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Nutritional yeast and maple syrup?

I keep seeing nutritional yeast and pure maple syrup in raw recipes, even though these aren't raw.

I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to use nutritional yeast and maple syrup when I go raw. There's a part of me that doesn't want to simply because they aren't raw. But, on the other hand, I'm not opposed to using spices (powder). I almost look at nutritional yeast as a cheesy flavored spice.

I'm also not opposed to using other things that aren't "technically raw" like agave (from what I've found, even the kind marked raw aren't truly raw) so I almost want to say as long as it's organic pure maple syrup it's okay. I'm not sure if I'm okay with using frozen veggies since they are heated before freezing. I suppose if I were running low on money and in a tight situation I would.

There's a part of me that doesn't want to use things that aren't truly raw, but at the same time I don't want to be dogmatic.

So, do you use nutritional yeast and maple syrup? and why or why not. If you do, are you considered high raw or can you just get by with saying raw?


  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Matt~ I enjoyed your website and videos and am wondering..... If is is 98 degrees with high humidity, would you go 3 or 4 times a day to the swimming pool and then stand on the side occasionally dipping your big toe into the water??? Just my observation of your slow transition, don't get me wrong... Slow is ok, but.... I just can't imagine... If you want to cool down, you will have to get into the pool and submerge your body... IMHO, smile

    Back to your question... I think Nutritional yeast is Vit. B 2, 3 & 6 (if my memory serves me correctly), so I don't care if is raw or not.... As it does make my nut/seed pate` taste like cheese, which I do enjoy...

    I don't use maple syrup but I would use raw unfiltered and unprocessed honey... ( not vegan )

    Other than spices, and nutritional yeast, I am 100% raw... Which I consider "high raw" but if someone asked I would just say," I'm a raw foodie"....

    Sometimes we worry too much about labels... smile

    YOU are so lucky to have a girlfriend who is on board with your adventure into raw!!!

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Matt~ I just remembered, you are doing cleanses....

    I don't understand YOUR thinking here, why are you eating SAD and cleansing??? Or did I miss the boat???

    If you are eating cooked at home or out with friends once or so a week, you are ingesting toxins... Doesn't that cancel out your cleanse??? A vicious cycle or a Merry Go Round is difficult to stop... I feel all these questions of mine are why you are having difficulty with reaching your goal... Not trying to step on your toes but am trying to help you solve your dilemma.... Maybe this is why you can't make it past 6 days of raw... smile

  • blueyzblueyz Raw Newbie

    Hi Matt,

    I'm more about being healthy and whole foods than 'MUST BE' raw so yes I use both but not often. I have a container of Ramesan that has nutritional yeast in it and I use it at times for salads or to top veggies, but in small amounts. It gives a little kick and I"ve never had problems from using it (granted I've had a container 2 months and only down an inch). For maple syrup I do use that as well, but not very often. I live in the NorthEast (CT) so buy mine straight from local farms. I have 2 nips bottles and haven't even gone through them this winter so overall realizing I don't use it that much. Somehow just having there as an option if I DO want it, I don't crave it and find I use it much less. I just believe in doing what is best for you and your body, that differs for different people.

    I agree with Waterbaby that people get too hung up on labels, and also the little things.


  • * waterbaby12347, I see what you're saying about the pool thing, but I'm the kind of person who needs to ease into it. It took me 3 years to go from omni to vegetarian, 2 years to go from vegetarian to vegan and I need a transitional period to go from vegan to raw.

    I'm not too worried about the label. I'm more concerned with why raw foodists use these and if I should, too. I would like to know what to call myself, too, though.

    My girlfriend has been with me since high school, so she's seen my transformation from SAD to now. She's come a long way with accepting my food choices.

    SAD? LOL, I'm not sad. I'm vegan... some of those videos are old. I should probably add annotations to them. I just broke a 15 day Master Cleanse with orange juice today. I still have a few more days to come off of it, for a total of 3 weeks of cleansing.

    The reason I couldn't make it past 6 days raw back in 07 was because I was jumping the gun and I was literally just eating produce. Now, I have TONS of recipes to start using.

    *blueyz, Thanks for the reply. I'm seeing from other forums, that most people are okay with using these in moderation.

    I'm still going to use them now in my transition period. I guess I'll just have to see how I feel about them once I go raw.

  • joannabananajoannabanana Raw Newbie

    Hi Matt,

    I eat both maple syrup and nutritional yeast because they are just so healthy!! i would hate to eliminate them from my diet, especially because they add so much flavor to my dishes.

    i don't think you have to necessarily label your diet as high raw or raw. i'd say that i eat 90 % raw because i still eat copious amounts of hummus and foods like agave nectar and maple syrup.

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Sorry Matt, I should have said cooked vegan instead of SAD... My bad!!!

    YOU know what's best for your body so just hang in there and you will make it... smile

  • joannabanana, I luv hummus! You can make raw hummus, you know.

    waterbaby12347, that's okay. I fast once a week, so that helps detoxify a little bit.

    Someone on another forum mentioned that nutritional yeast is like a supplement in powder form. That's a good way to look at it because I'm not opposed to using things like spirulina powder.

  • When I first went RAW I intended to be 100% into perpetuity. But, let's face it--we lived in a cooked world (in fact, I still cook for half of my family). Since I've lived for 46 years eating SADly, I have many years of habits that are very hard to break just because I say I will. Temptations abound, so eating a small amount "healthy" food occasionally might make your transition to RAW easier as you learn the ropes to your new lifestyle. In the end it's up to you to decide whether you want to eat that stuff or not. Like waterbaby says you get to choose what is best for you no matter what anyone else does. Remember, what you do today may not be the same as what you do tomorrow.

  • StrongAndRawStrongAndRaw Raw Newbie

    I don't use maple syrup, but then I am diabetic and it raises my blood sugars quite a bit. The nutritional yeast, though, is delicious and provides some B-12 so I use it occasionally. I make a mean greek dressing with the nutritional yeast. It's perfect over romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives...YUM!!!

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    I think both can be used healthfully. Nutritional yeast is generally a good addition to vegan diets for its B vitamins. I see no reason to avoid it. I tend to prefer agave to maple syrup because agave's sweeter (so I can use less).

  • StrongAndRawStrongAndRaw Raw Newbie

    I also use agave because it does not raise my blood sugars like raw honey or maple syrup. I also use stevia as a sweetener even though it is not raw. I like to do half stevia and half agave in my recipes that call for sweeteners.

  • there IS a recipe on here for date syrup by blending dates and water or something- that's another alternative that's truly raw. i also am conflicted about nutritional yeast...

  • I do not think that your daily food intake being 100% RAW is really the most important part.... I would say getting as much of the natural whole foods containing vitamins, minerals and enzymes and what ever else, would be the most important issue, realistically (in my thinking anyway)... So I am pro nutritional yeast, (also cause i am vegan) and def pro maple syrup cause its tasty plant goodness, and its Canadian, so it is also locally, organically produced for me :) We must think about the ENTIRE process that our foods endure to reach our mouths... Sure Agave is "raw" but it also travels thousands of miles to reach my home, and I am not willing to support that much of a carbon foot print just for the sake that i am "raw" Being raw is a wonderful thing, but being environmentally conscious and responsible is much greater. Alas, that is only my opinion...

  • kminty3kminty3 Raw Newbie

    I'm not as raw as I used to be (been eating cooked vegan dinners) BUT when I was very very raw, I did use nut yeast and maple.. I like in Upstate NY and am friends with a maple producer so that's a must for me! I figure it's very natural, although heated. I use the yeast because, especially at first, I really missed cheese and it the nut. yeast just had such a nice flavor.

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