We’ve been saying this for a while, and more and more people are beginning to call the new fad of meat substitute products out for exactly what they are… ultra processed foods.
Thanks to documentaries like Gamechangers (which was every so slightly biased…) and meat substitute vegan ranges becoming the next investment gold rush, many have conveniently overlooked the ingredient lists and manufacturing processes of meat free “meat”.
Don’t get me wrong, if you’re going vegan for compassionate reasons, then good on you. If you’re embracing it because you think it’s healthier, think again, particularly if you’re replacing your meat with mixes of chemicals and powdered plant proteins bound together with salt and emulsifiers…
I had my doubts the first time I picked a pack of this stuff up at the supermarket. Yep, low fat, lower in calories, and enticing healthy packaging, but… the ingredient list…
On many of these products you need a chemistry degree to understand what’s in there, and while they might claim to have elements of beetroot, pea proteins etc in them, in actually fact these have been so processed that they are very far removed from the original plant, and your hormones will struggle to recognise them and process them effectively.
Add in colourants, stabilisers, emulsifiers, preservatives, enhancers plus a ton of salt (some products are saltier than sea water!) and you have a potent mix of decidedly unnatural compounds entering the body, in formats the body doesn’t recognise.
The problem with ultra processed foods (UFPs) is that they in effect short circuit or bypass our normal hormonal response to food. As this article states, “Research shows consumption of UPFs significantly raises your chance of early death; they’re associated with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, depression and heart disease, among other conditions.”
Not only that, because of the hormonal override, we’re likely to overeat – so yep, lower calories maybe, but we’re likely to eat more. When we eat a piece of natural protein (like steak for example) the hormone leptin is triggered, which tells us we’re full. UFPs skip that, so we keep on eating.
Like most things in life, it’s a question of balance. The odd one of these will do you know harm, but please, if you’re filling your diet with them, thinking you’re being healthy, think again.
Awareness is key, start educating yourself on ingredients, start reading labels, and make better choices.
#lifestyleandleisure #foodanddrink #food #nutrition #vegan #plantbased #research #coaching #happiness #themidlifementors #results #success