A teaspoon of Marmite a day could help “calm” the brain, according to a health expert who says the famously divisive spread deserves a place in the health-food conversation. Professor Tim Spector has suggested the yeast extract may offer more benefits than many people realise.
Prof Spector, an epidemiologist and founder of Zoe Health, said Marmite contains protein, B vitamins and brewer’s yeast. Speaking in a recent video shared on Instagram, he admitted: “Marmite — do you love it or do you hate it? Well, I hate it, [but] I’ve learnt recently that actually it’s a health food.”
He added that the spread is not only high in protein but also rich in B vitamins. Prof Spector also described Marmite as a fermented food, a category often linked with supporting a healthy gut microbiome.
“It also has a lot of brewer’s yeast in there, which I didn’t think much of because it’s all dead,” he continued. “But it turns out that these dead microbes could be having a beneficial effect on your health and your gut.”
Prof Spector pointed to research suggesting that regular Marmite consumption may influence the brain. He said: “A study showed that people who took Marmite regularly for a month had brain effects that actually calm them down.”
He suggested the inactive yeast may still play a role in the body, saying: “So it’s possible these yeasts are working beyond the grave to help you in this way. So whether you like it or you don’t, do think about Marmite as a fermented food.”
Expanding on the point in the caption of his video, Prof Spector explained that Marmite is made using brewer’s yeast left over from the beer-making process, meaning it starts out as a by-product of fermentation.
However, he noted that by the time Marmite ends up on toast, the yeast has been heated and is no longer alive, so the spread should not be classed as a probiotic.
“It is, however, naturally rich in B vitamins, including B12, along with a range of compounds produced during fermentation. One small study even found that eating a teaspoon of Marmite every day for a month reduced brain responses associated with stress by around 30%.
“It’s an intriguing finding, although much larger studies are needed before we can draw conclusions.”
Research
The study referenced by Prof Spector was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in 2017. Study authors wrote: “Using a steady-state electroencephalography (EEG) paradigm, we found that the neural response to visual patterns was reduced in individuals who consumed a yeast extract product rich in substances associated with the production of GABA (glutamate and B vitamins), but not in a control group who consumed a placebo substance ( n = 14 per group).
“This demonstrates that the balance of excitation and inhibition in the brain can be influenced by dietary interventions, suggesting possible clinical benefits in conditions (e.g. epilepsy) where inhibition is abnormal.”
