Veganism: From Plants to Processed
The hijacking of veganism that has taken the “plant” out of “plant-based”
I have been a vegan for almost 8 years.
I was part of the community pre-Beyond Meat, pre-Daring Foods, pre-KFC’s weird chicken, pre-Daiya cheese, and pre-the experimental watermelon tuna. Initially, this was an exciting time to be a vegan, we thought FINALLY, they’re getting experimental in the kitchen and creating the foods we used to LOVE in a new form for us to enjoy.
However, where I was wrong in my thinking was they weren’t experimenting in the kitchen, they were experimenting in the lab.
Chemically combining inflammatory oils, additives, preservatives, and mixing in the smallest, modified plant product and selling it to us under the guise of “healthier” and using buzzwords like “plant-based.”
Like so many other vegans, I was conned into this thinking of vegan always = better. Better for my body, and better for the planet.
But with the introduction of these new ultra-processed foods that destroy our gut microbiomes, proliferate disease, and destroy forests for the use of growing more soy; what does it truly mean now, to be “plant-based?
What are UPF’s (Ultra Processed Foods)?
What is the difference between a processed food and an ultra processed food?
Definitions vary, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture says anything that changes the fundamental nature of an agricultural product – heating, freezing, dicing, juicing – is a processed food.
Examples include: baby carrots, rice, and pasta’s. Although not harmful, their original composition has been changed, thus making them “processed.”
Ultra-processed foods are a different story.
Nutritionists started using the term about 10 years ago, and again, definitions vary. One diet classification system called NOVA sums it up as "snacks, drinks, ready meals and many other products created mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods or derived from food constituents with little if any intact food."
They have become a staple in the modern Western diet and they come with a whole host of health issues.
Vegan fake meats and dairy options are no exception. Most of these options are highly processed and loaded with preservatives and artificial ingredients, including high amounts of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
What Makes UPF’s so Dangerous?
Ultra-processed foods also lack nutrients like fiber, which are crucial for gut health and disease prevention.
A growing pile of research suggests ultra-processed foods – which make up half the diet of U.S. adults, according to recent research – might cause serious health problems.
A small 2019 study found people given ultra-processed food ate more and gained more weight than people on a diet of minimally processed food. Other studies have linked ultra-processed foods with obesity, high blood pressure, cancer and death from all causes.
The basic problem with ultra-processed foods is that some have not been designed with health in mind. Manufacturers prefer to make taste, cost, safety, shelf life and mouthfeel the priority. Something that they have sure fire put into consideration when making these “vegan” products in order to emulate the taste of “chicken” or “cheese.”
When such factors are the goal, thousands of trace nutrients get stripped out. Additives such as emulsifiers and stabilizers are tossed in. Those industrial ingredients are considered safe, but their long-term effects are not known.
Heavy processing may also strip out fiber, altering how the body digests food and affecting friendly gut bacteria—an imbalanced gut microbiome can have the most profound effects on hormone function and mental health.
A lot of research is being done to understand the rise of mental health disorders in youth—resulting in an increase in pharmaceuticals administered to them—and the rise of ultra processed foods.
A Look at the ❌Harmful❌ Ingredients:
There are many types of vegetable and seed oils and additives used in packaged and processed foods that can be harmful to our health.
Canola, safflower, and sunflower oils are widely used in the food industry due to their affordability and neutral flavor. However, they are not as healthy as they are marketed to be, for several reasons.
These oils are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which are known to cause several health problems. PUFA chains are unstable and easily oxidized, which leads to the release of free radicals that can cause damage to cells and tissues in the body. This can contribute to chronic inflammation, which has been linked to numerous ailments, including heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.
Another common problem with these oils is their high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. A diet high in omega-6 fatty acids, found in vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, and sunflower oil, can cause an imbalance in the body and lead to inflammation and disease.
Additionally, canola, safflower, and sunflower oils are often processed using a solvent extraction method, which can leave residual chemical traces in the oil. This can have negative effects on the body, especially over time, as the accumulation of toxins can cause harm.
Lastly, these oils are often combined with additives such as gellan gum, xanthan gum, and natural flavors to improve their taste and texture. However, these additives can also be problematic. Gellan gum and xanthan gum are often derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and can cause digestive problems, including bloating and diarrhea. Similarly, natural flavors can contain various chemicals, including monosodium glutamate (MSG), which can cause headaches, nausea, and other adverse effects.
It is recommended to opt for healthier alternatives, such as olive oil or coconut oil, for better health outcomes.
Where Does that Leave the Vegan Conversation?
I recently started noticing changes in my body that I didn’t want, that I knew were results of deficiencies and not enough protein.
I have been what I call a “plant-based” vegan for years. Rarely consuming any of these ultra processed foods, rather only on occasion as a treat. Primarily though, my diet consisted of plenty of legumes, grains, and fruits and vegetables.
Still, I knew I wasn’t getting enough protein. As the fundamental building blocks of literal life, protein is beyond imperative. And what a lot of vegans don’t understand, is it IS harder for us to get an adequate supply of all essential amino acids in our bodies each day.
Without pairing, legumes + grains, vegans will lack a complete protein source. What that entails, is a greater calorie count throughout the day because of the consistent pairing of a dense carbohydrate with a starchy legume.
In addition, is the lack of vitamin B12 and omega 3 fatty acid chains DHA and EPA that are imperative to brain health and function. Supplementation is almost always required.
Of course, a study revealed vegans DO end up getting more micro nutrients than the average meat-eater, but their macro nutrients suffer.
In an effort to boost my energy, fight brain fog, boost memory and cognition, and maintain healthy hair growth, I chose to change my diet.
Although I will never, consume dairy (lactose intolerant and I believe it is the underlying cause for most people’s GI issues), or red meat and chicken (continuous moral beliefs), I have chosen to start enjoying wild caught, sockeye, organic salmon and pasture raised chicken bone broth.
I believe we all have to do what is intuitively best for us, and understand the implications of industries continuously lying to us about what is “healthy and natural.”
Always take ownership over your own health, eat more plant foods, read ingredients lists, and don’t fall for the marketing gimmicks who have successfully hijacked a moral cause to push a more cost-effective agenda by feeding us the ideal that Beyond Meat is Beyond Better for us, that Just Egg, is moral and JUST for our health, or that Impossible Meat will solve your previously impossible health quests.
There’s nothing “plant” based about any of those products.