yeast. yum.

i'm allergic to yeast, so i try to avoid it at all costs. ok, that's not true. i avoid it when it's convenient and i would say that the majority of the time, it's not so convenient. when a loaf of warm, crusty bread comes to the table and i'm starving, i've been known to forget about my mild yeast allergy and inhale it without hesitation.


i used to put nutritional yeast in the same category as the yeast that's in bread, beer, and everything else, but it's actually completely different. nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast that is chock full of B vitamins and protein. it has a sort of cheesy flavor that makes it the perfect topping for vegetables, popcorn, or even rice (which i did tonight). many vegan cheese substitutes use nutritional yeast to give it its creamy cheese flavor.

the only hesitation i have about adding nutritional yeast as a staple to my diet is the free glutamic acid that it contains. some say that this glutamic acid mimics MSG and can actually be harmful if consumed in large quantities. just like anything else, i think anything in moderation is ok.