5 Reasons to Eat “Nooch”

Plant-based eating has taken over the vegetarian and vegan labels enabling mainstream stigmas to slowly fade away. As more people discover the benefits of limiting animal products and embracing more plant-based choices there are certain foods that, when added to such a diet, can enhance health benefits exponentially. 

Enter “nooch” the current slang term for something that sounds way too odd to eat: nutritional yeast. The word “yeast” can be deceiving as most people probably think of making bread when they hear it. Yet, nutritional yeast or nooch, starts out as a yeast but really is not a live yeast at all. 

Check out these 5 reasons to eat nooch for optimal health and then decide if adding nutritional yeast to your diet may be a good idea. 

A Rising Supplement

More people are turning to plant-based eating to boost their immune system and strengthen systemic functioning to fight off swirling pathogens. As a result, many are discovering nooch as a rising supplement worth using. This is a flaky or powdery supplement that starts out as regular yeast but then goes through a second process that inactivates the yeast leaving a nutritionally loaded result. 

As the non-dairy movement becomes more popular due to various health challenges conventional dairy may cause, nooch is becoming a popular alternative dairy-free choice. It is an excellent replacement that adds a cheesy, nutty, umami (meaty, savory) flavor to many dishes. Now, for those that want a perfect, very tasty supplement without any processed food side-effects, nooch could be an excellent add-on. 

Packs a Punch

The benefits of nooch are all in its impressionable nutritional content. Healthline describes how this supplement packs a real health boosting punch:

• It is a complete protein: Nutritional yeast contains all nine essential amino acids that humans must get from food. One tablespoon contains 2 grams of protein, making it an easy way for vegans to add high-quality protein to meals 
• It contains many B vitamins: One tablespoon of nutritional yeast contains 30–180% of the RDI for B vitamins. When fortified, it is especially rich in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
• It contains trace minerals: One tablespoon contains 2–30% of the RDI for trace minerals, such as zinc, selenium, manganese and molybdenum. Trace minerals are involved in gene regulation, metabolism, growth and immunity.

Cholesterol Fighter

Nooch may help lower your cholesterol. Registered dietician, Kelli McGrane, reported to Women’s Health that, “Nutritional yeast contains beta-glucan, a type of fiber that has been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels,” 

According the European Food Information Council (EUFIC), 

“Beta-glucan, a type of dietary fiber found in abundance in oats, has been recognized as having blood cholesterol-lowering properties. A major proposed mechanism is that dietary oat beta-glucan forms a viscous layer in the small intestine. The viscous layer attenuates the intestinal uptake of dietary cholesterol as well as the re-absorption of bile acids (which the body makes from cholesterol). In response, the body draws upon the pool of circulating cholesterol to produce new bile acids. Lower uptake of cholesterol from the gut combined with more bodily cholesterol used for bile acid production results in reduced levels of cholesterol circulating in the blood.”

Glutathione Antioxidants

Nooch contains high amounts of the very potent antioxidant, glutathione. This compound is found in just about every cell of the body as a very powerful free-radical fighter. Boosting glutathione throughout the body by using nutritional yeast could have some profound effects.

Medical News Today reported that glutathione is linked to:

• Making DNA, the building blocks of proteins and cells
• Supporting immune function
• Forming sperm cells
• Breaking down some free radicals
• Helping certain enzymes function
• Regenerating vitamins C And E
• Transporting mercury out of the brain
• Helping the liver and gallbladder deal with fats
• Assisting regular cell death (a process known as apoptosis)

B12 Booster

Maintaining B12 levels has rarely been a problem for those eating a carnivorous diet. B12 was found in abundance when choosing animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy. However, due to mass production, sterilization and other antibacterial practices such as irradiation (using strong ultraviolet light to kill microscopic organisms) have removed nutritional value from these foods, namely B12. In addition to needing a B12 supplement when following a vegan or vegetarian diet, now it is recommended for carnivores as well. 

Nooch is packed with the B vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and B12 (about 5 mcg of B12 per tablespoon). It is so potent that instead of taking a synthetic supplement everyday, all you need is nooch sprinkled on your food every couple of days which offers enough B vitamins to fortify your whole system. 

These 5 reasons to eat nooch takes a whole new approach to medicinal eating. It brings tasty plant-based flavor to a variety of dishes in a perfectly formed protein containing all nine essential amino acids. Give nutritional yeast a try and see of you can benefit from the nature of nooch.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nutritional-yeast#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a26814464/nutritional-yeast-benefits/

https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/eating-oat-beta-glucan-regularly-helps-maintain-normal-blood-cholesterol

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323936#what-is-glutathione