Info from Brazil / UK on possible threat from Vegan foods

Bill Masen - January 17, 2022

https://www.gbnews.uk/news/vegan-meat-substitutes-may-be-unhealthier-than-their-meat-counterparts/206846

Thought this worth sharing not becauseI’m anti Vegan but because I believe we should try and eat as healthy as possible in order to stay fit, an essential prepper requirement.

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Ben Chapman senior digital producer
 Published monday 17 January 2022 – 11:41 
 
Veganuary has caused a stir in the plant-based sphere, as thousands of people across the UK drop their regular diets to adopt a meat and dairy-free consumption plan.

High street brands often latch onto the yearly January event, releasing new plant-based options. Subway, for example, have released a new T.L.C (Tastes.Like.Chicken) option, while KFC have launched plant-based nuggets.

The meat alternatives prove popular as corporations look to tap into the market, but research has shown that they are unhealthy, and can be classed as ‘ultra-processed’ foods.

This was first identified by Brazilian academics as part of the NOVA classification.

Ultra processed foods are accepted by health experts to be unhealthy and probably addictive, and a reason behind increasing rates of obesity and poor health worldwide.

NOVA has four different classifications for food, ‘Unprocessed food or minimally processed’ being reserved for raw ingredients such as fruit and vegetables.

The third, processed foods, includes the likes of cheese and tofu.

The fourth and final category, being ultra processed foods, is reserved for a great deal of the vegan alternatives on offer from fast food chains and supermarkets.

NOVA describe this classification as: “in particular flavours, colours sweeteners, emulsifiers, and other additives used to imitate sensorial qualities of unprocessed or minimally processed foods and their culinary preparations or to disguise undesirable qualities of the final product”.

The research from NOVA suggests the swathe of vegan options readily on offer this month fit into this category, meaning they are often much unhealthier than their meat counterparts.

While a grilled chicken breast would count as minimally processed, or in some cases ‘processed’ if salt and oil is added, ‘plant-based chicken goujons’ can be classed as ultra processed, containing over 30 ingredients, including methylcellulose, maltodextrin and dried glucose syrup.

Despite this, the food industry has continued to push the products, with even the term ‘plant-based’ being adopted to give more positive connotations.

The word ‘plant’ can be associated with nature, health and fresh air, and the Sainsbury’s Plant Pioneers range reinforce this, as a green leaf peeks out from the logo.

Despite this, it is argued by companies offering meat-free options that the food on offer is better for the planet, as well as health.

A Quorn spokesperson told the Independent in 2021: “We don’t recognise the label of ‘ultra-processed – our protein is cultivated from a natural nutritious fungus, using the age-old method of fermentation, and then steam-cooked, chilled and frozen to create Quorn products”.

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Many gluten free options are the same and have an excessive amount of added sugar or other weird ingredients to make the product taste “normal”. Always look at the ingredients of food you buy and make an informed decision of if this is a good option for you or not.

I shoot for as few ingredients and as minimally processed as possible.

 

I’m a vegetarian and agree with you, especially after seeing a Mayo Clinic nutritionist who advised that while regular low processed soy is ok, but when you read a label and it has a long hard to pronounce name to stay away from it. Apparently highly processed soy mimics estrogen. If I was out someplace with only choice of that fake vegan meat or real meat, I would choose real meat and that says a lot.

 

It’s pretty easy to eat unprocessed or minimally processed vegan food instead of meat.  For me, beans and rice are great as the main part of lunch.  

 

General rules for food – if it isn’t a plant or doesn’t have a mother, don’t eat it.  If you can’t recognise it from its natural state, don’t eat it.