The Mite Spread That Made Us Stop Missing Vegemite

Toxin Free Recipe Series: Part 6

We know. Telling the Zeally community that Vegemite is off the table during a cleanse is not a popular message. Vegemite is cultural. It is comfort food. It is what most of us grew up eating.

We avoid it during a cleanse because its primary ingredient is live yeast extract and when you are actively working to shift the gut environment, feeding yeast is counterproductive. That is really all we need to say about that.

What took the sting out of it for us was this spread. Four ingredients, five minutes and we genuinely prefer it now! Its like a VERY similar vegemitey spread with a nuttyness that we have fallen in love with. Plus its brimming with health benefits!

What is actually in this spread

Black tahini is the hero here and it is made from black sesame seeds. It is one of the highest plant-based sources of calcium available, which is important given how many of us are not absorbing dairy well or have reduced it. It is rich in magnesium, which supports muscle relaxation, sleep quality and nervous system function and it contains iron and zinc. Also, black sesame specifically has a higher antioxidant content than white sesame, from the anthocyanin pigments that give it that deep colour. Those same pigments help support liver function, which puts this ingredient firmly in cleanse-supportive territory!

Tamari is the gluten-free version of soy sauce, brewed without wheat. It is fermented, which makes its amino acids more bioavailable and easier on digestion than unfermented soy. It is lower in sodium than regular soy sauce and using organic means you are not getting pesticide residue from one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world. In this recipe it carries the salt and the deep savoury base that is vegemite.

Nutritional yeast is where this spread earns its nutritional credentials. It is a B vitamin powerhouse: B1, B2, B3, B6, plus folate. When fortified (which most quality nutritional yeast is), it also contains B12, which is rare in plant foods and something a large proportion of the population is running low on without knowing it. It contains beta-glucans, which support immune function and chromium, which helps regulate blood sugar response. It is what gives the spread that slightly cheesy, deeply savoury note that makes it so good.

A note for anyone on a strict Candida clearing protocol: nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast, not live yeast extract and it cannot proliferate in the gut. Most people do well with it. If your practitioner has specifically said to avoid all yeast-derived products, reduce it or leave it out. 

Apple cider vinegar sharpens and lifts the whole mix. The acetic acid supports stomach acid production and improves mineral absorption, which means the calcium and magnesium in the tahini are more available to the body when paired with a small amount of ACV. Use organic with the mother if you can.

The recipe

Makes approximately 6 to 8 servings. Store in a small jar in the fridge.

·       1/4 cup black tahini

·       2 tablespoons organic tamari

·       1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

·       1 teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar

Mix all together until smooth in a high powered blender or food processor (because tahini is thick!). 

Serve on toast with avocado. Yum

Make a jar and share it on Instagram. Tag @zeallyherbs. Wed love to see it on your toast! x