Marmite Jar - © Marmite

Crazy Foods Of The World: Vegemite and Marmite

Non-Brits around the world have long marvelled at the unreasoning, blind love folks in the UK hold for Marmite. Some even argue about what it ‘really’ is. And on the other side of the world, Australians are just as head-over-heals about their version of the ‘treat’, Vegemite. Time to clear the air…

 Marmite Jar Large - © Marmite The classic Marmite jar. Familiar to millions worldwide – beloved by some.

Where did the name come from?

A ‘marmite’ is a covered French cooking pot. Marmite was sold in such pots when it first came on the scene in the late 19th Century, but the manufacturers soon switched to glass bottles. The tradition of the ‘marmite’ is perpetuated by the picture of such a pot on the product label.

There are many copy-cat Yeast Extracts on the market sold in various parts of the world.

A simple idea

According to Wikipedia, Marmite and Vegemite are both brand names for a Yeast Extract made from a byproduct of the brewing process:

“Marmite is a sticky, dark brown food paste with a distinctive, powerful flavour, which is extremely salty. This distinctive taste is represented in the marketing slogan: “Love it or hate it.” Such is its prominence in British popular culture that the product’s name is often used as a metaphor for something that is an acquired taste or tends to polarise opinions.”

So why is this benign-sounding goo the object of such pop culture focus? Seems the flavour defies description. But that hasn’t stopped people from offering their opinions, the following being one of the most uncomplimentary I could find:

“Marmite was first introduced to me as a mosquito repellent during an itchy, bug-filled summer. A British friend claimed that if eaten regularly, Marmite would somehow seep out of your pores as you perspired and cause all nearby mosquitoes to flee from the odor ~ M. Paramita LinThe Takeout

Other non-Marmite fans have likened it to ‘fermented toe-jam’.

Most folks would agree, however, that you could apply the adjectives ‘salty’, ‘savoury’, or ‘meaty’ to the stuff. Which is not to say ‘umami’, though I’ll bet your umami receptors do go to work big time when you put it in your mouth. Marmite and its cousins also contain  a substantial amount of Glutamic Acid, which is described a being ‘analogous’ to the flavour enhancer Monosodium Glutamate.

Aside from the debate over the flavour of the classic style, Marmite comes in a number of variatio0ns and has been manufactured in different commemorative and special edition flavours including ‘Guinness’, made from Guinness Beer Yeast.

Why did they make this stuff in the first place?

The best answer is, it was meant to be used as a flavouring ingredient, to give dishes a hearty, meaty character. It’s concentrated, and a little goes a long way, like Worcestershire or Soy Sauce. I can see this as a legitimate application. But why did people start eating it by itself, on Toast?

Seems the stuff is extremely high in B Vitamins and Marmite was issued to the men in the trenches in the First World War where Beri-Beri, caused by Vitamin B deficiency, was a scourge. It was also employed to treat malnutrition. It’s commonly eaten on  Toast by itself, with Butter or with other savoury spreads such as Peanut Butter. And many folks like it as a hot beverage, made from one cup of boiling Water and a teaspoon of Marmite. If you think that sounds like OXO or Boveril, you’re right. However, the latter products, which pre-date Marmite, are Beef Extracts, not Yeast-based.  They, too, can be used as flavourings.

One thing all seem to agree on…

As we mentioned earlier, a little bit of Marmite goes a long way. Not only because the stuff’s packed with concentrated flavour, but because it’s also packed with Salt, and we’re all trying to cut our Salt intake. It’s also packed with good stuff, as the Nutrition Facts label tells us:

Marmite Nutrition Information - © MarmiteSurprisingly nutritious…

Love it or hate it, you can’t deny it’s good for you.

~ Maggie J.