I get asked often about nutritional yeast: what is it, do I need it, why should I use it, how should I use it and what brand should I use. Let’s start with the basics for those who aren’t aware of what it is. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is sold as a food product and marketed primarily to plant based eaters. Nutritional yeast is made from a single-celled organism called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, cultivated on molasses, and then harvested, washed, and dried using heat processing to deactivate it. You can find nutritional yeast in individual containers or in the bulk bins of your local health food store.