British people are known for spreading some strange products on toast and bread. From sandwiches slathered with beef & ham or fish paste to canned baked beans on toast, the people of the United Kingdom are happy to eat almost anything spread on sliced bread.
A particularly quirky British sandwich spread, however, has recently captured international attention for its ability to boost brain function and even protect the brain from neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Marmite is a thick, black, food paste that is made from an extract of yeast. Offering a distinctive salty taste, Marmite is a cherished national culinary delight in the United Kingdom, but is almost completely reviled internationally, and is known as somewhat of an “acquired taste”.
The same factors that make the flavor profile of Marmite so piquant, however, have been demonstrated in a recent clinical trial to be able to increase the levels of key neurotransmitters that dramatically boost brain health.
In this article, we’ll find out exactly what Marmite is and what it’s made from, as well as learn about how it may be able to protect your brain from the onset of neurodegenerative disorders and perhaps even deliver a nootropic effect.
What Is Marmite Yeast Extract?
The origins of Marmite can be traced back to late 19th century. In the late 1800’s, a German chemist by the name of Justus von Liebig was performing experiments with brewer’s yeast, which is traditionally used to make beer, and discovered that it could deliver powerful nutritive benefits.
Shortly thereafter in 1902, the Marmite Food Company was founded in the UK in a small town called Burton-on-Trent, and began manufacturing a new vitamin-rich food paste of the same name from the leftover yeast sourced from the local brewery.
Over time, Marmite, and localized versions of the recipe, such as “Vegemite” in Australia, became widely popular due to the high nutritional content of the product and its decidedly meaty taste. In the mid 20th century, nutritional science investigations into the properties of Marmite discovered that the substance is extremely rich in B vitamins, niacin, and folic acid, three essential micronutrients that many people are deficient in.
Marmite is also exceptionally low in fat and calories, although it does have a high sodium content. The Marmite brand is now owned and managed by international food manufacturer Unilever, who sell the unique food paste in a number of countries.
Marmite is traditionally spread on bread, toast, crackers, or savory biscuits, and has a highly concentrated flavor that leads many Marmite enthusiasts to mix it with butter or margarine to soften the taste.
The Health Benefits Of Marmite
The nutritional profile of Marmite Yeast Extract delivers a wide variety of health benefits. Just one serving of Marmite, which is a little less than a teaspoon, contains a massive amount of vitamins- enough, in fact, to rival many daily multivitamin supplements.
Each serving of marmite contains a significant percentage of the daily recommended requirements of vitamins B1, B2, and B3.
B vitamins have been linked to decreased stress levels, increased immune system function, and powerful antioxidant effects. When free radicals build up in the body and cause oxidative stress, the body uses B vitamins to neutralize and eliminate them, improving a wide range of bodily functions.
B vitamins are also able to lower blood cholesterol levels, promote hormonal balance, and balance sleep patterns. The red blood cell production promoting properties of B vitamins also provide a dramatic boost to overall cardiovascular health, protecting the body from heart disease.
Recent clinical investigations have even demonstrated that Marmite contains a number of niacin compounds that may play a key role in helping the body fight “superbugs”, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
These pathogens are becoming a greater threat due to the overuse of antibiotics in the meat industry, and are currently responsible for more than 2 million serious infections every year in the US alone.
Increasing niacin levels has been shown to significantly improve the ability of the body to fight off a number of dangerous pathogens, including staphylococcus bacteria .
How Marmite Yeast Extract Boosts Brain Function
One of the biggest health benefits of Marmite Yeast Extract, however, has only recently been discovered. A team of researchers at the University of York in the UK have recently performed a clinical trial that has suggested that supplementing the diet with Marmite is able to increase the production of a key neurotransmitter called GABA.
GABA, or Gamma-aminobutyric acid, is a critical neurotransmitter that the brain uses to regulate communication between brain cells.
GABA can be used by the body either to inhibit or increase the level of activity in the brain and plays an incredibly important role in neurochemical balance- low GABA levels are associated with neurological disorders such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia.
The study involved testing the neurological responses of 28 volunteers that ate a spoonful of marmite every day for eight weeks.
Participants that consumed marmite instead of a peanut butter demonstrated a 30% increase in response to visual stimuli, which could potentially be due to increased GABA levels. The study, however, should probably be taken with a grain of salt- while the investigation was performed by the University of York, it was funded by the Leverhulme Trust and the Wellcome Trust.
The Leverhulme Trust was created by the same founder as Lever Brothers, which is now commonly known as Unilever- the manufacturers of Marmite. While the Leverhulme trust state that their intent when funding clinical trials isn’t to interfere with the results, it’s fair to say that any investigation of a product that is funded by the manufacturers of the product itself isn’t completely unbiased.
There are, however, a number of other clinical investigations that have been performed by impartial third parties on the health benefits of Marmite over the last few decades that demonstrated positive results.
While the neuroprotective properties of Marmite are still yet to be conclusively proven, it’s true that it’s a powerful source of vitamins and can dramatically improve your health in a variety of ways with a relatively inexpensive formula and (subjectively) delicious taste. At the very least, Marmite is an interesting culinary experience that is worth trying.
