Is Your Nutritional Yeast Actually … Nutritious?

We vegans love our nutritional yeast – often affectionately referred to as “nooch.” The yellow flakes give a savory, slightly cheesy flavor to everything from popcorn to “cheese” grits to corn chowder to “mac and nooch.” Vegans who don’t like taking vitamin supplements often rely on nutritional yeast as their main source of B12. And, even though I personally take a B12 supplement, I’ve always felt good about the extra pop of B vitamins nooch added to my food.

Turns out, the nutritional yeast I was adding to my food may not have not added any nutrition at all! Because …

Not all nutritional yeast actually contains B12.

I was flabbergasted when my friend Jessica, who’s studying to become an R.D., shared that tidbit of information with me.

I’d always assumed “nutritional yeast was nutritional yeast was nutritional yeast” and that every brand had B12. That the only variables were…