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Here is something far out. Has anyone experienced a large rise in blood pressure from using nutritional yeast? I bought Braggs nutritional yeast flakes and like the taste very much. However, I often get swings in blood pressure from 111/70 to 166/70-80, despite being pretty consistent with diet and exercise. I began to suspect nutritional yeast which is not part of my everyday diet because I often forget about it. I haven't been eating any lately and my blood pressure is down in the teens again. (I try to keep salt very low and do not use the salt shaker but do use some honey mustard and some chipotle hot sauce.)

Didi

I've never heard of Braggs making nooch. ??? Does it contain Bragg's liquid aminos? They are VERY high in sodium to that might explain it. Otherwise, I have no idea, b/c nooch is low in sodium naturally.

Hi, I looked the Bragg yeast up online. Looks like it is just nooch in a shaker bottle. Lable says 0% sodium. FWIW.

I have used Red Star nutritional yeast for about five years. I make cheeze sauce at least once per week that has a lot of nutritional yeast. It has not affected my BP at all, in fact it has dropped like a rock since I started this diet. Last night I got a reading of 99/65 so at least in my case nutritional yeast has had no adverse effect.

I am skeptical of Bragg products ever since I realized that they use tricky labeling when it comes to sodium. The liquid amino product has as much sodium as full strength soy sauce but they put the sodium level in a 1/2 teaspoon serving size instead of the normal 1 tablespoon serving.

From the Red Star Nutritional Yeast page: http://www.znaturalfoods.com/Nutritiona ... lakes-1-lb

"Caution: Nutritional Yeast yeast contains high amounts of tyramine, a substance that can raise blood pressure in some individuals. Tyramine can specifically interact with MAOIs and potentially cause a rapid and dangerous rise in blood pressure for people taking these medications. If you are taking any medications we recommend consulting your doctor before supplementing with Nutritional Yeast."

So maybe that's what is going on here??

More about tyramine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyramine

Only applies if you are on MAOIs, though.

I am not taking any meds so it isn't that. But I will investigate tyramine. My systolic blood pressure is below 120 and I haven't had any nutritional yeast for more than a week. Thanks to all who answered. (I have the flakes, not any liquid).

Didi

Probably the glutamate aka glutamic acid or monsodium glutamate (MSG) which is usually present in high amounts in nutritional yeast. Many people have no issues with it but for some who are sensitive it can cause headaches, high or low blood pressure, etc.

I'm glad I read this thread! This might be an 'aha' moment for me; I've been battling high blood pressure since going vegetarian, and that's the reason I went on the McDougall diet in the first place.

I still get it, but lately I've been noticing that it's following an episodic pattern, i.e. its normal for some weeks then goes sky high for someweeks, then back to normal for a few weeks. Right now it's the lowest I've ever seen it. I've been wondering all along about an undiagnosed food allergy, and now would be the time to test it out.

Does anyone know, if one has this problem, how long after eating the nutritional yeast it takes for the BP to go back down?