New to the world of nutritional yeast or just looking for a better-tasting, healthier brand? We’ve got you covered with our top five picks for the best nutritional yeast brands on the market.
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The Top 5 Nutritional Yeast Brands
If you’re having trouble finding nutritional yeast in the grocery aisle, you might want to buy it online. Here are our top five picks of the best nooch brands available.
1. Bragg Nutritional Yeast Seasoning
Aside from a great flavor, there is one other thing about Bragg’s nutritional yeast that makes it stand out: it contains an impressive 2,252% of your daily B12 needs per quarter cup. So, if your number one goal for eating more nooch is to up your B12 intake, this is the brand for you.
Bragg is widely considered the king of nutritional yeast, and there’s a reason for it. This product is packed with the cheesy, umami flavor that others just can’t touch. The slightly smaller flakes put the consistency somewhere between most flaked types and the finer powder nooches, which means you can use it for a wider variety of recipes, too.
Beyond B12, this brand also boasts GMO-free certification (a rarity among nutritional yeast producers) as well as the typical gluten-free, low-sodium, low-carb designations.
2. Bob’s Red Mill Large Flake Nutritional Yeast
At 730% of your daily value of B12 per quarter cup, Bob’s Red Mill is no slouch in the nutrition department, either. But the reason we love this nooch has more to do with the reputation of a company that produces a long list of quality grain and baking mix products. Plus, this large flake nooch tastes pretty great.
3. Anthony’s Premium Nutritional Yeast Flakes
This tasty nooch combines pure nutritional yeast with extra nutrients but at lower amounts than the other fortified products on this list. This makes it the perfect choice for anyone who needs that extra B12 but hates the idea of filling up on synthetic vitamins. Like everything else on this list, Anthony’s nooch has a deep, cheesy flavor with nutty undertones that make it perfect for a stand-alone topping or the base for your favorite vegan cheese sauce.
4. Sari Foods Company Nutritional Yeast Flakes
If you’re in the market for a non-fortified nutritional yeast, we highly recommend this all-natural product from Sari Foods. The only ingredient you’ll find in this bag is yeast, which means it lacks those extra B vitamins, but it’s still packed with protein, zinc, niacin, and vitamin B6. And, of course, it has that cheesy, umami taste you crave.
5. Revly Vegan Nutritional Yeast Non-Fortified
This yeast-only nooch has less iron than our other non-fortified brand but packs a mean dose of naturally occurring B vitamins, including 462% of your daily riboflavin need per 2 tablespoons. And, unlike others on this list, this one comes in powder form, making it easier to add into recipes or homemade spice mixes.
Whether you choose your nooch based on its B12 content or the simplicity of its ingredients, you can’t go wrong with any of these great choices.
What Dieticians Look for In Nutritional Yeast Products
We asked Registered Dietician, Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD, what to look for in a nutritional yeast product and she recommends choosing a fortified version that contains things like folic acid and vitamin B12. According to Panoff, “unfortified yeast will only contain vitamins and minerals naturally produced as it grows. Fortified nutritional yeast is also rich in minerals, like iron, which may be especially beneficial for pregnant women with increased needs of this nutrient.”
And while you may have heard that some brands carry a Prop 65 warning, Panoff also points out that independent testing has not found any that contain enough detectable lead levels to be of concern.
FAQ
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast (species Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that is cultured in a high-sugar medium such as beet molasses or sugarcane. After several days, a thick layer of yeast cells forms on the top of the medium. This gelatinous layer is removed and deactivated using heat, then packaged and sold as nutritional yeast.
What is the difference between fortified and unfortified?
Unfortified yeast is grown on a sugar medium without the addition of synthetic nutrients. This type of nooch is high in some B vitamins, iron, amino acids, and protein. Fortified nutritional yeast is grown with an added slurry of synthetic nutrients that makes the final product more nutrient-dense, especially in vitamin B12.
Why is fortified nutritional yeast better for vegans?
Because it contains vitamin B12, an essential nutrient that is only naturally present in certain living organisms. Herbivores like cows and horses get their B12 by ingesting insects and clumps of soil containing B12-producing bacteria while they graze. As a vegan, if you don’t want to eat dirt, your best option for getting enough B12 is to take a B12 supplement or consume foods fortified with synthetic vitamins.
Put Your Favorite Nooch Brand to Use
The natural cheesy flavor of nooch lends itself perfectly to use in traditional savory dishes.
It can add a blast of umami flavor when used as a topper on steamed veggies, pasta, and grains. It perfectly emulates parmesan when used alone on top of Italian dishes or, better yet, when mixed with garlic powder and crushed almonds to create vegan parmesan.
Nutritional yeast also makes the best base for most vegan cheese sauces. By mixing it with a hefty scoop of cashews and garlic in the blender, you can create a quick and decadent sauce for noodles and veggies. Try adding a dash of chili powder for a little spice.
If you search the internet for nooch recipes, you’ll find an endless list of uses for this versatile and healthy food. Here are some of our favorites:
- Cheesy Vegan Roasted Cauliflower
- Sun-Dried Tomato Cashew Cheese Spread
- Creamy Avocado Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Grilled Cheese
- Amazing Gluten-Free Pizza
- Vegan Nachos
- Vegan Popcorn
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The Best Nooch Brand for You
My favorite nutritional yeast brand is definitely Bragg. Not only does it have a flavor that just can’t be beaten, but it also packs an impressive nutritional punch. But if you’re looking for something without synthetic nutrients or a different texture, any of our other four brand picks are worth checking out as well.
What is your favorite nutritional yeast brand? Let us know in the comments section below.
