Processed Meat Exercise

Lisa K

While doing an exercise for my Nutrition Certification course on processed meats, I discovered that a meat most of us have eaten as kids (and possibly some still today) seems to have more additives than meat.

Oscar Mayer Bologna Deli Lunch Meat -

MECHANICALLY SEPARATED CHICKEN, PORK, CORN SYRUP, WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, GROUND MUSTARD SEED, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM PROPIONATE, SODIUM DIACETATE, BEEF, SODIUM BENZOATE, FLAVOR, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE, HYDROLYZED BEEF STOCK, AUTOLYZED YEAST, DEXTROSE, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA, SODIUM LACTATE, POTASSIUM LACTATE, CELERY SEED EXTRACT.

Kind of makes me glad I am a vegetarian.

Lisa K

I also did a plant-based meat product and here is what I found -

Beyond Breakfast Sausage

Water, Pea Protein*, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Natural Flavors, Inactivated Yeast, Rice Protein, Methylcellulose, Yeast Extract, Apple Extract, Salt, Pomegranate Extract, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Carrot. *Peas are legumes. People with severe allergies to legumes like peanuts should be cautious when introducing pea protein into their diet because of the possibility of a pea allergy. Contains no peanuts or tree nuts.

Michelle D

I never would have realized that i would need to check the ingredient label on a plant based meat product for apples and pomegranates. I'm allergic to both! Good to know

Torey

Methylcellulose is in so many food products as a thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer. Its touted as being natural as it is a cellulose made from plant material. Often cotton or corn. We know the chemicals required for large scale farming of both these products. But it can also be made from other woody plants (sawdust).

While it (MC) may be from a plant source its not really natural due to the processing to get the nice white powder that is used as a food additive. Chemicals used in the process include sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and methyl chloride.

Methylcellulose is also a laxative. I don't need that added to anything I eat.

People who wish to avoid meat products really need to do their research into what all of the vegetarian/vegan substitutes contain and how they are processed. Neither of the two major brands is organic and one uses GMO ingredients. I have no objection to people who choose to eat a plant based diet but if the only reason is because its better for the planet, its really not.

I'm not picking on plant based eaters. Carnivores need to read labels, too, as indicated by the list of ingredients in the bolonga example.

Lisa K

@Torey I agree, whether you are a carnivores or vegetarian, you need to read labels if you eat processed foods!

LaurieLovesLearning

We would avoid both products based on the ingredients lists alone.

Msg comes in many forms. Hydrolyzed, autolyzed, yeast extract, "protein"...all fit this category, which is huge. I must say that I am wary of the "extractives" too because it is not clear what it actually is and what the process is to extract these substances.

We would also avoid the preservatives listed.

"CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT" (this is usually a big red flag indicating that msg has been added through one of the ingredients).

SODIUM PROPIONATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, FLAVOR (this will be artificial/synthetic), SODIUM NITRITE, HYDROLYZED BEEF STOCK, AUTOLYZED YEAST, (I do question what the extractives are & how are they extracted)

Pea Protein*, Natural Flavors (Ive only recently learned that these can hide msg and sometimes aren't even natural), Yeast Extract, (and again, I do question the extractives, but have never studied what they may be).

It's always important to read the ingredient labels. Often reading the nutrition label is pushed and the ingredients list is fully ignored. I believe this is partly done to slip junk ingredients past the consumer. The ingredient list will always be more informative than the nutrition label.

Lisa K

@LaurieLovesLearning I agree, the ingredient list is more informative than the nutrition label!

dipat2005

@Lisa K thank you for noticing a possible peanut allergy. I didn't feel good about eating plant based protein because of the legumes etc. But that Oscar Mayer Bologna yuck!! and to think I used to eat it.

Lisa K

@dipat2005 I think a lot of us used to eat Oscar Mayer, I didn't dare look at their hotdogs after seeing this!

RICHARD

@Lisa K I think that whole foods is a better answer than processed food products. I am personally fond of an extensive spice palette which adds flavor, color, and ZING! Whether using chickpeas, lentils, pastured poultry, or grass fed/finished beef for protein; I enjoy variety in spice too.

nicksamanda11

Yes, real whole foods is the way to go for sure. Slow food. Start somewhere and just keep trying.

There are times when we have to grab pre-packaged stuff due to ill planning or time contraints, etc. reading labels has become common practice even for my 9 year old.

We ate bologna too😲

Lisa K

Hopefully back when we were kids the ingredient list was a tad better. I too prefer whole foods and I know I feel better when I do my own cooking.