Guest guest Posted December 3, 2004 Report Share Posted December 3, 2004 Wednesday December 1, 2004 The good and bad of vegetarian food Food Safety by CHIA JOO SUAN THESE days vegetarian cuisines – with mock chicken, goose and seafood – titillate the taste buds of many diners. These meatless cuisines have aroused our curiosity to explore and find out more about these textured vegetable proteins that not only look like meat but also taste like the real thing. Due to religious or health reasons, an increasing number of people have opted for meat-free foods over the last decade. Meat analogs made with ingredients mainly derived from plants are manufactured to meet the demand for vegetarian food. The challenge to the food industry goes beyond choice and variety; it is to make meat analogs convincing enough to win over meat-eaters without sacrificing their preference for the taste of meat. Texture and nutrition Meat analogs serve as a good source of protein. We require protein to provide amino acids for cellular growth and other functions fundamental to life. Soya bean provides a relatively high level of protein as well as other health benefits. It is a common ingredient used in textured vegetable protein products. Wheat, corn, rice and mung beans are also widely used. Removing the starch from wheat flour produces gluten, which is the protein content in flour. Commercial gluten flour is available. It is a cream-coloured free-flowing powder just like wheat flour. You can also get deep fried gluten (mean kan in Cantonese) that resembles tau foo pok or deep fried tau foo for cooking vegetarian dishes. Gluten is an ingredient that has been most successful in replicating the texture of meat. It is commonly used in making vegetarian chicken, fish, fish ball and oyster. Even in meatless Western cuisine, the mock burger, hot dog, bologna, pepperoni and cheese may contain gluten to give them a firm bite. The stabilisers and binders commonly used in meat analogs are starches, pectins, alginates, carrageenan and gums of Arabic, xanthan, locust bean and guar. Furthermore, engineering innovations in machinery that control temperature, pressure, moisture and cutting patterns have widened the product range. With slight variations in the proportions of ingredients, products in the shapes of chunks, granules, ropes, flakes or patties that are soft or firm and elastic are made. Some extruders are able to manufacture analog products with a texture just like cooked meat. This is used to make mock mutton. To make the products look more like meat, analogs must have some portion of fat. Addition of konjac flour that can be shaped into small white inclusions can mimic the appearance of fat in the product. With some imagination and by adding sea salt or seaweed, vegan sea cucumber, jellyfish and many other exotic seafoods can be produced. Seasoning and taste Seasoning is the most important ingredient that makes meat analogs taste good. Without spices and flavourings, imitation chicken tastes plain and may have the taste of flour or the beany taste of soy. Mushroom is an important ingredient that supplements vegetarians with vitamins and minerals. Incorporated in meat analogs, it improves the taste with its natural glutamates so that synthetic monosodium glutamate (MSG) is not required. Woody mushroom stalks are often used instead of the spongy “umbrella top”. By adding a little celery, you can emulate chicken; add clove for ham or onion and garlic for beef. Other common seasonings are sugar, soya sauce, caramel and yeast extract. However, all these natural ingredients have rather mild flavours. In commercial products, synthetic flavourings and essence are used to give more oomph to the products. <b>Downside of vegetarian food</b> Salt, sugar, fat and cholesterol rank among the top concerns in healthy eating. Meat analogs that are cholesterol free and low in fat are eaten as meat substitutes in a healthy diet. However, very often oil, sugar, sauces and salt are added generously to give flavour in restaurant-cooked dishes. Furthermore, many of the flavourings, additives and preservatives in textured vegetable protein products contain sodium, and with the added salt during cooking, the dishes may contain high levels of sodium. People who have high blood pressure should request for less salty dishes. The health-conscious should avoid deep-fried dishes. Vegetarian meat and seafood-flavoured sauces contain synthetic flavourings. When used in cooking vegetarian dishes, analog products tend to soak up flavours like a sponge and the highly flavoured food tastes good. On the other hand, high concentrations of flavourings may cause allergic reactions to some who are sensitive to flavouring chemicals. It is a common complaint that after eating a sumptuous vegetarian meal, one may feel thirsty, have an uncomfortable feeling in the mouth or around the lips. Drink more water or take orange juice as the vitamin C may help to prevent allergic reactions. People who suffer from gluten intolerance (also known as Celiac disease) should be extra careful with vegetarian food. Gluten is found in wheat as well as rye, barley and possibly oats. All these are common ingredients used in vegan food. Analog products are good sources of protein but have minimal minerals and vitamins. Vegans whose diet includes only plant-based food need to get enough iron and vitamin B 12 in their diet. A healthy vegetarian diet includes beans of different colours that are good sources of iron especially for children and mothers. Other good sources of minerals, fatty acids, vitamins and phyto-nutrients – that support good health – are nuts and seeds (walnut, almond, peanut, sesame and pumpkin seeds), grains (brown rice, barley, corn, oats, wheat), fruits, mushrooms, seaweeds and vegetables. Furthermore, do not neglect fermented foods like yoghurt, miso, tempeh or fu yui. These foods supply us with the B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. These vitamins are lacking in most plant-based food with seaweeds and mushrooms being the exceptions. The micro-organisms in fermented foods make vitamin B12 which has an important role in the development of nerve cells and the production of red blood cells. Common symptoms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are a sore tongue, fatigue, tingling or numbness in the feet, heart palpitations, weak pulse, and memory and menstrual problems. Chia Joo Suan is a food chemist who advocates safe eating habits. She is the author of What’s in your food? o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oless Bush, more trees0o0o00o00o0o0o0o0o The difficult place that the U.S. is in can not be diminished by waging more wars. The violence done in our name generates more violence and hatred against us. The solution arises from changing our attitudes about other people. We need to stop the theft of their resources and labor and begin to treat others with respect and dignity. RossCannon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2004 Report Share Posted December 3, 2004 Oh yeah, and some fungus make B12, I forgot. And a few bacteria. , Ross Cannon <ross.cann@j...> wrote: > > Wednesday December 1, 2004 > The good and bad of vegetarian food > Food Safety by CHIA JOO SUAN > > THESE days vegetarian cuisines – with mock chicken, goose and seafood – > titillate the taste buds of many diners. These meatless cuisines have > aroused our curiosity to explore and find out more about these textured > vegetable proteins that not only look like meat but also taste like the > real thing. > > Due to religious or health reasons, an increasing number of people have > opted for meat-free foods over the last decade. > > Meat analogs made with ingredients mainly derived from plants are > manufactured to meet the demand for vegetarian food. > > The challenge to the food industry goes beyond choice and variety; it is > to make meat analogs convincing enough to win over meat-eaters without > sacrificing their preference for the taste of meat. > > Texture and nutrition > > Meat analogs serve as a good source of protein. We require protein to > provide amino acids for cellular growth and other functions fundamental > to life. Soya bean provides a relatively high level of protein as well as > other health benefits. It is a common ingredient used in textured > vegetable protein products. Wheat, corn, rice and mung beans are also > widely used. > > Removing the starch from wheat flour produces gluten, which is the > protein content in flour. > > Commercial gluten flour is available. It is a cream-coloured free- flowing > powder just like wheat flour. You can also get deep fried gluten (mean > kan in Cantonese) that resembles tau foo pok or deep fried tau foo for > cooking vegetarian dishes. > > Gluten is an ingredient that has been most successful in replicating the > texture of meat. It is commonly used in making vegetarian chicken, fish, > fish ball and oyster. Even in meatless Western cuisine, the mock burger, > hot dog, bologna, pepperoni and cheese may contain gluten to give them a > firm bite. > > The stabilisers and binders commonly used in meat analogs are starches, > pectins, alginates, carrageenan and gums of Arabic, xanthan, locust bean > and guar. > > Furthermore, engineering innovations in machinery that control > temperature, pressure, moisture and cutting patterns have widened the > product range. With slight variations in the proportions of ingredients, > products in the shapes of chunks, granules, ropes, flakes or patties that > are soft or firm and elastic are made. > > Some extruders are able to manufacture analog products with a texture > just like cooked meat. This is used to make mock mutton. > > To make the products look more like meat, analogs must have some portion > of fat. Addition of konjac flour that can be shaped into small white > inclusions can mimic the appearance of fat in the product. > > With some imagination and by adding sea salt or seaweed, vegan sea > cucumber, jellyfish and many other exotic seafoods can be produced. > > Seasoning and taste > > Seasoning is the most important ingredient that makes meat analogs taste > good. Without spices and flavourings, imitation chicken tastes plain and > may have the taste of flour or the beany taste of soy. > > Mushroom is an important ingredient that supplements vegetarians with > vitamins and minerals. Incorporated in meat analogs, it improves the > taste with its natural glutamates so that synthetic monosodium glutamate > (MSG) is not required. Woody mushroom stalks are often used instead of > the spongy " umbrella top " . > > By adding a little celery, you can emulate chicken; add clove for ham or > onion and garlic for beef. Other common seasonings are sugar, soya sauce, > caramel and yeast extract. However, all these natural ingredients have > rather mild flavours. In commercial products, synthetic flavourings and > essence are used to give more oomph to the products. > > <b>Downside of vegetarian food</b> > > Salt, sugar, fat and cholesterol rank among the top concerns in healthy > eating. Meat analogs that are cholesterol free and low in fat are eaten > as meat substitutes in a healthy diet. > > However, very often oil, sugar, sauces and salt are added generously to > give flavour in restaurant-cooked dishes. Furthermore, many of the > flavourings, additives and preservatives in textured vegetable protein > products contain sodium, and with the added salt during cooking, the > dishes may contain high levels of sodium. > > People who have high blood pressure should request for less salty dishes. > The health-conscious should avoid deep-fried dishes. > > Vegetarian meat and seafood-flavoured sauces contain synthetic > flavourings. When used in cooking vegetarian dishes, analog products tend > to soak up flavours like a sponge and the highly flavoured food tastes > good. > > On the other hand, high concentrations of flavourings may cause allergic > reactions to some who are sensitive to flavouring chemicals. It is a > common complaint that after eating a sumptuous vegetarian meal, one may > feel thirsty, have an uncomfortable feeling in the mouth or around the > lips. Drink more water or take orange juice as the vitamin C may help to > prevent allergic reactions. > > People who suffer from gluten intolerance (also known as Celiac disease) > should be extra careful with vegetarian food. Gluten is found in wheat as > well as rye, barley and possibly oats. All these are common ingredients > used in vegan food. > > Analog products are good sources of protein but have minimal minerals and > vitamins. Vegans whose diet includes only plant-based food need to get > enough iron and vitamin B 12 in their diet. > > A healthy vegetarian diet includes beans of different colours that are > good sources of iron especially for children and mothers. Other good > sources of minerals, fatty acids, vitamins and phyto-nutrients – that > support good health – are nuts and seeds (walnut, almond, peanut, sesame > and pumpkin seeds), grains (brown rice, barley, corn, oats, wheat), > fruits, mushrooms, seaweeds and vegetables. > > Furthermore, do not neglect fermented foods like yoghurt, miso, tempeh or > fu yui. These foods supply us with the B vitamins, especially vitamin > B12. These vitamins are lacking in most plant-based food with seaweeds > and mushrooms being the exceptions. > > The micro-organisms in fermented foods make vitamin B12 which has an > important role in the development of nerve cells and the production of > red blood cells. Common symptoms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency > are a sore tongue, fatigue, tingling or numbness in the feet, heart > palpitations, weak pulse, and memory and menstrual problems. > > Chia Joo Suan is a food chemist who advocates safe eating habits. She is > the author of What's in your food? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oless Bush, more trees0o0o00o00o0o0o0o0o > The difficult place that the U.S. is in can not be diminished by waging > more wars. The violence done in our name generates more violence > and hatred against us. The solution arises from changing our attitudes > about other people. We need to stop the theft of their resources and > labor and begin to treat others with respect and dignity. RossCannon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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