Nutritional Yeast

by Charlotte
(Wausau)

Charlotte's Question: I recently downloaded a recipe for "Cheesy Kale Chips" and it calls for 5-6 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Is nutritional yeast good for you?

Suzy's Answer:

Hi, Charlotte!

This is a great question! Unfortunately, it does not have an easy answer.

The short answer is that it depends on who you ask and on how your body reacts to nutritional yeast.

On the plus side, nutritional yeast is high in several B vitamins as well as an excellent source of zinc, iron and complete protein.

It has a cheesy or nutty flavor and can be sprinkled on food instead of cheese in some recipes, such as the one for kale chips you discovered.

However, some health experts caution that nutritional yeast could upset your digestive system, especially if you already have digestive issues. In addition, for some people, the yeast may trigger an auto-immune response.

I am always in favor of sticking to whole foods that are not overly processed and to be very careful with supplements, such as nutritional yeast.

Here are two articles for you to consider when deciding whether to add nutritional yeast to your
menus:

Dr. Weil's take on Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional Yeast Dangers by the Healthy Home Economist

I hope this helps and thank you for visiting our healthy eating website!

Warmest regards,

Suzy

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