Are meat substitutes worse than meat?

For today's post I asked Melissa (@MarketMelissa) to talk meat substitutes. Melissa conducts our Market Foodtraining tours on various topics including "Vegetarian Foodtraining."

While I am not a vegetarian, I do believe there are major issues with the meat supply in this country. In my perfect world we would all be eating only organic chicken, wild fish and an occasional serving of grass-fed beef. I also think we could benefit from including more vegetarian meals in our diets. Research has shown vegetarians tend to have lower risks of heart disease, obesity, cancer and Type 2 Diabetes than meat eaters. What has me stumped is the rampant use of meat substitutes by many non-meat eaters.  It strikes me as strange that those not eating meat seek out things that are meat-like, but that isn’t the focus of this post.

In case you’re unfamiliar with them (lucky you), meat substitutes AKA “faux meats” are foods that aren’t meat, but aim to aesthetically resemble meat in texture, flavor and appearance. They provide vegetarians with something meat like and a good dose of protein. For years, many cultures have used seitan (wheat gluten), tofu, legumes and tempeh in place of meat in vegetarian diets. These foods are fine. What I am not ok with are the recent wannabe meats that are inexpensive products made from processed soy, cottonseeds, wheat and oats, better known as textured vegetable protein (TVP). Other processed forms of soy are also being used. You will see them on food labels as soy protein isolate, and soy protein concentrate. You can find these ingredients in Boca’s Original Meatless Chik’n nuggets, Morningstar Farms Meal Starters, Boca’s Italian Meatless Sausage, Amy’s Quarter Pound Veggie Burger and many more. Make sure to read your ingredient lists.

My issues with too much of this processed soy are: 91% of soy grown in this country is genetically modified – meaning it is chemically manipulated and loaded with pesticides. Most processed soy is industrially produced using hexane, which may lead to damage of the nervous system if consumed in very large quantities (organic brands, such as Amy’s uses hexane free TVP). Soy contains estrogen-like compounds called phytoestrogens. Doesn’t it seem logical that mangling hormones may pose a problem? And it does, there is evidence that processed soy forms can interfere with thyroid function, cause infertility, disrupt menstrual function and increase risk of breast cancer. While these risks are potentially from consumption of large quantities of these items, it still makes me nervous.

I cringed a bit when I saw the segment on Oprah with Kathy Freston filling her shopping cart with faux meats. Aside from the issues I mentioned these products contain a sizable amount of sodium. Four Morning Star Farms Chik’n nuggets serves up 600mg of sodium and four ounces of Boca’s crumbles contains 540mg of sodium. What concerns me the most, however, are the ingredient lists. I spend my day encouraging clients to eat whole foods and scrutinizing food labels before putting them in their carts. I therefore cannot in good conscience recommend something that looks like this:

Ingredients: (Morning Star Farms Chik’n Nuggets)

TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, WHEAT GLUTEN, WATER FOR HYDRATION), WATER, ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, CORN OIL, CORNSTARCH, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF WHEAT STARCH, SALT, METHYLCELLULOSE, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, DEXTROSE, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS FROM NON-MEAT SOURCES, SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, DISODIUM INOSINATE, SOYBEAN OIL, HYDROLYZED SOY PROTEIN, ONION, PAPRIKA, DRIED YEAST, INULIN FROM CHICORY ROOT, CARAMEL COLOR, TAPIOCA DEXTRIN, XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM ALGINATE, SPICES, YELLOW CORN FLOUR, PAPRIKA EXTRACT FOR COLOR, ANNATTO EXTRACT FOR COLOR, BAKING SODA, GARLIC, TOMATO POWDER, CELERY EXTRACT, WHEAT FIBER, LACTIC ACID, SAFFLOWER OIL, BARLEY EXTRACT, CITRIC ACID, NIACINAMIDE, EGG WHITES, NONFAT DRY MILK, SUCCINIC ACID, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, IRON (FERROUS SULFATE), THIAMIN MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), VITAMIN B12.

How is this extensive list of unpronounceable ingredients healthier than eating meat? Or, how is it even remotely healthy?

So what would I recommend? The food industry has made quite a market out of these faux meats and sausage, ground meat, chicken, burgers and meatballs are available in meatless versions. There are certainly better companies than others out there. Field Roast Grain Meat Co. doesn’t use any processed soy and their ingredient list is far superior to the others. 

If you want to enjoy some meatless meals, I say go back to the basics. Try tofu, seitan, and tempeh. These natural sources of soy can be great options and take on the flavor of your sauce, which can keep things interesting. Just make sure you look for non-GMO varieties (for soybeans too). Organic brands won’t use GM soy. Utilize beans, legumes, and grains naturally high in protein such as quinoa - all natural sources of protein and fiber. The bottom line is you don’t need to incorporate processed meat substitutes into your diet if you choose to go vegetarian. Fill your plate with “real food” veggie options, something that can benefit all of us.

Do a pantry check; did you find anything you wouldn’t expect with TVP, soy isolates or soy protein concentrate? Do you eat soy? What types? Do you think it’s strange that people who have meat-less diets want things meat-like? Is this like non-alcoholic beer?

Nine

Last year I took a break from nutrition and wrote a post for by younger son Weston. Both of my boys were born in March and for your children birthdays are literally the day of their birth. Nine years ago Saturday, I gave birth for the first time. I woke up early thinking I had wet the bed, Marc assured me this was probably not the case as I had never in the years I’d known him been a bed wetter. I wasn’t entirely sure my water had broken. Marc suggested I go to work and see how I feel (men!), if I was in labor he’d come pick me up. My OB felt differently and told us to head to the hospital. We weren’t expecting the baby for 3 weeks so we gathered our things and drove cross-town.

My mother joined us and we watched the baby’s heartbeat on the monitor. My sister, in the hospital for a doctor’s appointment, stopped by to eat her lunch as I sucked on ice chips. Soon enough it was time to start pushing, a few pushes and the baby was here. I know, for some of you, that’s incredibly annoying to read but it’s true. Myles was alert with bright blue eyes and a dimple and I was in love.

To say Myles was an easy baby is an understatement. I would put him in his crib, leave the room and do phone sessions with clients. Not a peep. There was an exception, one day Myles decided to remove his diaper. I came in to find him and the Italian white bumpers were covered in poo. It looked like a mass murder with doody. It was as though he was saying, “I may not yell and scream but I'm no pushover." He's since learned to yell and scream, still no pushover.

Before Myles could talk he clapped. He would clap and smile to get your attention. He doesn’t clap as much but he has a smile that can melt your heart. He likes to have a good time. In third grade his teachers are trying to teach him that there’s a time for silly. I support them but feel if silly is your worst quality you’re doing pretty well. Not only do you seek out fun but you're up for anything at any time.

Myles was allergic to eggs and corn when he was younger but has since outgrown his allergies. Like his mother, Myles likes to rank his meals. If he eats a scone he will compare it to his favorite scone in the Wolesley in London. He’ll taste something and either it’s pretty good, great or occasionally “the best.” I put berries out this morning and he told me they didn’t taste that good. I should know but “it’s not their time yet.” Myles current favorite foods are dosas, Fage peach Greek yogurt, salad with ginger dressing and Insomnia cookies. He gets his sweet tooth from Marc.

I'm having a hard time this year because nine seems different to me than eight. Nine seems big. I love the fact that we can ski together and read together but I’m aware that there will be birthdays in the future I will not spend with Myles. It’s no longer just putting you in the crib but sharing and debating and at times disagreeing. And for an easy child, boy can you debate playstation privileges or a later bedtime. Right now Myles,  you see yourself as “either a hockey player or a piano player” when you get older. I can’t wait to see what the next 9 years bring. I wish you many more smiles, good times and of course “the best” meals along the way.

Where were you 9 years ago in 2002? Does it seem like a long time since then? Do you think your personality is set from an early age? And do you, like us, rate your food?
P.S. I read this to Myles and he wanted me to delete the "volcano of poop" part and "dimple."

No Issues Naked or Exposure-phobe?

You know those naked people in the locker room at the gym? I am not one of those. Nor am I the girl running down the beach totally at ease in her bikini. I may have the bikini on but I’ll have my cover-up du jour on for more of the time. When we were in France last summer I was amazed at the women young and my mother’s age, thin and no so thin totally at ease with their physiques and teeny swim suits. I tried to act like I was like that, while we were there, but who am I kidding?

I notice this modesty at yoga. I’ve now been doing yoga for a year and declared 2011 the year of the inversion. This year my body will do upside down. Truth be told, I can do a headstand and even a handstand (at home). What’s holding me back from unveiling my poses in class? It’s the fear of my shirt going upside down with me. I am a thin person, this I know. I wear a small size and work out a bunch. I also know that I don’t love the idea of my “I’ve had 2 kids” abs being on display for all of Pure Yoga to see, upside-down no less.

I tweeted about this to my favorite workout-clothing maker Lululemon. I asked, “is there a way of inverting without exposing?” Lululemon, always responsive, suggested their Power Y, Get Focused or Pure Focus tops. While I’m liking the band at the bottom of the Pure Focus, it’s a little too loose looking, even for an exposure-phobe like me. The owner of Nuttzo (amazingly addictive nut butters) suggested I try Yummie Tummie. Yummie Tummie chimed in and thought I’d like their Skinny Tank. Although the photo looks a little sexy for yoga, they promise it’ll do the drink.  I am not usually a fan of “shape wear”. I feel it sucks you in and I end up with a tummy ache from the sucking (not so yummy). We’ll see, I’m willing to test drive these and most likely will.

In yoga this week something happened that may do more for me than any new shirt. We were in class and the teacher led us though a sequence of poses where some people go into headstand and others hang out with their hands and feet on the ground. In this pose I don’t know the name of you are peering through your legs behind you. As the show-offs  people worked their way into headstand, something happened. I looked those in headstand. One of these head standers was a girl I’ve been in class with many times. She’s fit and friendly and can pretty much twist her body into any shape imaginable (hate her, sorry that’s not yogi).  Anyway, I looked over and her top (neither “yummie” nor “focused”) went over along with her. And you know what? Hanging over her yoga pants was a little extra. Love handles or “hatha” handles call them what you will. It somehow made me feel better like cellulite on supermodels. My reaction wasn’t critical but more of a feeling that we all have something.  You’ll never find me at a nudist colony or applying make-up sans clothes but before the end of the year I’ll be going upside down in yoga.

Are you the naked girl in the locker room or an exposure-phobe? Any inversion tips or clothing suggestions? Is there hope I can be a 65-year-old woman prancing down the beach? Do I have to wait that long?

Eat Less with Activity Foods

About a month ago I was encouraging a client to add more fruit to her diet. Pushing fruit in February is like selling pork in an Orthodox neighborhood. It isn’t easy.  At the time I was loving Cara Cara oranges and suggested them to my client. “Oranges are too much work,” she said.  “What do you mean an orange is work?” I asked. “The peel, the juice, the mess, I don’t have the time.” I let it go and I think we settled on apples (less work).  It got me thinking though, this “work” my client referred to is a good thing when it comes to food. “Activity Foods” as I call them are foods that take time to eat. This slows us down and may just lead to eating less. Convenience isn't always a good thing when it comes to food. Here are my favorite activity foods:

Nuts/Nutcrackers

My first memory of eating nuts was in my Grandparents den. There was always a bowl of nuts on the table. The nuts were whole and a silver nutcracker rested next to them. As a child I remember many failed attempts at nut cracking. I probably consumed 1 nut per day back then. I don’t even know that my kids would know nutcrackers are used for eating nuts.  I vote for a nutcracker revival.

Edamame

Edamame are a great source of protein and the ultimate activity food. Buy edamame in the shell, non-GMO. Enjoy them as a snack with some sea salt and a little cayenne.

Shellfish

Attending college in New Orleans, some of my favorite memories are chowing down on crawfish or peel and eat shrimp. You really work for your food when eating these. Other shellfish options are mussels and lobster.

Artichokes

One of my favorite spring vegetables is artichokes. Artichokes take a little work to prepare and time to eat. Watch what you “dip” into. Artichokes are low calorie and high fiber, creamy sauces aren’t.

Olives

As much as I love a dirty martini, I love olives on their own too. Olives are high in fat (good fat) but fairly low in calories. Make sure to buy olives with their pits. Again, the pitting (and spitting) takes time.

Whole Fish

People are scared of whole fish (or grossed out) and I think that’s a mistake. Cooking fish whole renders a delicious end product and is a very healthy method of preparation. Furthermore, find me someone who can race through eating whole fish, you can’t.

Pistachios

If you’re not up for nutcracking, try pistachios. Pistachios are great as they lower LDL cholesterol and also because you can eat more (for same calories) than other nuts. Removing the shells is sort of fun…unless you had a manicure recently.

If you’re a speedy eater, activity foods will slow you down leaving time to savor the food that you’re eating and realize when you’re full (or tired of “working”).

Do you like activity foods? Any good ones I left off this list? Do you think oranges are a lot of work?

If there's no wagon, you can't fall off

 

My friend Rebecca (of Beccarama) wrote on her blog about eating a steak. What made this event post-worthy and interesting was that Rebecca is a vegetarian and the post was entitled "falling off the vegetarian wagon”.  Rebecca tells the story of how she initially decided to became vegetarian.  She refers to an article she read about the environmental cost of eating meat. She mentions that meat eating didn’t seem to align itself with other behaviors she engaged in such as sipping from a Sigg bottle and recycling. “This coupled with the disgusting stories coming out about factory farming, hormones, antibiotics and all the rest made it not too difficult to cut down on meat.” While Rebecca says, “cut down” she didn’t eat less meat she ate no beef, poultry or pork for years. Fish remained and therefore she went by the term pescetarian.

I agree with many of Rebecca’s reasons for eating less meat. I don’t eat meat frequently nor do I eat a large portion when I do. I wonder whether eating some grass-fed steak every so often should lead to feelings of guilt or imply you’re less concerned about the environment.  I worry about the various eating camps people place themselves in. I have a friend who is a self-described “fish eating vegan” and another who’s “mostly raw.”  I have a wheat allergy but I never describe myself as “wheat free” or “gluten free” unless asked. I guess I could describe my eating as “Wheat free, pescetarian with occasional grass-fed meat” but that’s just ridiculous.

There are some exceptions that require an absolute and also a label. For those with food allergies it needs to be clear that no wiggle room is tolerated. Although with more people self-diagnosing their allergies even  “allergic” is taken less seriously. Religion also dictates many food rules. However, there are those who “keep a kosher house” but are less strict outside the house. Some Christians don’t observe the food guidelines over Lent. Unless medically dictated there seems to be some leniency.

Aside from the lack of flexibility, I feel there’s something competitive in these food labels. It’s as though vegetarian gets the bronze medal, vegan the silver and raw vegan ooh the gold for sure. Isn’t this odd? Does removing foods from your diet make you a better or  “cleaner” eater or maybe a better person? In my office I see clients who are vegan, others gluten-free or dairy-free. I rarely try to convert someone but rather try to achieve the healthiest food plan regardless of the constraints. Yet others are more exclusive. I’ve had bloggers tell me “I only read vegan blogs.” That’s fine but I feel they’re missing out on some great vegan or vegetable recipes found on other sites.

Excluding something from your diet doesn’t make your remaining food healthy. French fries are vegan and many gluten-free products are nutritionally void. A healthy diet, if that’s what we’re after, can take many forms. If we see eating as a Venn diagram there are many areas in which Rebecca and I or vegans and carnivores overlap. Most of us believe a healthy diet should be vegetable-heavy, that we should cook more or at least know where our food comes from, we should eat less packaged food and sugar and drink alcohol (oh wait, ok I’ll revoke that last one, wishful thinking). As for the wagon, it saddens me to think that someone like Rebecca who enjoys food and makes conscious choices for herself and her family is walking around feeling as though she is “off” or “fell”, wagon or otherwise. Speaking of that wagon, how do you picture it? When choosing a photo I realized I conjure up an image ala Little House in the Prairie or the horse-drawn carriage we once took a ride on in Colorado. I guess it doesn’t matter since I’m advocating going wagon-less.

Do you label your eating? Why do you think these labels are used? Are they necessary?

10 Steps to Better Sleep

I don’t want to beat around the bush, there’s no use trying to be eloquent. This week kicked my ass. The measly 1-hour spring ahead paired with single parenting while my husband was carousing  traveling on business in Vegas left me with a perpetual liquor-less hangover.  Yesterday, as I sat with my head on my desk attempting to nap, my computer signaled I had an email. It was Blisstree asking for my top ten sleep tips.  I rattled them off and should really follow my own advice. Here are my sleep suggestions:

1. Caffeine is for a.m. only — that pick-me-up at 4 p.m. will keep you up at night.
2. Don’t work out too close to bedtime.
3. I love a powdered lemon, magnesium supplement called Natural Calm.
4. Eat a carb at dinner. It’s the best time of day to eat carbs, because they help relax you. (Black rice, sweet potatoes, and soba noodles are some favorites of mine.) Everyone loves a pro-carb tip.
5. I also like a supplement that contains chamomile/valerian and turmeric called Zyflamend PM by New Chapter; it’s much better than Tylenol PM.
6. Be careful of dark chocolate as a dessert; the caffeine content can keep some people up during the night.
7. Tart cherries are a good pre-bedtime snack  — the natural melatonin in them will help relax you. Try sour cherry juice and seltzer or thawed frozen cherries.
8. Use lavender in a bath or on pulse points. I use lavender oil by Origins.
9. Screens are not soporific, books are. Screens mean anything with a backlight: TV/laptops/iPad/iPhone.
10. Instead of counting sheep, make a mental food list/diary of what you ate that day. That puts me to sleep immediately.


Have a great weekend everyone, sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite.
What do you do to assure yourself a good night’s sleep? Did the time change affect you? What time do you go to bed?

Lose Weight With The Blue Plate

When we think about factors that affect our appetite, stress, sleep and exercise may come to mind.  Each of these can influence hunger but so can something else you may not think as much about. Our eating is impacted by our eating environment and particularly sensitive to color. The color of your dinner plates, dining room or kitchen influences eating behavior. There’s one color that really shows promise as an appetite suppressant. That blue plate in the photo above? It just may help the scale budge.

There’s research behind color and appetite. In one study participants were placed in different colored rooms to eat. In the blue-colored room they ate over 30 percent fewer calories. In another study blue food coloring was added to food and resulted in fewer calories consumed (though food coloring isn’t suggested).One theory explains this based on the dearth of blue foods in nature. Other than blueberries, blue foods are scarce and as we evolved we used visual cues to determine if a food was edible. Blue was viewed as a non-food color possibly even poisonous. Blue is also a calming color and helps us feel more relaxed.

If you want to know what colors rev up your appetite, look no further than the golden arches. It is no accident that red and yellow are appetite stimulants. Steer clear of those colors if you’re trying to lose weight. On the other hand, blue plates, blue placemats, or even a blue light in your refrigerator may be useful weight loss tools.  I have to admit that when I first heard about blue plates, I asked myself  “who uses blue plates anyway?” Then I remembered my mother in law does. She’s Swedish and her house is filled with blue. And you know what? She’s pretty darn skinny.

Have you ever noticed color affecting your eating? Do you buy into the psychology of color? Anyone contemplating a renovation or a new blue kitchen? What’s your favorite color?