Vejjo's Veg Out with Vegemite (Vegemite)

Member Name: noodlesandwich

Product:	Vegemite
Date:	29/04/09 (179 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tasty, lots of B vitamins

Disadvantages: high in salt

The other day for some reason I was discussing the difference between Vegemite and Marmite with my husband who was vehement that there is absolutely no difference between the two. Now, I hadn't eaten Vegemite in years, but as our Marmite jar was just emptied I decided to get this instead as I know I used to like it. Also I noticed it was a bit cheaper than Marmite. And of course, I wanted to prove a point.

I bought my jar from Asda where it cost me £1.98 for 220g (90p per 100g). It comes in a very similar jar to Marmite with a bright yellow lid and red and yellow label. I've done a comparison of the ingredients and while they are both mainly yeast extract, salt and also contain vegetable and celery extracts, the main difference seems to be that Vegemite also contains a malt extract. Popular with vegetarians, they are both great sources of B vitamins although Marmite is artificially fortified with vitamin B12 and Vegemite isn't.

Vegemite is very popular in Australia. According to Wikipedia it was invented there in 1922 following problems with British Marmite imports. The lid tells me it has been 'Proudly made in Australia since 1923'. Its medicinal value has been emphasised in past advertising campaigns, particularly aimed at children during the second world war. Those people as aged as myself may remember the 1982 chart topper "Down Under" by Men at Work in which they sing; 'I said, "Do you speak-a my language?" He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich'. That was the first time I'd ever heard of it. Apparently the one billionth jar of Vegemite was produced in October 2008.

So what is it actually like? ~ When the jar is opened the Vegemite looks almost identical to similar products - a solid looking dark brown paste. It is not as sticky or as dark as Marmite and is easier to spread. It tastes very salty and yeasty. Apparently salt makes up 8% of the content. Whilst strong tasting it is not quite so strong as Marmite and I know people who prefer it for this reason. It tastes nice spread on toast and it also makes a warming drink in Winter if you dissolve a teaspoon and a half in a mug of boiling water -the yeastiness makes it reminiscent of alcohol. (It is actually a by product of beer brewing, being made from left over brewers yeast.) It also tastes good with cheese in a sandwich. Food company Kraft, who own Vegemite once produced Vegemite flavoured cheese, a product which, surprisingly, did not last. The best way to eat Vegemite has to be the same way I eat my Marmite; make two pieces of toast and spread them with butter or marge, spread Vegemite evenly over one piece and peanut butter on the other then slap them together. Slice it in two and you have a peanut butter and Vegemite toastie. Lovely! That's what I've been having for breakfast all week. I tend not to spread it quite as thinly as Marmite, so perhaps Marmite because it's so strong tasting, works out cheaper than Vegemite when this is taken into account.

For those of you into calorie counting this contains 8kcal per 4g serving, that's 189kcal per 100g.

Overall I think Vegemite is a little easier on the palate than Marmite. It has a hint more of vegetable taste and less of that bitter tang, but there isn't really a great deal to choose between them. I think I proved my point, but of course the husband still thinks he was right.

Summary: Aussie version of Marmite