Category Archives: alternative protein

October 21, 2019 · 12:04 am

Nutrition and Plant-Based Milk Substitutes – Tufts

It’s beginning to feel like the plants are taking over. Meatless burgers at fast food restaurants. What’s next? Plant-based beverages, of course. Tufts does a good job of explaining how it is not a totally one-for-one substitution.

Enjoy plant-based beverages; but be aware most are not equivalent to milk.
The market for plant-based alternatives to dairy products continues to grow, as lactose intolerance, dairy allergy, veganism, environmental concerns, and other factors lead Americans to look for alternatives to dairy. So where do these beverages fit into a healthy dietary pattern?

How They are Made: To understand the nutrient profiles of plant-based beverages, one first needs to know how they are made. The raw materials (nuts, grains, legumes, or seeds) are soaked in water and ground (or ground and then soaked). The resulting slurry is strained to remove solids, and then any flavorings, sweeteners, and desired nutrients can be added. Thickening agents (such as locust bean gum, carrageenan, or xanthan gum), and stabilizers to keep the mixtures from separating, are often required. The products undergo heat treatment that kills any microorganisms, and they are packaged for market.

This process results in a beverage with a nutrient profile significantly different from the original plant food. Continue reading →

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Filed under alternative protein, dairy products, plant protein, plant-based diet, plant-based milk substitutes

Tagged as animal protein, plant protein, plant-based diet, plant-based milk substitutes, protein, Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter

August 31, 2019 · 7:56 am

What about those fake meat products?

I have been hearing a lot lately about the new fake meat, plant-based, products that are becoming so popular. Are they really healthier than meat? Here is a super rundown from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

Plant-based alternatives to animal-based foods are not a new phenomenon. Tofu, for example, has often been treated as an alternative to meat for centuries. In more recent decades, food companies have processed mixtures of soy and other legumes, grains, and a variety of plants into burgers, nuggets, sausages, and other meat-shaped products. These creations were often targeted towards a vegan or vegetarian demographic, and despite their appearance, were not necessarily intended to completely recreate the taste of their meat-based counterparts.

However, a new generation of plant-based meat alternatives is aiming to do just that. In a recent JAMA Viewpoint, Dr. Frank Hu, Chair of the Department of Nutrition, and co-authors including Gina McCarthy, Director of C-CHANGE at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, discuss how popular products like Impossible Foods’ and Beyond Meat’s burger patties are aimed to appeal to a broader consumer base with their “unique mimicry” of beef in both taste and experience. They also note how these products are often marketed as a way to “help reduce reliance on industrial meat production,” aligned with recent reports calling for dietary patterns higher in plant-based foods for both human and planetary health.

Can these novel products be considered part of a healthy and sustainable diet? According to the Viewpoint authors, the answer to this question “remains far from clear given the lack of rigorously designed, independently funded studies.” We spoke with Dr. Hu to learn more about the potential benefits and concerns surrounding popular plant-based meat alternatives.

Although these alternative meats are being made from plants, you suggest caution in applying existing research findings on plant-based foods and human health. Can you talk about some of that evidence, and why it’s not readily applicable? Continue reading →

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Filed under alternative protein, fake meat, meat, plant protein, plant-based meat, processed meats, protein

Tagged as animal sources of protein, fake meat, meat, plant-based meat, processed meats, protein, protein consumption, red meat

December 8, 2018 · 12:09 am

Can flaxseed lower cholesterol? – Tufts

I have tried for years to cut down my reliance on protein from red meat. Nuts and seeds are often suggested as an alternative source that I have used. So, I was glad to run across this item.

Q. Are flaxseed crackers nutritious, and can they help lower cholesterol? Is the question asked by the Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter.

A. Nicola McKeown, PhD, a scientist at the HNRCA, answers: “Like other seeds, flaxseeds provide both soluble and insoluble fiber, and they are also a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid which may have anti-inflammatory properties.”

“It is the soluble fiber inside the seed that helps lower cholesterol. Processing the seeds by grinding or soaking in water makes the fiber easier to digest and helps release nutrients for absorption. The insoluble fiber in the tough outer coating of the seed helps create stool mass and plays an important role in bowel health. Foods made with whole flaxseeds, therefore, are more likely to help with constipation than to reduce high cholesterol.”

“The increasing number of flaxseed products appearing in the marketplace offer an alternative to whole-wheat products (which is particularly important for those with gluten intolerances) and, given the high fiber content of these products, I would say they are an excellent snack alternative to refined-grain products. Make sure you look at the labels to ensure products don’t contain a lot of sugar and that flaxseed is not just a minor ingredient.”

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Filed under alternative protein, cholesterol, Fiber, flax seeds, protein

Tagged as alternative protein, cholesterol, fiber, flax seeds, soluble fiber

November 27, 2018 · 12:06 am

Want to cut down on meat-eating? Here are alternatives from Tufts

If you are feeling uncomfortable with the amount of meat you are eating, but don’t want to short yourself on protein, here are some good alternative ideas from Tufts Medical Center.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

A. Katie Fort, a dietetic intern at Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center, explains: “There is a growing body of data that demonstrates the health benefits of eating less meat and more plant-based foods. Though meat is an excellent source of protein, you get adequate amounts of protein from other foods. Here are some good ones: Continue reading →

Beans and peas more filling than meat

Although I am a big fan of eating beans, peas, nuts and seeds, I did not know that they actually created a greater feeling of fullness than meat.

Meals based on legumes such as beans and peas are more satiating than pork and veal-based meals according to a recent study by the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports. Results suggest that sustainable eating may also help with weight loss.

peas-and-beans-with-minted-garlic-butter-17285_l

Numerous modern dietary recommendations encourage high protein consumption to help with weight loss or prevent the age-related loss of muscle mass. Furthermore, consuming more vegetable-based protein from beans and peas, and less protein from meats such as pork, veal and beef, is recommended because meat production is a far greater burden on our climate than vegetable cultivation. Until now, we haven’t known very much about how legumes like beans and peas stack up against meat in satiating hunger. As a result, little has been known about the impact of vegetables and the possibility of them catalyzing or maintaining weight loss. Continue reading →

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Tagged as beans, meat, peas, plant protein, vegetables

July 21, 2015 · 4:44 am

Algae, Quinoa, Legumes Top List of Alternative Protein Choices

Algae, quinoa and pulses are considered by some food technologists to be the best protein sources and strong alternatives to slow meat consumption, reduce food waste and help feed the world’s growing population.

I like to see alternative protein sources being recognized. You can read more here:
Why You Should Add Quinoa to Your Diet – Infographic
Keen on Quinoa
Nuts Offer Great Nutritional Benefits
Are Chia Seeds Good for You?
The Super Seeds – Which is Healthier?
What Are the Top Health Benefits of Chia Seeds?

Tony

Cooking with Kathy Man

Algae is evolving as the next new alternative protein source consumers are anxious to bite into as an ingredient in crackers, snack bars, cereals and breads, according to a July 12th presentation at IFT15: Where Science Feeds Innovation hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in Chicago.

Algae, quinoa and pulses are considered by some food technologists to be the best protein sources and strong alternatives to slow meat consumption, reduce food waste and help feed the world’s growing population.

Algae is a new vegan source of protein with a comparable carbon footprint to existing vegan proteins, such as rice and soy, according to Beata Klamczynska who leads food application development at Solazyme. It contains 63 percent protein, 15 percent fiber, 11 percent lipids, 4 percent carbohydrates, 4 percent micronutrients and 3 percent moisture, she said, and is easily digested and considered heart healthy. It’s found in the ingredient…

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