Nutritional Yeast

What is the problem with nutritional yeast? Is there any actual danger in using it?

Please provide references to support your response. Thanks.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ryan Betker on June 11, 2010 at 1:31am

I get a headache off of it and it seems like it's an excitotoxin to me.

References: my head aches every time ingest it, even though the food it's used in "tastes amazing" - it's trickery for me

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Atwell on June 11, 2010 at 2:41am

It does function as an excitotoxin. It has glutamate in it...same as MSG: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutritional_yeast.

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Permalink Reply by Eliot W. Collins on June 11, 2010 at 3:28am

Thanks Jeff.

Although MSG has glutamate in it, that does not mean that glutamate is the same as MSG.

Nutritional yeast does not have any "added" MSG as an ingredient.

Many foods contain glutamate, including grape juice, tomatoes, peas, corn.

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Permalink Reply by ednshell on June 11, 2010 at 4:34am

"MSG is the active compound of glutamate" -Blaylock

here is an excellent talk from Dr. Russell Blaylock on Excitotoxins:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2141666279271222294#

"Glutamate is the most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain. Glutamate receptors also exist in every part of the body. They are found throughout the heart, the digestive system, and in every vital organ.

Aspartate is a neurotransmitter found abundantly in the spinal cord.

Glutamate and aspartate are excitatory neurotransmitters (as opposed to GABA and glycine which are inhibitory neurotransmitters).

Glutamate comes from glutamic acid and aspartate comes from aspartic acid.

Glutamic acid and aspartic acid are "non-essential" amino acids. The body synthesizes just the amounts needed via a tightly regulated metabolic process.

In unprocessed whole foods, glutamic acid and aspartic acid are not free amino acids. They are bound together with other amino acids in complex proteins. They get digested and absorbed as combined amino acids. They get broken down in the liver and released at very low levels the body can deal with.

Excess glutamic acid or aspartic acid is detrimental and results in excitotoxicity.

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Food science has explored and refined a variety of processes to convert whole foods into basic materials. These materials are manipulated, combined, and added to foods in ways that meet performance and cost requirements. Ingredients are engineered to achieve attractive taste, texture, appearance, and shelf life characteristics.

Hydrolysis is a process in which proteins and starches are broken down into amino acids, simple sugars, and fatty acids. Hydrolysis can be achieved using chemicals, enzymes, heat, and other techniques.

Except in rare cases, two particular amino acids are always liberated in the process -- Asparagine (Asn) and Glutamine (Gln). These convert to aspartic acid and glutamic acid."

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It's bad stuff, I would not touch it myself.

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Permalink Reply by 444777FullyactivatedfruiTTTEEERR on June 13, 2011 at 8:21pm

It kills brain cells!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Jennie_Raw on July 11, 2011 at 2:36pm

Ednshell, I can't thank you enough for posting the link to that video by Dr. Blaylock. Thankyou.

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Permalink Reply by ednshell on July 13, 2011 at 3:57pm

:-) I just love Dr. Blaylock!!!

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Permalink Reply by Caroline Funny on June 11, 2010 at 1:45am

same here, and i'm pretty sure that they use artificial "vitamins" just like cereals say they have all of these "vitamins" now added.. but don't quote me on that, i just have my headaches and messed up digestion to go off of, =).

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Atwell on June 11, 2010 at 2:41am

It comes in a can. Does it have an expiration date? This is reason enough for me to not eat it. I only eat fresh food. :)

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Permalink Reply by Eliot W. Collins on June 11, 2010 at 3:18am

Thanks Jeff. At least it has an expiration date. Unless I grow fresh food myself (or get it from a trusted source) I never can be sure how "fresh" it really is. I am also never sure how long it truly remains fresh. This may vary for each food.

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Permalink Reply by Rock on June 11, 2010 at 5:43am

Properly dried, it should be fresh for a millenium---or longer--like properly capped (by bees) honey.

Seeds stored far underground can germinate 7-800 years later...

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Permalink Reply by Rock on June 11, 2010 at 5:42am

Why would you buy it in a can? You can buy wheat grass juice in a can also, but why???

Of course that stuff would be Verbotten...

But I am also not defending the Nutritional Yeast--even if I was pro for the stuff because it is not supported on this site. I do not react to it, but without popcorn, which I used the yeast to give it a cheddar cheese taste--I have no use for it.