Yeast Flakes – A Nutrient-Dense Real Food
Nutritional yeast flakes are a tasty, healthy seasoning that can be enjoyed as part of the Budwig Diet.
Yeast flakes are often known simply as nutritional yeast or “nooch”. This yeast is included in many Budwig recipes primarily for its delicious savoury flavour. Yeast flakes are naturally free from saturated fat and salt; additionally, they are a rich source of B vitamins, which makes them a healthy addition to meals.
Tastes a Bit Like Parmesan
Nutritional yeast is a specially grown, deactivated yeast. It has a savoury flavour that is often compared with Parmesan cheese. Some brands are also fortified with vitamin B12.
How to Use Nutritional Yeast
Use nutritional yeast as you would grated Parmesan. Sprinkle it freely over rice, soups, stews, buckwheat, vegetables or salads. It is particularly delicious with Oleolux.
Nutrients in Nutritional Yeast
A serving of 5–10 g (around 2 tablespoons) provides meats the required daily amounts of several B vitamins, including:
- Thiamin (Vitamin B1): up to 500% of the daily value
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): up to 400%
- Niacin (Vitamin B3): up to 160%
- Vitamin B6: up to 200%
- Folate (Vitamin B9): a significant proportion of the daily requirement
- Vitamin B12: only in fortified brands, up to 300% of the daily requirement, depending on the product
Cholesterol-lowering
Nutritional yeast also provides useful amounts of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre. Interestingly, beta-glucan is responsible for the cholesterol-lowering health benefits oats. A typical serving contains around 30% more beta-glucan than a serving of porridge.