easiest way to get your hands on these savory yeast flakes is by shopping for them online through the links below!

How To Incorporate Nutritional Yeast Into Your Diet

Because this yellow powder boasts such an umami flavor, it's become one of the most versatile ingredients used in vegan recipes. It's an excellent way to add more depth of flavor to your meals or enhance your vegan mac! Sprinkle nutritional yeast over all of your soups, salads, gravies, sauces, and even into tofu breading for some extra flavor.

We've even seen it used in protein shakes, as a smooth alternative to chalky plant-based protein powders. We think this is a great idea, since it can provide other essential nutrients like iron, potassium, and B vitamins, too.

This powder can also be used as a vegan alternative to parmesan cheese on pasta, baked potatoes, garlic bread, and more. Overall, it's a beloved staple in the vegan community, and can be added to virtually any savory dish to include some extra essential vitamins and a complete protein source.

Nutritional Yeast vs. Brewer's Yeast vs. Yeast Extract

During your search for nutritional yeast brands, you may have come across a similarly-named product called brewer's yeast. Although these two are both derived from the same strain of yeast, they are not to be confused.

Brewer's yeast is a by-product of the brewing industry. Unlike nutritional yeast, it's quite bitter, and provides a different set of nutrients, including chromium, magnesium, and selenium. In fact, this type of inactive yeast is often considered even more nutritious than nutritional yeast. It's an acquired taste, which could be the reason it hasn't risen in popularity. However, it's commonly used in smoothies or supplemental beverages to boost lactation in breastfeeding women.

Yeast extract, however, refers to yeast-based flavor enhancers typically found in liquid, powder, or paste form (like Marmite). In this case, yeast cells are salted or heated to break down their cell wall. This salty ingredient is sometimes used as a natural food additive to boost the flavor of processed meals and snacks. However, you can also use it sparingly in your plant-based cooking to add some intense savory notes to your meals.

Keep these differences in mind when shopping for your nutritional yeast to avoid any mix-ups!

Substitutes for Nutritional Yeast

Although we're big fans of nutritional yeast, we understand it's not for everyone. However, because of the dependence vegans have developed on this ingredient, it's hard to find vegan recipes that skip out on the 'nooch'. That's why we thought it'd be helpful to include a couple substitutes for this savory ingredient that you can use in your cooking!

One great swap for nutritional yeast is garlic powder or onion powder. These ingredients are also incredibly flavorful and can add some oomph to any recipe. Use them in gravies, cheesy sauces, and soups for a quick savory boost.

We'd also recommend trying mushroom powder, which is simply made of dehydrated and finely ground mushrooms. This means you could even make it at home using dry shiitake or porcini mushrooms tossed into a blender! Then, add it to soup broths (It's amazing in ramen!), gravies, or even to your seitan dough to majorly enhance its meaty, savory flavor.

Soy sauce, tamari, coconut aminos, and liquid aminos are all delicious flavor enhancers. And because of their liquid form, they're ideal for marinating your tofu, tempeh, seitan, or other plant-based meat substitutes!

And finally, you could always try using miso paste, which is made of fermented soybeans. Just a teaspoon goes a long way when used in soups, sauces, marinades, and gravies!

We hope this article helped you decide whether or not to incorporate nutritional yeast into your vegan cooking! Although this is a staple in our kitchen, we understand that the controversies surrounding this ingredient can be alarming to some. So, whether or not you'll be sprinkling 'nooch' over your dishes, we wish you the best in finding a plant-based ingredient to elevate the flavor and nutrition of your meals!

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