Savithri Sastri, Online Editor

I’ve been on a popcorn kick lately. Did you know the antioxidants in this whole grain snack is comparable to fresh fruit? Thanks to this new research I can munch on a small bowl of popcorn (air-popped!), guilt-free.

The trick is not to load it up with butter and salt, à la movie theatre calorie-busting version. And stay away from the flavor shakers. Those are dangerous. Have you tried white cheddar? It tastes good while you eat it and then leaves you unbelievably dehydrated because you’ve essentially consumed a cup of salt. Gross.

So my mission was to find a clean alternative to simulate the cheesy-goodness. Cue my taste test of nutritional yeast. These small, yellow flakes are made of deactivated yeast and have a cheesy and slightly nutty flavor. Many vegans use it as a cheese substitute in sauces or to sprinkle on salads. It’s a great source of vitamins – particularly B12 and zinc which help repair cells. Plus just two tablespoons contains eight grams of protein!

It definitely passes the fit food test. As for the flavor? I’m addicted. It’s so good! I sprinkled about two tablespoons on to the popcorn (I air-popped a half cup of kernels). To help it stick better you could add a teaspoon of coconut oil for some heart-healthy fats and shake it all around. The flakes tend to settle to the bottom of the bowl but give it a toss to re-distribute.

Have you tried nutritional yeast? Let me know if you have any good recipes using it!

- Savithri
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