Nutritional Benefits and History of Vegemite - A Beginners Guide
Learn More About Australia’s Favorite Breakfast Spread Plus Cheesey Vegemite Scrolls Recipe
Vegemite is a thick, dark brown food paste with a strong, salty taste and a malty aroma. It is made from brewers yeast, a by-product of the brewing industry and one of the richest natural sources of B vitamins. Vegemite is very popular with Aussies, but most non-Australians find it an acquired taste and it is not widely available outside of Australia.
The History of Vegemite
Vegemite was developed in Australia in 1922 by the Fred Walker Company (now Kraft Foods Limited). Although it was introduced to the shelves in 1923, competition from British products such as Marmite meant that initial sales of Vegemite were slow. It was not until the late 1930s that Australians began eating Vegemite on a large scale.
In 1939, the British Medical Association gave Vegemite an official endorsement and doctors and Infant Welfare Centers across Australia were soon recommending it to patients as a nutritionally balanced food, high in Vitamin B. So valued were the health benefits of Vegemite that supplies were even shipped to Australian soldiers during World War II in order to meet their nutritional requirements.
By the 1950s, Vegemite had become an intrinsic part of the Australian culture. The campaign jingle ‘Happy Little Vegemites’ (which was first sung in 1954) continues to be used in advertising and most Australians know the words, whether they eat the product or not.
Today, more than 22 million jars of Vegemite are produced every year at the Kraft Foods factory in Melbourne.
Nutritional Benefits of Vegemite
Vegemite is one of the world’s richest sources of B group vitamins, containing 25 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. According to Jane Clarke, in Body Foods For Life (Weidenfeld & Nicholson: London, 1998), these vitamins are essential for energy production and for maintaining healthy skin and nerve function.
Vegemite also contains up to 50 percent of the RDI for folate, making it an important food for women planning pregnancy. Numerous studies have shown that eating foods rich in folate can reduce the risk of a fetus developing neural tube defects like spina bifida.
How to Eat Vegemite
Vegemite is traditionally eaten on toast at breakfast time or as a spread in sandwiches. It can also be used to add flavor to soups and casseroles – simple dissolve a teaspoon of Vegemite in hot water and then add it to the meal as it cooks.
In 2008, Kraft Foods launched the tongue-in-cheek How Do You Like Your Vegemite? poll to record the different ways Australians eat their favorite spread. Popular options include ‘The Tiger Toaster’ (Vegemite with grilled cheese), ‘The Vegecadoer’ (Vegemite with avocado) and ‘The Streaker’ (light streaks of Vegemite on toast).
Cheesy Vegemite Scrolls Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 cups self-raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 50gr butter
- 375mls milk
- 2 tbsp Vegemite
- 200gr grated cheese
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Using your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in enough milk to form a soft dough.
- Lightly knead the dough, then roll it out into a 40cm by 25cm rectangle.
- Spread the Vegemite over the dough and sprinkle with the cheese. Starting from the long side, roll up the dough to enclose the filling.
- Cut the roll into slices about 4cm thick and place slices on a lined baking tray. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden.
References
http:// www.vegemite.com.au
Vegemite on toast
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