photo by Rissa Miller
In the latest issue of Vegan Journal Reed Mangels, PhD, RD contributed an article on the pros and cons of vegan processed foods. Read the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue1/2022_issue1_vegan_processed_foods.php
To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php
By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
From non-dairy milks and cheese to unchicken to burgers that taste like meat, the food industry is capitalizing on the public’s interest in vegan and plant-based foods. There’s a huge market for processed vegan foods. In July 2019, the U.S. total plant-based market value was estimated to be $4.5 billion.1 The same study found that retail sales of plant-based foods grew 11 percent in the past year. 1 “Plant-based” is often a vague term. In this study, it apparently referred to vegan and vegetarian products although most product categories appear to be vegan.
Vegan or plant-based foods are often promoted as healthy, as “cleaner” than animal -based foods, and as a way of eating a purer diet. Others, however, are calling for avoiding vegan processed foods, saying that they are “Frankenfoods” and that they violate Mother Nature.
Is there a middle ground? Are processed foods the miracle foods that some claim or a sure path to nutritional ruin? Stay with us as we explore these and other issues.
For starters, there is the question of just what is a processed food? The UK’s National Health Service provides this definition2: “A processed food is any food that has been altered in some way during preparation. Food processing can be as basic as freezing, canning, baking, or drying.” The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics3 echoes and amplifies this definition saying that processed food “includes food that has been cooked, canned, frozen, packaged or changed in nutritional composition with fortifying, preserving or preparing in different ways.” So, anything from cooked dried beans to a veggie burger containing heme produced with genetic engineering to a vegan dessert with 2 dozen ingredients (most unpronounceable) is considered a processed food.
The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics proposes a classification system ranging from minimally processed foods to heavily processed foods.3 Minimally processed foods could include a bag of chopped vegetables or roasted nuts. It’s clear what the ingredients are in these foods. Heavily processed (also called highly processed or ultra-processed) foods undergo several processing steps, contain multiple ingredients, and may contain artificial colors and flavors and preservatives. Examples of heavily processed foods include some crackers, some breakfast cereals, frozen dinners, and meat analogs. We’ll focus on heavily processed foods in this article.
Concerns with Heavily Processed Foods
If you read the nutrition facts label on many vegan heavily processed foods you’ll notice that not uncommonly they contain a lot of fat, sodium, sugar, calories, and sometimes saturated fat. Often, they are as high or higher in these substances than similar non-vegan heavily processed foods. Take frozen pizza for example. A serving (5-ounces) of a popular vegan “pepperoni” pizza has 410 calories, 17 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, and 830 milligrams of sodium. The same serving size of non-vegan frozen pepperoni pizza has 375 calories, 19 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, and 912 milligrams of sodium. Neither of these could be classified as a food to eat every day. Or consider a vegan frozen dessert. A 2/3-cup serving has 340 calories, 29 grams of added sugar, and 13 grams of saturated fat. Surprise – a similar dairy-based product has the same amount of calories and saturated fat and slightly less added sugar. Vegan does not necessarily mean healthy.
One issue to consider is that heavily processed vegan foods used to be occasional treats. They were expensive, harder to find, and, honestly, some just didn’t taste that good. Thanks to demand, there are so many more vegan processed foods available and many of them skillfully use salt, sugar, and fat to make them highly palatable. Walk into almost any supermarket and you’ll find a selection of heavily processed vegan foods.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s great to have options when you’re looking for a quick meal that tastes like a well-remembered non-vegan convenience food. The problem comes when these foods consistently replace the legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits that are the mainstays of a healthy vegan diet.
While prices have gone down over the past twenty years, heavily processed vegan foods frequently cost more than it would cost to make a similar food at home. Some may feel that the time savings is worth the cost. Others may opt to use less processed foods like canned beans, pre-cut vegetables, and quick-cooking pasta that cost less but still save time.
Food manufacturers have products to sell. They may promote heavily processed foods labeled as “plant-based” or vegan as healthy choices. For instance, the ads may say, “eat freely,” implying that you don’t need to consider the sodium, sugar, calories, or fat in this vegan product. They may make it seem that these foods are what you need to be a healthy vegan. Watch for label phrases like “high protein,” “hearty” or “for meat lovers.” There are plenty of hearty sources of protein and calories for vegans that are minimally processed.
Some heavily processed vegan foods may use new techniques or ingredients. These processes or modifications don’t have a track record of being consumed by humans. Is this a problem? It’s too soon to know for sure. While many new ingredients enter the food stream without incident, others are recognized as being problematic at some point. You may remember Olestra which was marketed as a fat substitute in the 1990s. Once side effects like diarrhea and malabsorption of some vitamins were reported, Olestra’s popularity declined4 and today, it is banned by some countries.
Benefits of Heavily Processed Foods
Heavily processed vegan foods have some attractive features. If you don’t know how to cook, have a disability, or don’t have a lot of time or energy, these products often require very little effort – reheat in the microwave or oven or on the stove top. That’s a big advantage for those who don’t have cooking skills or who have limited mobility. Results are predictable – a frozen pizza will taste like a frozen pizza. It’s not like following a recipe where you don’t have the ingredients the recipe calls for or don’t really understand the directions.
For those with limited cooking facilities, perhaps only having access to a microwave, heavily processed foods make it possible to eat a meal that could be better nutritionally than fast food or snack foods that don’t require any cooking.
When you’re traveling, heavily processed foods can make it easy to have a decent meal, especially if you look for products based on whole grains, vegetables, and legumes. You might even find a lower sodium product. Frozen vegan burritos and canned soups have been comforting foods when I’m in a motel room with no easy access to other options.
Some of the ingredients on the long ingredient lists that accompany heavily processed foods may be vitamins and minerals that are added to the foods. Nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin B12, and possibly calcium and iron can be low in vegan diets. Choosing foods fortified with these nutrients is an alternative that some vegans choose in place of using a vitamin-mineral supplement.
For new vegans, processed foods often replace familiar non-vegan foods. Want something cold and sweet? Vegan frozen desserts, while not necessarily healthier than their dairy-based counterparts, can help to ease the transition to a vegan diet. And, if you’re trying not to stand out as a vegan, eating a veggie burger or a sandwich of vegan deli slices can help.
Based on our limited observations, heavily processed vegan foods seem more likely to use organic ingredients than similar animal-based products.
Practical Approaches
There are several approaches that you might choose when considering whether or not to use heavily processed vegan foods. Each of these has positives and negatives.
Positives: You’ll avoid foods known to be full of sodium, fat, saturated fat, and sugar. It’s likely your food costs will be lower. Potentially you’ll have less packaging to dispose of. Avoiding these foods could be the incentive you need to expand your cooking skills.
Negatives: You may spend more time on food preparation, depending on which foods you choose to replace heavily processed foods.
Positives: You can opt to use heavily processed foods selectively – when you’re in a time crunch or in a situation where there aren’t other options. You’ll become more aware of what you’re eating when you check labels for healthier options.
Negatives: Most of the time you may be spending more time on food preparation, similar to the person who never uses heavily processed foods. You’ll need to do some research to identify better choices.
Positives: You’re likely to spend less time on food preparation while still eating some easy-to-prepare less processed foods. You don’t have to know how or be able to cook.
Negatives: Food costs are likely to be higher than for those using fewer heavily processed foods. Although you’re reducing the amount of sodium, fat, and other nutritional concerns that you’re eating, you can’t control this as much as you can if you eat fewer heavily processed foods.
Depending on your situation, you might move between all these options and that doesn’t mean that you’re doing something wrong. Food choices are driven by many factors and there are many ways to have a healthy vegan diet.
Alternatives to Heavily Processed Food
Since our earliest days, The Vegetarian Resource Group has promoted quick-and-easy meals. Many of our books feature simple recipes, relying on basic techniques and unprocessed foods. Our website has a wealth of ideas for simple meals.
Fresh fruits and vegetables can be extremely easy to prepare. Just wash them and take a bite. If you prefer to cook vegetables, you can easily sauté them in a little oil or water or steam them in the microwave.
Canned beans (rinsed to remove some of the sodium they’re processed with) can be seasoned and rolled in a tortilla or mashed with a fork for an easy bean dip. Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be baked or microwaved and topped with canned beans or nut butter.
Look for processed foods with only a few ingredients – a veggie burger made with grains, mushrooms, and nuts, for example or a frozen entrée featuring brown rice, vegetables, and beans.
The Food Industry
There are many companies and restaurants producing healthy whole vegan foods. We hope that people will buy these products and support these establishments. As a consumer, you can let companies and restaurants know when you like their products. Write reviews, send in comments, and share your compliments with them. If you’re concerned about the nutritional quality of a processed vegan food, contact the company and let them know that you would be more likely to purchase the product if it had less sugar, sodium, fat, or saturated fat or had more whole food ingredients.
Conclusions
Ultimately the choice to use, limit, or avoid heavily processed foods is up to you. We have many options available to us. Consider your health, your budget, and other factors, as you decide which foods to purchase.
References
1 Simon M. U.S. Plant-based retail market worth $4.5 billion, growing at 5x total food sales. Plant Based Foods Association. 2019. https://plantbasedfoods.org/2019-data-plant-based-market/
2 National Health Service. Eating processed foods. 2020. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/what-are-processed-foods/
3 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Processed foods: what’s OK and what to avoid. 2019. https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/processed-foods-whats-ok-and-what-to-avoid
4 Center for Science in the Public Interest. Olestra. https://cspinet.org/topics/olestra
Chef Nancy Berkoff shares these Easter egg recipes:
(Makes approximately 24 pieces)
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until cream cheese is pliable and airy. This can be done with a fork, but it will take some time.
Gradually mix in sugar, beating until well combined. Add chocolate or carob and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or until stiff enough to shape. Roll into small balls, approximately 1 teaspoon, and coat with selected decoration. Place on parchment or waxed paper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
*Note: If vegan powdered sugar is not available, granulated sugar can be processed in a food processor until powdered.
(Makes 8-10 small eggs)
Melt chocolate in a microwave or on the stove. Remove from heat, mix in cereal, and very quickly form into shapes. Store on a parchment- or waxed paper-lined tray.
Image by Freepik
By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
Researchers recently examined how much food cost when people with type 2 diabetes ate their usual diet, when they ate a plant-based but non-vegan diet called a DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), and when they ate a whole food vegan diet (1).
What is the study?
Twelve adult subjects completed all parts of the study. They all had type 2 diabetes and were using insulin. For the first week of the study, subjects were told to eat the way they were used to eating and to keep a record of everything they ate or drank. During the second and the fourth weeks of the study, subjects were provided with a DASH diet. This is a diet which focuses on whole grains, vegetables, and fruits and includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, and nuts. It limits use of high sodium foods, added sugar, and saturated fat. During the third week of the study, subjects were provided with a whole foods vegan diet which consisted of whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Added oils and solid fats were excluded. During the second, third, and fourth weeks of the study, prepared foods were delivered to the subjects twice weekly. They could eat additional food of their own choosing as long as it was in keeping with the diet they were assigned to at that time. They kept records of the food they ate.
The researchers used the subjects’ food records to calculate how much their food cost. They also adjusted the cost of food eaten away from home (at restaurants for example) to only reflect the cost of ingredients and not the cost of labor and other non-food costs.
What did this study find?
As reported in another article, both the whole foods vegan diet and the DASH diet resulted in significant reductions in blood glucose and in insulin dosages (2). These positive changes were not necessarily associated with a higher food cost. On average, food cost the least when participants ate a whole foods vegan diet. The cost of this diet was $9.78 per day ($8.83 per day when costs were adjusted for food eaten away from home). The DASH diet cost $12.74 per day ($11.81 when costs were adjusted for food eaten away from home). The subjects’ usual diet cost $15.72 per day ($11.01 when costs were adjusted for food eaten away from home.
What are the study’s limitations?
This was a small study and subjects were only on each diet for a short period. It did not assess the time costs associated with meal preparation. Researchers purchased the food for the DASH diet and whole foods vegan diet periods. Costs could have been different if study subjects had purchased their own food.
The researchers state that “In the US, it is estimated that 10.2% of the population is food insecure and 5.6% of the population lives in food deserts. The inferences from our study are distinct from the issues of food insecurity and food deserts, and we certainly do not intend to minimize the serious barriers to achieving health presented by food deserts and food insecurity” (1).
Are there practical implications?
A healthy diet does not have to be expensive. Whole foods vegan diets which do not include highly processed foods can be a way to eat healthfully while keeping food costs down. Additional, non-food, cost savings may be seen if insulin needs are reduced as was seen in this study.
To read more about low-cost vegan diets see:
Low-Cost Vegan Menus Based on USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Budget
Quick and Easy Low-Cost Vegan Menus
Favorite Inexpensive Vegan Foods of Summer 2021 Interns
References
The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.
photo from the Good Food Institute
By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
One of the latest trends in biotechnology is creating animal proteins, such as whey, casein, collagen, albumin, ovomucoid, heme, or lactoferrin from microbes. Often calling them vegan ingredients, several companies say their inventions can be used to make animal-free or cow-less milk, cheese, or a growing number of other foods and beverages. But will all consumers consider them vegan? To answer that, we need to look closely at their precision fermentation process.
What Is Precision Fermentation?
Precision fermentation is a high-tech version of the centuries-old process known simply as fermentation. It may also be called recombinant protein production although fats and carbohydrates (honey) can be made through this process, too. Precision fermentation is a type of synthetic biology or simply synbio. Genetic engineering is involved in precision fermentation.
In 2022, the global market size of precision fermentation was $1.93 billion. By 2032, it’s estimated to reach $63.85 billion.
Food, flavorings, and pharmaceuticals can be manufactured via precision fermentation. Meaty, fishy, or umami flavors are typical flavorings produced by this technique. Some examples of pharmaceuticals made by precision fermentation include: insulin, antibiotics, certain vaccines, and vitamins.
Traditionally, in fermentation to make wine or beer, for example, you add microorganisms to convert the sugars in grapes or grain into ethanol. Fermentation is used to make several other foods and beverages including pickles, tempeh, sourdough bread, or kombucha.
Precision fermentation also uses microbes to produce foods and beverages but with an added component: copies of genes, often from animals. Microorganisms used in precision fermentation could be yeast, algae, fungi, or bacteria. Animal-derived genes are permanently bioengineered into the microbes’ genetic code. What happens then?
As the microbes ferment a nutrient broth, they precisely churn out – like miniature factories – huge quantities of whatever the animal-derived genes direct them to produce
So is the manufactured whey made by microbes following the genetic instructions truly animal-free or cow-less? Looking back at the first time precision fermentation was ever used in food production helps give perspective.
Fermentation Produced Chymosin (FPC) Using Animal Genes
As The VRG reported in 2012, the first time genetic engineering via precision fermentation was used in the food industry was to produce chymosin, the active component of rennet, in 1990. Chymosin is the dairy enzyme that curdles milk during cheese production.
Employees of major enzyme manufacturers told us that decades ago, cells were taken from a live calf’s stomach lining. From those cells, the genetic blueprint for chymosin was isolated. That genetic code was inserted into a microbial genome (full set of a microbe’s genes). Since then, it has been reproduced by countless generations of microorganisms, all producing chymosin coded for by that genetic sequence via precision fermentation.
Cheese companies call and label cheese made with bovine gene-derived FPC both vegetarian and non-GMO. There may be disagreement with calling it either vegetarian or non-GMO as explained in our 2012 and 2021 articles.
The justification for this disagreement relies upon the fact that the animal’s genes involved in producing chymosin are essential to the animal’s existence. They are what makes her a calf. But not just any calf. They are her unique set. Without her genes, the calf would not be alive.
Genes are not like milk (a cow’s secretion that is not essential to her existence). If the calf’s genes were like milk, then maybe bovine gene-derived FPC cheese would more likely be vegetarian. Similarly, if one microbial species’ gene was inserted into another microbial species’ genome to produce microbial gene-derived chymosin, certainly the cheese produced from that chymosin would be vegetarian. Incidentally, there are companies that make this type of microbial gene-derived FPC. But bovine-derived FPC is the most common type on the market.
While it is true that a person does not eat bovine genes or the enzyme made by the bioengineered microbes when eating cheese since 90-95% of chymosin remains in the liquid whey (a byproduct of cheese production) and the microbes possessing the genes have been removed from the final cheese product, bovine genes are still used in the process of cheese production. In this sense, bovine genes are like an animal-derived processing aid. By definition, the use of a processing aid sourced from animals to make a food means that food is not vegetarian or vegan.
Cow’s Milk Allergy from Animal-Free Whey
You may think that if the bovine gene-derived whey was called “non-animal” or “animal-free” whey, people with cow’s milk allergies would not have an allergic reaction to it. But in reality they may.
For example, the company Perfect Day states on its website: “People with a milk allergy can still have an allergic reaction to animal-free whey protein and should avoid it just as they would avoid cow’s milk.”
So, there is something about all forms of whey that is allergenic, no matter if it’s produced in a fermentation vat or comes straight out of a cow. That “something” is obviously connected to it coming from a cow. It may be confusing, then, to refer to bioengineered whey by the term cow-free.
The name “non-animal whey protein” suggests the bioengineered whey is different from cow’s whey, potentially leading people to think it would not cause an allergic reaction. This is an assumption that could be problematic for some people.
Precision Fermentation Using Plant Genes
You may be wondering if anyone has tried precision fermentation using plant genes. The resulting genetically engineered ingredients would be vegan. There are companies innovating with precision fermentation in this way. They focus on whey and casein, the two animal proteins most commonly manufactured by precision fermentation.
Note: The VRG reached out to the companies profiled here through email and phone twice over a month’s time. We wanted to confirm that they use no animal genes at all in their precision fermentation. Neither responded. We asked them:
Shiru
Using machine learning and bioinformatics, Shiru searches through vast databases of plant proteins to find those possessing desirable characteristics that food companies want. Properties that eggs have are a prime example. Egg’’ ability to gel (gelation), like in jelly, or foam like in meringue, are highly prized in cooking.
Shiru says, “Our database contains hundreds of millions of proteins from plants, fungi, and algae.” Once Shiru locates a plant protein(s) possessing the desired trait, they take the genes coding for them and insert them into a microbial genome. During fermentation, the microbes produce an abundance of those proteins.
The major advantage this production method has over traditional methods of growing plants is that it’s easily scalable, and, therefore, economically viable. In most cases, plants only have a small amount of a desired protein, so it could take years or vast land areas to harvest the same amount of protein that precision fermentation could yield in a day. Traditional farming costs a lot more, too.
Shiru has partnered with Puratos to scale up their ingredients to make egg replacers, test them in baked goods, and finally commercialize the top-performing ones. Along with CP Kelco, they’re collaborating to replace methylcellulose with plant proteins that function like a fat at room temperature. Methylcellulose is used as a gelling agent and emulsifier in many foods including meat alternatives.
Currently, methylcellulose is sourced from wood and processed using harsh methods, thus may not be appealing to shoppers. So companies want to replace it with something that is plant-sourced to avoid having to list methylcellulose on their package label.
Shiru is also working on finding plant proteins with functional qualities similar to those of gelatin and casein. Then they’d sell them to companies that would like to find replacements for these ingredients.
Climax Foods
Climax Foods’ Caseed is a casein replacement which mimics the meltability and stretchability of dairy cheese. Created through “precision formulation” using plant genes selected with AI, it appears there is nothing animal involved in it.
It’s not totally clear whether Climax Foods uses precision fermentation to produce Caseed. They did not respond to us. According to their press release, they use a “deep plant intelligence platform” searching its proprietary database of non-allergenic proteins found in seeds, legumes, and plant oils for those functionally equivalent to animal and dairy proteins.
In other words, according to Climax Foods, the taste, texture, and performance of Climax Foods’ cheeses are indistinguishable from dairy cheeses as well as from cheeses made using animal genes via precision fermentation. They are different from their dairy-based counterparts in that they do not share a genetic sequence similarity to dairy-based casein. So, Climax Foods’ cheeses are non-allergenic.
The targeted proteins are extracted from the plants and scaled. Thus far, precision-formulated Caseed is cheaper than cheeses made with animal genes. The goal is to make products made with Caseed less expensive than dairy.
In April 2023, Climax Foods announced a partnership with the Bel Group to create a vegan line of Bel cheeses.
Are There Any Advantages to Precision Fermentation?
By using precision fermentation to produce food, proponents hope to eliminate all the problems associated with intensive animal agriculture including:
Critics of precision fermentation raise several points against this form of “synbio”:
Recommendations on Knowing if Precision Fermentation Used
For those that don’t want products using precision fermentation, unfortunately, you cannot necessarily tell by looking at a food product whether precision fermentation was used to make it. Labels may not be clear.
Food and beverages certified USDA Organic have not been produced using precision fermentation.
For all other foods, you must rely on companies to tell you how their food was produced. Company websites will likely not explicitly describe how all the ingredients in their foods came to be. So, you must contact them. Be clear in how you phrase your question. Keep it simple.
Here is a question template you may use:
Was the [ingredient] in your [food product] made by microbes engineered with animal genes?
If you cannot get an answer, or are unsure of its veracity, you can look for a similar product from a company that is totally transparent about how its ingredients are made.
The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own. Note that products, processes, and regulations continually change.
Support VRG research at www.vrg.org/donate or join at www.vrg.org/member
photo from Soli Grill
The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php
To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate
Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:
Blooming Lotus Bakery, 2215 E. North Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202 and 3948 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211
Features grain-free, dairy-free, processed sugar-free, and egg-free food made with nut flours and seed flours. Features breads, rolls, muffins, pies, cakes, cookies, dessert bars, and biscotti, with no added oils or fats. Samples include Cardamon Pistachio Scone, Lemon Poppyseed Muffin, Peach Blueberry Danish, Foccacia Bread, Apricot Fig Loaf, Tiramisu Bar, Cherry Pecan Chocolate Cookie with Chocolate Drizzle, and Chocolate Cashew Date Truffle. Also available are dozens of pies and cakes.
The Grain Café, 4222 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019; 10032 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; 4403 E. 4th St., Long Beach, CA 90814; 715 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach, CA 90277; and 14440 Gilmore St., Van Nuys, CA 91401
With an emphasis on natural, organic foods, and offering a diverse menu that includes pizza, crepes, and Mediterranean and Mexican dishes, there is something for everyone at The Grain Café. For those who really like to have options, you can select from The Grain Food, where you can mix and match from selections of veggies, grains/beans, plant proteins, and dressings/sauces to create a dish that is exactly what you want. Favorite crepes include the Chocolate Crepe made with chocolate mousse and strawberry and the Tropical Crepe, which includes mango, strawberries, kiwi, blackberries, and banana. You can even order a full-sized cake, choosing from flavors that include Tres Leche, Green Tea, and Berries & Almond. Considering all of these options as well as a robust beverage menu with lattes, teas, juices, and smoothies, you will want to make multiple trips to The Grain Café in order to try everything!
HAAM, 234 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
Features appetizers, salads, entrées, sides, and desserts. Non-alcoholic drinks also available. Entrées include Bake and Shark (flatbread filled with cabbage, pineapple, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and banana blossom drizzled with house-made chutneys, served with side of Mango Chow) and Curry Tofu Bowl (curry roasted tofu, sautéed bell peppers, purple cabbage, sweet plantains, and avocado served with quinoa and curry dressing).
Looking Meadow Café, 2500 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, MO 63143
Features 10-12 different baked goods daily, including fried donuts, apple fritters, quiche, zucchini bread, house made granola, and cinnamon rolls. Highlights from the lunch menu include French onion soup, a Beyond Burger patty melt, and a French-dip sandwich (seitan on bread with vegan cheese and au jus). A hearty Cobb salad features seitan and tofu, JustEgg, vegan bacon, tomatoes, and chives.
Plantees Burgers, 1030 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, FL 32803
Features burgers, fries, and shakes, plus a kale salad. Burgers include The Shroom (vegan provolone, grilled mushrooms, and truffle sauce). Sandwich option includes Deluxe Sandwich (chick’n, vegan cheese, tomatoes, pickles, and garlic sauce). Various drinks include vegan milk shakes and some alcoholic drinks.
Soli Grill, 1709 Benson Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
Lunch and dinner options include appetizers such as Poached Pear Flatbread (poached pear, vegan gorgonzola cheese, candied walnuts, arugula, and balsamic vinegar), salads, soups, sushi, tacos, sandwiches, wraps, and a number of dinner entrées such as Scallops and Chorizo (seared vegan scallops, spicy vegan chorizo, cauliflower purée, lemongrass cream sauce, and grilled asparagus) and Chicken Marsala Cassoulet (vegan chicken, marsala wine, Portobello and cremini mushrooms, and mashed potatoes). Features coffee, tea, sodas and mocktails, as well as several dessert options such as Vegan Chocolate Cake and Apple Tarte. Weekend brunch items include pancakes, waffles, French toast, and more. They also have a kid’s menu.
VeGreen Burger, Town Center Mall, 400 Ernest W. Barrett Pkwy. NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144
Located in the food court, VeGreen Burger offers a plethora of Asian-inspired fast food and American options. There are several varieties of its signature item (BBQ Pork, Teriyaki Mushroom, Beyond Meat, and more) as well as appetizers like Ginger Salad and Cream Cheese Rangoons. Some popular dishes include the Shrimp Burger, Chicken Nuggets, Drumsticks with General Tso’s sauce, Fried Kale Chips, and Crinkle Fries. The Shrimp Burger is crunchy, tender, and golden, with creamy mayo sauce and a tasty sesame bun. The Chicken Nuggets come with a sweet dipping sauce. The Drumsticks are delicious, while the Kale Chips and Crinkle Fries are fresh, hot, and crispy. There is also an array of cake cups and milk teas available. Please note that some items rotate on and off of their menu.
By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
The Vegetarian Resource Group received an email in April 2022 that asked if cow bone char processing is permissible in organic sugar production in any countries outside the United States. The writer asked specifically about sugar processing in England.
Cow bone char is the major way non-organic cane sugar is decolorized in the U.S. although other methods are becoming more common. Readers may find our 2021 article on cow bone char use in the U.S. helpful.
On the other hand, cow bone char as a processing aid is not permitted in USDA 100% certified organic cane sugar.
To find out about cow bone char in sugar processing in other countries including England, The VRG first turned to organizations that certify vegetarian and vegan food products in England.
The Vegan Society on Cow Bone Char
Since 1990, The Vegan Society has been certifying products as vegan. On their website is a list of all products from brands that they have approved. According to their Vegan Trademark Standards, this vegan certifier states: “The manufacture and/or development of the product, and its ingredients, must not involve or have involved, the use of any animal product, by-product or derivative.”
Here is our email exchange from April 2023:
The VRG: Can certified organic cane sugar in England be filtered through cow bone char to decolorize it or filter impurities and still be called vegan?
The Vegan Society: In the past, cane sugar used to be processed with bone char. It is something that still occasionally happens in the USA but is becoming less and less common. Beet sugar is generally speaking not processed with bone char and sugar grown in the UK is almost certainly not processed with bone char. Products containing sugar which are registered with our Vegan Trademark will be 100% vegan, and therefore will not use sugar processed with bone char. You can find all the vegan sugars we have registered with the trademark. Unfortunately, if a product is not registered with our Vegan Trademark, we cannot confirm that it is vegan as we have not seen a full list of ingredients and are not aware of the manufacturing process. For products not registered with us, our best advice is to contact the manufacturer directly and ask them where their sugar comes from and how it has been processed.
The Vegetarian Society of the UK on Cow Bone Char
The VRG also reached out to The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom. We wanted to know if they certify as either vegetarian or vegan products containing cane sugar that has been processed through cow bone char. This certifier offers two labels: one meeting their vegetarian standards; and the other, their vegan standards. The standards for both state that they will not certify: “any product that contains, consists of, or has been produced with the aid of products consisting of or created from, any part of the body of a living or dead animal.”
Here is our email exchange from April 2023:
The VRG: Can certified organic cane sugar in England be filtered through cow bone char to decolorize it or filter impurities and still be called vegan?
The Vegetarian Society of the UK: To check the products that are accredited by the Vegetarian Society, please follow the link here. If the product is not licensed to carry the Vegetarian Society Approved trademark, we are unable to verify its suitability for vegetarians. That does not mean the product is not vegetarian, just that we cannot confirm this. We recommend that you contact the manufacturer directly to confirm the product’s suitability for vegetarians.
The VRG: I notice on your sugar page that some products are vegetarian-approved while others are vegan-approved. I’m guessing cow bone char filtration is the reason for the difference? Here is our key question: Do you certify sugar that has been filtered by cow bone char as vegetarian or vegan? If you do not certify the products yourself, could you please connect me with the person in your organization who does?
The Vegetarian Society of the UK: We don’t accredit any sugar products that are processed with bone char. The only sugar that may be veggie-approved as opposed to vegan may be a product that uses honey or lactose as a “sugar” instead of vegan granulated/brown sugar. [VRG Note: Bolded by VSUK]
Cow Bone Char in Europe
The VRG wanted to find out if cow bone char is used to process cane sugar, either organic or non-organic cane sugar, in Europe. We started our investigation by contacting leading organic certifiers in France and Germany.
We first heard from Alessandro Pulga from Bioagricert. Here is our email exchange from April 2023:
The VRG: Can cow bone char be used to filter impurities in certified organic cane sugar in France?
Bioagricert: The adjuvants (including those useful for filtration) suitable in the transformation of organic products are listed in EU Reg. 1165/2021 ANNEX V.
The list indicates also other substances of animal origin (casein, isinglass, etc.) but NOT cow bone char. [VRG Note: Underlined by Pulga] To my knowledge, modern sugar refining techniques adopted in Europe no longer involve the use of bone char. It can be helpful to know where sugar is refined. Even if it is sold in France, the sugar may have been refined in non-EU countries. Organic certification should also protect in non-EU countries but certainly, in these cases, explicit declarations could be requested as a precaution.
The VRG: I’d like to reach out to the major sugar companies supplying Europe. Which companies do you suggest I look into? I understand they may be headquartered outside of Europe.
Bioagricert: I can suggest ASR Group, one of the main international companies. I advise you to also contact FLO and FLOCERT who certify producers of Fairtrade sugar (often it is also organic). They know all the producers in non-EU countries who also meet ethical requirements.
The VRG also received a reply from Bernhard Furtner of Control Union Certification in Germany. Here is our email exchange from April 2023:
The VRG: Can cow bone char be used to filter impurities in certified organic cane sugar in Germany?
Control Union: Organic cane sugar is not produced in Germany. Hence, I have no knowledge and we have no expertise on this matter.
The VRG: Is non-organic cane sugar produced in Germany? If so, do sugar companies use cow bone char as a filter medium? If not, what do the refineries use to decolorize it? If all of your sugar is imported, which company(ies) supply it? If you don’t know, could you direct me to someone who could help?
Control Union: Sugar cane is simply not grown in Europe. We grow beet sugar because it is adapted to European weather. Actually the European sugar demand was one of the main reasons of colonialism and slavery in the tropics and subtropic areas worldwide but mainly in the Caribic e.g. Brasil. It was Napoleon who promoted sugar production from sugar beet as a ration to the English sea blockade of Europe in war time. But now to your second question. I think today nobody uses cow bone char to a larger extent. You can try to contact the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry and Bioenergy Association. They should know everything about sugar and sugar cane.
The VRG: So you’re saying beet sugar is more commonly consumed in Europe than cane sugar?
Control Union: Yes, in Europe sugar cane is somehow “exotic” and much more expensive than beet sugar.
Cane Sugar in Europe
In Europe, most sugar is from sugar beets, not cane sugar. Here’s a graph that illustrates this point:
The European Commission states on its website:
“The European Union is the world’s leading producer of beet sugar, with around 50% of the total amount. However, beet sugar represents only 20% of the world’s sugar production, with the other 80% produced from sugar cane.
Most of the EU’s sugar beet is grown in the northern half of Europe, where the climate is more suitable. The most competitive producing areas are in northern France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Poland. The EU also has an important refining industry that processes imported raw cane sugar.”
As The VRG previously reported, sugar beet processing never involves cow bone char. Only cane sugar may have been filtered through cow bone char.
So, if you are in Europe, it’s most likely that the sugar you buy and the sugar in European-made food products is from beet sugar. Cow bone char use is not a concern in most of organic or non-organic sugar grown in Europe. When in doubt, contact the sugar manufacturer. Have brand name and lot number ready so the bag of sugar you’re holding or considering buying can be looked up easily.
USDA vs. EU Organic Standards: Cow Bone Char
In 2012, after three years of deliberation, the United States and the European Union (EU) agreed that their organic labels would be equivalent. In other words, a product with a USDA Organic label sold in Europe would be considered as meeting European organic standards, and vice versa.
Then in 2020, the EU announced they would reconsider this equivalence because of stricter standards they plan on incorporating into their organic rules and regulations. The U.S. and the EU have until 2025 to reach an agreement.
However, when it comes to the use of cow bone char in cane sugar processing, The VRG noticed a key difference between the U.S. and the EU regulations. It involves the use of the term activated carbon and the sources used to make it.
How Are Activated Carbon and Cow Bone Char Related?
Although cow bone char is not, strictly speaking, the same thing as activated carbon, they are very similar. Cow bone may be used to produce activated carbon. When cow bone is heated at high temperatures under strict conditions, it becomes cow bone char (like charcoal). So, cow bone char may also be called activated charcoal which is another name for activated carbon. Coconut shells, wood, or coal can also be used to produce activated charcoal.
Thus, for instance, The VRG discovered in 2021 that ASR Group, a major global sugar refiner, may use animal bone for its activated charcoal, which it sometimes refers to as biochar or natural charcoal. In 2012, we reported that Australia uses coal to make its activated charcoal.
USDA vs. EU Regulation Terminology: Activated Carbon
First, it is true that cane sugar carrying the USDA organic label has not been processed through cow bone char.
The U.S. regulation reads: § 205.605 Nonagricultural (nonorganic) substances allowed as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as “organic” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)).”
This regulation means that activated charcoal is permitted as a processing aid in organic foods if it is derived from plant sources (for example, coconuts husks).
On the other hand, the EU Organic regulations do not specify the allowed source(s) for activated carbon as a processing aid in organic food products.
ANNEX V Authorised products and substances for use in the production of processed organic food and of yeast used as food or feed
SECTION A2 – PROCESSING AIDS AND OTHER PRODUCTS, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR PROCESSING OF INGREDIENTS OF AGRICULTURAL ORIGIN FROM ORGANIC PRODUCTION
Activated carbon
(CAS-7440-44-0)
We know that these two sections of the U.S. and EU regulations are talking about the same thing (processing aids). Further, we know they are both talking about the same substance because the CAS numbers – unique, numeric identifiers used to designate only one substance – are the same in both regulations: CAS-7440-44-0.
Note that only the wording is different: activated carbon vs. activated charcoal. But as described in the previous subsection, activated carbon and activated charcoal are synonymous. The terms may be used interchangeably. More relevant for this article, they both may refer to cow bone char.
Based on these regulations, if you’re in a EU-member country and see an organic label from an EU-member country on a bag of cane sugar, you cannot assume that it has not been processed through cow bone char, despite the supposed equivalence of the USDA and EU labels as noted above. However, all European sources we spoke with – cited in this article – stated cow bone char is not used in Europe anymore in cane sugar processing.
Follow-up with Pulga of Bioagricert
Recalling from a previous section in this article featuring the transcript of The VRG’s email exchange with Pulga of Bioagricert, Pulga stated that EU regulations do not permit the use of cow bone char as a processing aid.
While it is true that the term cow bone char does not appear in the regulation, we noticed that activated carbon does. Use of activated carbon as a processing aid is permitted in organic foods. We asked Pulga to comment on this. Here is our exchange:
The VRG: You stated that EU regulations don’t permit bone char in organics…It seems organic sugar MAY be processed with cow bone char in the EU. Only if activated carbon is used to include bone char. Activated carbon is listed.
Pulga: The European organic regulation only admits vegetable carbon for use as an additive, activated carbon (vegetal or animal) is allowed as an adjuvant. Following past problems with mad cow disease is now increasingly of vegetable origin. In any case we ask for this declaration for our vegan certification scheme. In any case, [my contact] confirmed to me that SRB and most of the other sugar producers in the world can easily provide declarations about the non-use of adjuvants of animal origin. [VRG Note: Underline is Pulga’s]
So is there the permissibility of cow bone char as a processing aid in European organic cane sugar production?
A complete answer turns on the meaning of adjuvant. Clearly, cow bone char is not an adjuvant in the sense of an additive to sugar. However, if adjuvant is used to refer to a processing aid, then cow bone char could be permitted.
European Commission on Cow Bone Char in Organic Cane Sugar
The VRG reached out to the European Commission who wrote the organic standards for more clarification on cow bone char as an allowable adjuvant, but received a general reply that did not answer our question. For the record, here it is:
“Every country in the European Union appoints a ‘competent authority’ who is ultimately responsible for making sure that EU organics rules are followed. Usually these are either a department of agriculture or a department of public health.
This competent authority can delegate its role to:
Regardless of the system chosen, the competent authority is ultimately responsible for auditing the inspection system within its own area of responsibility.
Once a year, EU countries report to the European Commission on the results of the controls carried out on organic operators and on the measures taken in case of non-compliance.
Organic farming information system (OFIS)
The OFIS database contains ingredient authorisation and information on control authorities and control bodies.
The European Commission supervises EU countries to ensure that they fulfill their responsibilities. This helps build consumer trust, as EU consumers know that organic goods will have been rigorously inspected regardless of which EU country they originated in.
We invite you to visit this webpage to get more information.”
Bioagricert and Cow Bone Char
Taking the advice of the European Commission, The VRG analyzed Bioagricert’s organic standards, considering Bioagricert as an example of a “control body.”
Interestingly, cow bone char does not appear in the Bioagricert standards, even in the list of filtration aids that are excluded: “filtration aids with gelatin, egg white (from battery farms), fish glue or cases derived from shells or crabs.” [VRG note: This list is likely for filtration aids in wine production.] The rules for “the preparation of vegetarian products” state “products containing ingredients derived from meat or bones” are excluded. Apparently, cow bone char would be excluded.
For vegan products, the terminology gets closer to a reference to cow bone char. Coals of animal origin are listed as non-compliant substances. So, again, cow bone char could not be used in the processing of organic cane sugar.
However, Bioagricert regulations also states: “IT IS FORBIDDEN to use any substance, ingredient, additive or adjuvant or derivative of animal origin or which entails for its attainment procedures which provide, directly or indirectly, the sacrifice and/or mistreatment of animals.” Since cow bones used to make char are derived from “cattle that have died naturally in Brazil, India, Morocco, Nigeria, and Pakistan” as The VRG reported previously, this prohibition would not apply to the use of cow bones for activated charcoal production in cane sugar processing.
How Common is Cow Bone Char in Cane Sugar Refining around the World?
In a 2012 article, The VRG reported that cane sugar is decolorized by activated carbon derived from coal in Australia.
Experts in England, France, and Germany interviewed for this article believe that cow bone char is not used in Europe today.
To confirm this, The VRG contacted cane sugar refiners around the world. We reached out to sugar refining companies in eight countries, and received replies from four of them. This is what we learned:
Canada’s Redpath: “We do not use animal products or by-products in our refining process for sugar, so Redpath Sugar products are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.”
Italy’s SRB: “Sugar extraction techniques have not included the use of cow bone char. It is a technological practice that has become obsolete practically all over the world.”
UK’s Tate & Lyle: “We do not use bone char in the processing of our sugar products.”
Portugal’s Sidul Açúcares: “We don’t use bone char in our sugar refining process in Portugal.”
The VRG also contacted FLOCERT in Costa Rica. They certify fair trade products. Here is our email exchange:
The VRG: Can cow bone char be used to filter impurities in FLOCERT-certified organic cane sugar?
FLOCERT: If the cow bone char is used in the process but it is not part of the ingredients, there is no need to report it.
The VRG: Is there any company that you certify (no need to reveal their identity) that uses cow bone char in their sugar processing?
FLOCERT: We don’t certify cow bone char or any animal product. You can verify our certified products here. However, it is possible that a company uses cow bone char or any animal-derived product in their process or ingredients. Please find how Fairtrade manage the mark in the products and the ingredients here.
The VRG Recommendations on Avoiding Cow Bone Char Processing in Cane Sugar
Based on our multi-year investigations, here are some recommendations to ensure your sugar is cow bone char-free:
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: For those who want to make the extra effort for issues around processing, we hope this information may be helpful. For others who are not at that point, don’t let issues like this get in the way of worrying about the macro issues that are important to you. Either way, we find it interesting how complicated food is in today’s world and how hard it is to really know company processes and regulations. Without putting barriers in front of individuals and food companies, we do advocate there will always be as much disclosure as possible, so individuals will be able to make their own decisions and choices within their needs and beliefs.
The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own. Also be kind when asking questions.
To support VRG research, donate at www.vrg.org/donate
Or join at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php
photo from Bambi Vegan Tacos
The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php
To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate
Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:
Bambi Vegan Tacos, 1725 I St., Sacramento, CA 95811
This Mexican-fusion restaurant is a completely vegan taco joint with a vivacious and welcoming atmosphere. They make every meal from scratch, using the freshest vegetables they can find. You can be sure when ordering from Bambi Vegan Tacos that you aren’t ordering anything processed. They offer tacos, starters, and plenty of other delicious small plates. In addition to excellent vegan food, Bambi also has a full bar ready to make your favorite cocktail, while also offering innovative drinks with adaptogens and other herbal and non-alcoholic ingredients. They have seasonal specials that include pineapple upside-down cake, banana peanut butter cupcakes topped with vegan bacon bits, and zesty avocado verde salsa. Find them on Instagram @bambivegantacos.
Black Leaf Vegan, 335 West 9th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202
Growing from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar that was awarded one of 50 business grants for small businesses led by Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, Black Leaf Vegan’s story is as big and bold as its flavorful menu items. With options of breakfast items, classic American comfort foods, and smoothies, there will be something to suit whatever you may be craving. Start your day with a hearty bagel breakfast sandwich of bacon or sausage, egg, and cheese (yes, all vegan), or go a little lighter with avocado toast or an oatmeal cup made with oat milk and sweetened with agave and maple syrup. Lunch and dinner options include the Crab-less Crab Cake made from a base of chickpeas, heart of palm, and
vegetables, and the Guac Burger, served not only with guacamole but also their classic teriyaki BBQ sauce. And any time of day would be a great time for the Apple Pineapple Smoothie (a blend of apple, pineapple, and strawberry), or perhaps their Vita Verde Smoothie (a naturally sweet blend of spinach, dragon fruit, pineapple, and lemonade).
Buddy’s Steaks, 4255 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97215
Buddy’s Steaks specializes in vegan Philly Cheesesteaks, sandwiches, hoagies, and more! Its outdoor counter service building is located in the alley, right across from Mt. Tabor Veterinary Care on SE Belmont St. Customers rave about Buddy Steaks’ friendly service, and highly recommend their vegan mozzarella sticks! Their special is “The Spicy Daddy Meal,” a Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak (vegan) with hot pepper provolone and peppers with a side of fries, but you can’t go wrong with their classic and popular vegan Cheesesteak with plant based steak and sautéed onions. While their vegan cheese is made with cashews, they offer cashew free versions by request for allergies. For dessert, they serve vegan “Irish Potatoes,” a Philadelphia sweet made with Coconut cream balls covered in cinnamon and cocoa.
Cena Vegan, 456 Elm Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802
Initially inspired to become vegan due to health concerns, the husband and wife duo behind Cena Vegan have opened in Partake Collective, a kitchen dining hall in the East Village. What started as an effort to develop homemade seitan in order to serve a large group on a low budget has flourished into a full menu of authentic, vegan Mexican street food, including the Big Vegan Burrito, whose name says it all—filled with house-made plant proteins, rice, beans, cashew crema, and a choice of salsa. For a lighter option, there’s the Burrito Bowl—same great burrito filling, minus the tortilla. The Taco Barbacoa is simmered in a rich adobo—and is gluten-free. And for those who can’t decide, the Taco Trio or the Four Taco Plate may be a good choice—sharing with others is optional. There are a variety of sides (beans, rice, chips) to round out the meal, plus traditional drink offerings, including Horchata and Watermelon Agua Fresca.
Mora Pizza, 911 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80218
Owned and operated by a third-generation pizzaiolo, this Brooklyn-style pizzeria offers New York-inspired dishes such as subs, pastas, pizzas, calzones, and stromboli. The menu consists of plant-based takes on classics such as plain cheese and white-sauce slices while also offering unusual pizza-fied mashups like Birthday Cake, Peach Pie, and S’Mores. Some of their most beloved pizza creations are Chicken Parm, Meatball Parm, Buffalo Chickn with ranch, and Philly Cheesesteak. For these, the crust was reported as being perfectly crisp on the outside, with just the right density and mix of light sweetness on the inside. Mora Pizza is located inside a shared kitchen space and can therefore be easily overlooked. The pizzeria space is small and has a few tables for dining. Make sure to call ahead to order, as preparation times can vary.
Tacos Veganos, 3301 E. Indianschool Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018
Enjoy authentic Mexican vegan street style tacos, loaded nachos, quesadillas, breakfast burritos, horchata, and more. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available.
World Party Pizza, 520 Shepherd Dr., Ste. 10, Garland, TX 75042
World Party Pizza is located right off of Forest Lane, just a block away from Hollobaugh Park. They serve vegan pizza, salads, pastas, and decadent desserts all available for pick-up or delivery! Some of their menu items include the “Texas Bar-B-Q Chick-N Pizza” made with their house-made chipotle BBQ Sauce, nut- and soy-free vegan mozzarella, soy chicken, and red onions, and their “Impossibly Cheesy Lasagna.” If you’re gluten intolerant. Their salad menu includes the “The Holy Bowler” made with spinach, pear tomatoes, quinoa salad, broccoli and more served with a side of balsamic vinaigrette, and they also serve a gluten-free chocolate lava cake.
By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
A growing body of research shows that a vegan diet has a substantially lower ecological (or environmental) footprint than a meat-based or even a vegetarian diet. For a recent review, see our article from 2021.
Adding to the evidence in favor of plant-based diets is a 2022 article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Michael Clark and colleagues. In this blog post, The VRG offers article highlights, pros and cons, and suggested ways you can use this information in your daily life. (Note: For other comments, please see Reed Mangels’ post on this article.)
Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 food products: Article Highlights
Here’s a summary of the major conclusions from this research.
Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 food products: Pros of Article
Here are some pros of the article:
Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 food products: Cons of Article
Here are some points we hope the authors will consider for future work on this topic. The VRG reached out to the researchers with questions related to these points, but did not yet receive a reply.
Restricted number of environmental metrics. Although the list is long of what the authors could have chosen, inclusion of differences in pesticide use and deforestation rates to produce certain foods will enhance knowledge of the specific environmental costs to produce some foods. Although these costs might be embedded in the chosen parameters, delineating it further may influence someone’s decision to purchase certain foods as well as call needed attention to the food category as environmentally damaging in those ways. For instance, since palm oil production necessitates mangrove forest destruction, foods containing ingredients derived from palm oil should receive higher environmental impact scores compared to foods that don’t use palm oil-derived ingredients.
How You Can Use the Information from Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 food products
The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own
Steve Blake, Doctor of Science, Nutritional Biochemistry
By Steve Blake, Doctor of Science, Nutritional Biochemistry
We cannot reverse type 2 diabetes by only restricting sugar and using medications. Clearly, this has not worked: 37 million Americans have diabetes and 96 million have pre-diabetes. The cause of type 2 diabetes is not just too many fast-releasing “carbs.” Diabetes can result from insulin resistance due to excess dietary saturated fats that keep sugar in the bloodstream.[i]
Let’s think about what happens when we eat a sweet dessert. When a lot of glucose (sugar) hits our bloodstream, we feel energized! This excess sugar must be removed from the blood to prevent damage to our blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and brain.
In our pancreas, we have beta cells that produce insulin when blood sugar is high. The insulin then travels to cells and locks onto insulin receptors. This triggers the cells to take sugar out of the bloodstream. The excess sugar is quickly gone from the blood and goes into our cells and all is well—if we do not have insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when insulin in the bloodstream does not effectively lower blood glucose.
Insulin also tells liver cells to stop making blood sugar. When the liver also has insulin resistance, increased from excess dietary saturated fats, the liver cannot “see” the insulin and continues putting sugar into the blood. This contributes to high fasting blood sugar. Fasting blood sugar is measured before breakfast in the morning or many hours after a meal.
Excess dietary saturated fats create insulin resistance that keeps blood sugar high. In one study, after eating one breakfast high in saturated fats, blood glucose increased by 55%—from an average of 130 mg/dL to an average of 201 mg/dl.[ii] A high saturated fat diet can increase insulin resistance in just 3 days.[iii] In just one day of eating excess saturated fats (42 grams), whole body insulin resistance was created in all subjects. Insulin resistance persisted overnight and was relieved by one day on a low saturated fat diet.[iv] A breakfast with 30% of calories from saturated fat (versus a healthy 6%) in 100 students raised blood sugar 50% (77 to 118 mg/dL) in just four days, even though the dietary sugar went up only 7%.[v] Women were given less than half a cup of heavy cream as a source of saturated fats (25 grams). Insulin resistance was increased in all women.[vi]
The main sources of excess saturated fat for many people are cheese and butter. A study followed over 7,000 people for 6 years. Those who ate more saturated fat from butter, cheese, and meat doubled their risk of diabetes (hazard ratio 2.19).[vii] Many people get excess saturated fats from meat. Meat increased diabetes risk in women 26% per serving, and processed meat increased diabetes risk 73% per serving.[viii]
Many vegan food products are made with coconut oil. Coconut oil is made up of about 90% saturated fats. The three most dangerous saturated fats are lauric acid, myristic acid, and palmitic acid—these make up 65% of coconut oil. Unlike short-chain saturated fatty acids, these fatty acids increase the risk of insulin resistance in diabetes, as well as increasing risk of cardiovascular disease. One way that these three saturated fats increase risk of diabetes and heart disease is through their effect on cell membranes which results in fewer locations for insulin receptors and for receptors for low-density lipoproteins (LDL). This leads to higher levels of blood glucose and LDL-cholesterol.
How much saturated fat is too much? The American Heart Association recommends that less than 6% of calories be obtained from saturated fats. This comes out to 12 grams of saturated fat daily on an average 1,800 calorie diet. This maximum of 12 grams per day is not always easy to achieve even on a plant-based diet. Healthy foods like avocados, chocolate, and nuts can easily contribute 4 or 5 grams of saturated fat daily. One raw food diet I analyzed contained 15 grams of saturated fat in a day, mostly from nuts and seeds. This diet had 2,274 calories, so the 6% limit was 15 grams. Even a single tablespoon of coconut oil contributes 11.2 grams of saturated fat.
One way that excess saturated fats increase blood sugar is by reducing the number of insulin receptors in cell membranes by up to half. With fewer receptors for insulin, blood sugar stays higher. This leads to more oxidative damage and less energy production for muscles, thinking, and other needs. Cell membranes with excess saturated fats have fewer places for insulin receptors. Also, insulin receptors are broken up and fewer of these insulin receptors are created with higher dietary saturated fats.[ix]
Higher dietary saturated fatty acids interfere with the signaling between the insulin receptor and the glucose transporter-4. Glucose transporter-4 is needed to get blood out of the bloodstream and into the cell. This reduces the amount of blood sugar that can enter the cell and increases the risk of high blood sugar.
Excess saturated fats can kill off beta cells that make insulin. Animal fats, the chief source of saturated fats in American diets, increase circulating levels of free saturated fatty acids. The beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas can die off when there are excess free saturated fatty acids (30-60% decrease in beta cells). There are then fewer beta cells to make insulin.[x] It is easier to reverse diabetes before too many beta cells are damaged. Even though many beta cells can no longer make insulin, by reducing saturated fat and excess calories, some beta cells can become active again and make insulin.[xi]
The damage to blood vessels, eyes, the brain, and kidneys from high blood sugar in diabetes is largely caused by free radical oxidation. High blood sugar can damage proteins in the blood—including hemoglobin. The leading measure of diabetes is glycated (sugar-damaged) hemoglobin (HbA1c). Eating lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, and beans helps provide antioxidants to protect us. Whole fruit, but not fruit juice, reduces risk of diabetes[xii] while protecting against oxidative diabetes damage. Glycemic load measures how much a serving of a food will raise blood sugar. Those foods with a glycemic load under 10 raise blood sugar little. Berries are low in glycemic load (strawberries are 3.6) and have lots of antioxidants. Nuts and seeds provide antioxidant vitamin E to protect us.
Even with low saturated fat, we need to avoid fast carbohydrates, like white flour, white rice, and sugar. Brown rice or steel-cut oats are examples of “slow” grains that can be included. Beans provide nice slow-releasing carbohydrates to keep blood sugar stable. Fiber from whole plant foods is helpful to slow the release of sugar from foods into the bloodstream.
Dietary fats can be helpful or harmful. Flaxseed powder contains the essential omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid. This can help with blood sugar control. Trans fats are to be avoided and are even worse than saturated fats. Although industrial trans fats are largely banned in the United States, they are still used in many other countries. Did you know that trans fats are found in beef and cheese as well as in some processed foods?
We can improve our ability to reduce high blood sugar levels. We need to reduce meat, cheese, and other sources of high amounts of saturated fat. We need antioxidants from berries and other low glycemic load fruits, along with vegetables, beans, and nuts. We need this approach to avoid and reverse diabetes.
Diabetes Breakthrough: The Key to Insulin Resistance by Steve Blake. Also see my textbook Fats and Oils Demystified to learn more about fats and oils. Each is available for $9.95 for the e-book version at https://drsteveblake.com/index.html .The scholarly paper, How excess dietary saturated fats induce insulin resistance, is free at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID3959396_code4470654.pdf?abstractid=3959396&mirid=1.
[i]Blake SM and Rudolph D. How excess dietary saturated fats induce insulin resistance. Int J Transl Sci. 2021 Nov 9;1(1):104.
[ii]Koska J, Ozias MK, Deer J, Kurtz J, Salbe AD, Harman SM, Reaven PD. A human model of dietary saturated fatty acid induced insulin resistance. Metabolism. 2016 Nov 1;65(11):1621-8.
[iii]Bachmann OP, Dahl DB, Brechtel K, Machann J, Haap M, Maier T et al. Effects of intravenous and dietary lipid challenge on intramyocellular lipid content and the relation with insulin sensitivity in humans. Diabetes. 2001 Nov 1;50(11):2579-84.
[iv]Parry SA, Woods RM, Hodson L, Hulston CJ. A single day of excessive dietary fat intake reduces whole-body insulin sensitivity: the metabolic consequence of binge eating. Nutrients. 2017 Jul 29;9(8):818.
[v]Attuquayefio T, Stevenson RJ, Oaten MJ, Francis HM. A four-day Western-style dietary intervention causes reductions in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory and interoceptive sensitivity. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 23;12(2):e0172645.
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