Nutritional Yeast Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Nutritional yeast provides a complete protein profile, containing all nine essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein that the body cannot produce on its own) .
Yeast fermentation is an effective method for reducing FODMAPs (small carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine), which may help minimize abdominal symptoms for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome .
This ingredient is a significant source of folate (a B vitamin essential for DNA synthesis and cell division), which is often used as a marker for high-quality dietary patterns .
Because it is a fermented food product, it may offer improved digestibility as the fermentation process partially breaks down protein and sugar molecules .

Interesting fact

Despite its name, nutritional yeast is the same species as baker's and brewer's yeast, but it is specifically grown on sugar-rich molasses and then heat-deactivated to stop its leavening power.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Folate

EPIC

SOURCE

Biotin

EPIC

SOURCE

Copper

EPIC

SOURCE

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

273

kcal per 100g

Protein38.7g

Fat2.40g

Carbs19.4g

Fiber14.6g

Sugar1.60g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat1.05g

Monounsat1.33g

Saturated0.38g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Yeast production has a very small land and water footprint compared to animal-based proteins.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Airtight Container

1–2 years

Keep in a cool, dark place to preserve B vitamins.

Cool Dark Place

1–2 years

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 3 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Health-Promoting Components in Fermented Foods: An Up-to-Date Systematic Review - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Folate - Health Professional Fact Sheet

[6]ods.od.nih.gov

[PDF] Healthy Living Guide 2020-2021 - The Nutrition Source

[7]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

100.0

Version

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