I first encountered this nutritional yeast dressing when I was attending a weekend retreat and I asked for the recipe right away! After getting a copy of the recipe, I made my own tweaks to improve its nutritional quality and make it more anti-inflammatory but keep the same great taste. I get compliments on this all the time! I hope you love it as much as I do!
Nutritional Yeast Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/3 cup nutrition yeast flakes
- 3 1/2 tbsp light tamari
- 3 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp turmeric ground
- 3/4 cup flax oil
- dash black pepper ground
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a sealed jar and shake.
- Be very careful not to spill as the turmeric will stain clothing, table cloths and counters
Dietitian Approved!
As a registered dietitian and cancer survivor, I approve this recipe!
Let me tell you why, one ingredient at a time…
Garlic – There is evidence that the compounds formed after garlic is cut or crushed are able to stop cancer cells. In addition to this, garlic is also anti-inflammatory and an important part of the traditional Mediterranean diet, which shows good evidence for fighting against cancer. For best development of these ingredients, let the garlic sit for 10 minutes after your crush it.
Turmeric – Turmeric is part of the traditional Indian cuisine. The Indian people have much lower rates of cancers that are more common in the west, such as breast, prostrate and colorectal. Turmeric is the strongest anti-inflammatory of all the spices, so it plays an important role in boosting your immune system and helping you to thrive after cancer.
Black Pepper – Black pepper should always be included in recipes using turmeric. The peperine in black pepper will help your body to absorb the active ingredient in turmeric called curcumin. Curcumin is an anti-cancer compound as well as an anti-inflammatory. You don’t need a lot of black pepper; so, I will leave it up to you how much you want to add.
Apple Cider Vinegar – The internet is full of claims about apple cider vinegar! It turns out there may be some truth to the claims that it helps with weight loss. In one study, participants who consumed 1 Tbsp per day of apple cider vinegar lost an additional 1 lb over 12 weeks. While weight loss is important for cancer thrivers because it reduces inflammation and strengthens the immune system, the apple cider vinegar’s effect is very small. It is included in this salad dressing because of the flavour and acidity it imparts in the recipe and not for it’s “fat busting”.
Tamari – Tamari is a Japanese form of soy sauce. Unlike soy sauce, it is made without wheat (or much less) and it is described as having a darker colour and richer flavour than Chinese soy sauce. I use “light” tamari as it is lower in sodium (salt). I was unable to find any published health benefits of tamari. So, it is included in the recipe for its flavour. Yum!
Flax oil – There are not very many ways to incorporate flax oil into your diet since it can’t be cooked, so using it in a salad dressing might just be the best way to consume it! Flax is highest in the plant version of omega-3. Omega-3 is one of my top foods for fighting chronic inflammation! Minimizing chronic inflammation helps keep your immune system strong so it can protect you from cancer. Look for flax oil in the refrigerated section of your grocery or health food store and make sure to keep it in the fridge!
Nutritional yeast – This type of yeast is different from the yeast used to make bread. Nutritional yeast is deactivated by heating and so, will not rise. Despite internet claims to the contrary, not all nutritional yeast is a good source of vitamin B12. It is only a source of vitamin B12 when it has been fortified. I recommend you use the vitamin B12 fortified version of nutritional yeast for this recipe. Animal products are the only source of vitamin B12 and since many cancer survivors focus on plant-based diets, their diets may be low in vitamin B12. Low B12 levels puts you at risk for anemia. So, I suggest you use vitamin B12 fortified nutritional yeast.
The other decision you will make when you buy nutritional yeast is powder or flake.
For Nutritional Yeast Dressing, I prefer to use flake. But, for popcorn topping, I prefer powder. If you purchase flake, you can easily make powder by blending it with an immersion blender.
Anti-Inflammatory Salad Dressing
I checked my Nutritional Yeast Dressing in my IF Tracker App and it is a strong anti-inflammatory salad dressing!
Anti-Inflammatory Eating
Choosing an anti-inflammatory diet is very important for protection from a variety of chronic diseases, including cancer. Read more about inflammation, anti-inflammatory diets and download a free anti-inflammatory diet PDF
If you would like more anti-inflammatory recipes, check out my recipes on:
Salmon with Grainy Mustard and Wheat Germ Topping
Recipe Credit:
If sharing this recipe, please share with credit to www.jeanlamantia.com.
