The second part is available at thevoice.us/plant-based-meat-options-increasing-exponentially-2
Last of three parts
Here is the continuation of the Food Revolution Network article submitted by Ocean Robbins on plant-based meat options.
Veggie burgers fall into four categories. One is pea protein-based (Beyond Burgers, Dr. Praeger’s All-American Veggie Burger) and two, Soy Protein based burger (Impossible Burger, Gardein, and Boca). What follows are Nos. 3 and 4.
“3. Vital Wheat Gluten-Based (e.g., Field Roast Field Burgers, Sweet Earth)
“Pros: Sweet Earth burgers contain mostly all organic ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about GMOs.
“Cons: These burgers contain gluten, so they are not allergen or Celiac-friendly. They contain significant amounts of refined oils. Sweet Earth burgers use toasted sesame oil (Teriyaki burger), olive oil (Mediterranean burger), and canola oil (Mediterranean and Santa Fe burgers). Field Roast burgers use palm fruit and safflower oil. Other additives worth mentioning are carrageenan in Field Roast burgers and added sugars in Sweet Earth burgers.
“4. Rice and Grain-Based (e.g. Gardenburger, Amy’s Veggie Burgers, Hilary’s)
Pros: Amy’s and Hilary’s contain mostly organic ingredients. One of the Gardenburger options features several types of mushrooms as a main ingredient.
“Cons: Unfortunately, even though rice can be a decent protein source, it can be high in arsenic. Burgers that use other grains, like oats, may contain glyphosate if they were not grown organically. These burgers use natural flavors and refined oils, such as safflower or sunflower oil in Amy’s brand. Other additives may include vegetable and guar gum, annatto coloring, and soy lecithin in the Gardenburger. The Gardenburger brand uses dairy and eggs, which come with health, ethical, and environmental downsides.
“Also referred to as ‘clean meat,’ you may have heard of cell-based meat in the news recently. This is real animal meat made from cultured animal cells grown in a laboratory on a growth medium. And because the end result is real meat being sold to consumers, the USDA and FDA have agreed to regulate cell-based meat products jointly.
“Considering the damage that factory farming has caused to public health, the planet, and the animals we label as food, it’s clear there are significant benefits to this new way of producing meat — at least in theory.
“For one thing, no animal has to suffer to make it. Cell-based meat replaces the need for factory farming, which would prevent millions of unnecessary animal deaths every hour, and significantly reduce methane emissions from livestock. It caters to a huge demographic: Meat-eaters who don’t want to fully give up meat — perhaps due to taste, texture, and other preferences — but don’t want to support factory farming either.
“That all sounds good, so what are the problems with it? It may be too soon to tell, because the technology is still under development, but here’s what we know so far. Historically, cell-based meat used fetal bovine serum (calf fetus blood) in its growing medium, which raises some enormous ethical concerns.
“When a pregnant cow is killed, the fetus is removed from its mother and bled to death. The blood is then refined and turned into fetal bovine serum. Most of the cultured meat produced to date has been grown on this medium making it far from vegetarian-friendly. However, as the technology has progressed, some companies have begun to replace this with a plant-based growth medium.
“To keep it from becoming dangerously contaminated, cell-based meat is heavily dependent on antibiotics.
“Even if the technology progresses in such a way that it becomes truly sustainable to produce, the biggest downside of cell-based meat might be that it won’t address the health concerns associated with eating saturated fats found in conventionally-grown meat. Red and processed meat products will continue to be carcinogenic, no matter how or where they’re grown, and will continue to pose risks to your heart and colon.
“Finally, cell-based meat is an uncontrolled experiment on human health. Even though NASA actually has been studying and using this technology as a new way to feed astronauts on long space missions since 2001, we don’t yet have enough research on its safety.
“The Best Option: Parchment paper-lined cookie sheet with quinoa and three bean veggie burgers ready to be cooked. Preparing tricolor bean and quinoa burgers recipe in the kitchen. iStock.com/Serenethos
“While it’s easier than ever to buy commercially-produced, plant-based meat alternatives, the best veggie burgers or fake meats are still the ones you can make at home with whole foods. For instance, you can easily make your own plant-based meat alternatives using beans or lentils, cauliflower or other veggies. You can use mushrooms, whole grains like millet, barley, and quinoa, organic tofu, tempeh, and seitan (if you aren’t gluten-free).
“There’s no question in my mind that most of the commercially-available plant-based meats are a step in the right direction. They can serve admirably as transition foods to get people eating less meat. And they can allow vegans and vegetarians to enjoy a realistic version of the comfort foods they may be missing.
“But any burger is a lot more than the patty. Even the healthiest patty won’t do you much good if it’s fried in free-radical laden oil and served on a white flour bun while surrounded by commercial mayo and corn syrup sweetened ketchup.
“And none of the commercial veggie burgers are exactly whole foods. So, you might want to think of them as treats, rather than staples of your diet.
“That way, you’ll be helping the planet and the animals without compromising your own health.”