# Cooking with flax seed and nutritional yeast



## natural_mama4 (Jan 13, 2012)

I want to start using more flax seed and nutritional yeast when cooking. I'm hypoglycemic and I've recently read that the nutritional yeast is very helpful for keeping your blood sugar up and level.  I buy flax seed and grind it right before using, and I've been using both flax and nutritional yeast in my homemade wheat bread. I want to use both more often in things like crackers, quick breads, pancakes, etc but I can't seem to find information on how much to use of each, if I can overdo it with the two, and if I should be replacing some or all of another ingredient, or just simply adding them in, or if it just depends on the recipe. Any tips are greatly appreciated! 

Thanks
~M~


----------



## Steve Kroll (Jan 13, 2012)

I make a lot of homemade bread and always add fresh ground flax seed - even to white breads. You don't want to change the moisture content, so just replace up to a quarter cup of the flour with ground flax. Same with wheat germ. I haven't used brewer's yeast, but I would certainly think the concept is the same.


----------



## CWS4322 (Jan 13, 2012)

You can mix ground flax seed with yogurt smoothies.


----------



## Dawgluver (Jan 13, 2012)

I've added ground flax seed to casseroles, meatloaf, oatmeal bars, yogurt.  It can be used as a substitute for eggs in baked goods.


----------



## Barbara L (Jan 13, 2012)

Ground flax seed can be added to pretty much anything. I have even added it to spaghetti sauce.


----------



## natural_mama4 (Jan 14, 2012)

Thanks everyone! I've been replacing 1/4 of the flour with ground flax in my bread and throwing in 2 TB of nutritional yeast. I didn't think about adding flax meal to so many different things. It sounds like adding it in isn't an exact science as long as you keep the moisture content right with baked goods. I wonder if you can overdo it with eating flax?

I'm hoping to hear more about nutritional yeast. I originally read about it when I found it in a lactation cookie recipe, and then found its other health benefits including helping with low blood sugar. The cookie recipe called for 2TB and since the cookie and bread dough amounts were similar I started out with 2TB in my bread. I'm just wondering if I'm using too much or not enough, and if you can overdo eating nutritional yeast. 

Thanks again for all the help so far! I stumbled upon this site a couple weeks ago and I love it!


----------



## Steve Kroll (Jan 14, 2012)

natural_mama4 said:


> ...I wonder if you can overdo it with eating flax?


Like anything else, I think it's probably best to enjoy in moderation. Who knows. Next year they will probably come out with a study showing that flax is bad for you and that we should all be eating more bacon.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 14, 2012)

Nutritional yeast is mostly that wide spectrum of B vitamins, they are water soluble vitamins so it is difficult to get too much.  High niacin can cause flushing/ hot flash, but there really is no upper limit noted for the B vitamins.  If you like the nutritional yeast, use it.


----------



## natural_mama4 (Jan 20, 2012)

Thank you everyone! 

Does anyone know of a general ratio of how much nutritional yeast to use in recipes to get benefits from it, or would any amount be beneficial? For example is 1 or 2 TB in a 2 loaf bread recipe enough?


----------



## sparrowgrass (Jan 21, 2012)

I put nutritional yeast on my popcorn, and a couple tablespoons in mac and cheese (or probably any other cheesy dish) is good.

Ground flax can go in bread, muffins, cookies.  Sprinkle it on yogurt or on cereal--hot or cold.


----------



## jawnn (Feb 3, 2012)

*Yeast effecting blood sugar?*

I have been using nutritional yeast for decades and I put it on every thing. Lately I have decided it stimulates the same area of my tong as salt does, that's good because I need to cut down on salt.

I have been putting flax seed meal in yeast and toasted sesame seed ground , very good tasty healthy snack.

How ever I never heard of it effecting the blood sugar levels. Is it bad for diabetics?


----------



## natural_mama4 (Feb 5, 2012)

I read about nutritional yeast being good for hypoglycemia in "prescription for nutritional healing" I started looking online about why it's good & found that nutritional yeast has a good amount of protein, which is important for keeping up blood sugar levels, and also a mineral called chromium which helps regulate blood sugar. Since the chromium regulates instead of raising blood sugar levels I read it's also great for diabetics. However if you are insulin dependent definitely speak with your dr and closely monitor you sugar levels since it could reduce your need for insulin.


----------

