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TVP & Tofu Thread - THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY

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    • TVP & Tofu Thread - THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY

      In a open discussion with my son who is eating a Mac & Cheese with TVP, he surprised me with some knowledge of his that it wasn't good for him. Adding TVP to any Backpacking dish boosts the dish with a great vegetable protein. Something that is being done in third world nations to feed the poor. TVP is practically tastless - it appears to work best as an additive.

      From LIVESTRONG...

      Calories and Fat
      A 1-cup serving of prepared TVP contains 224 calories. If you adhere to a 2,000-calorie diet, the calories in a serving of TVP make up 11.2 percent of the amount you may consume daily. One serving of TVP adds 1 gram of fat to your diet, although this does not significantly contribute toward the recommended limit of 44 to 78 grams of fat per day, or 20 to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake.
      Carbohydrates and Fiber
      TVP serves as a rich source of carbohydrates: 1 serving contains 26 grams. The carbs in a serving of TVP break down to provide energy to keep your body functioning as it should, and the nutrient plays a role in the health of your brain, muscles and kidneys. You require 130 grams of carbs per day for best health. Not all carbohydrates get processed into energy, however; fiber is a carb that stays solid to influence bowel and digestive processes. A serving of TVP contains 12 grams of fiber, a significant portion of the recommended 25 to 38 grams per day.
      Protein
      One serving of TVP provides you with 32 grams of protein, making it an excellent source of this macronutrient and a good choice for vegetarians. Your diet needs 46 to 56 grams of protein daily. The protein in TVP is important for your immune system, as well as building muscles, repairing cells and tissues and producing enzymes.
      Vitamins and Minerals
      Including TVP in your diet gives you access to a rich source of potassium. One serving contains 81 percent of the daily recommended intake. This essential electrolyte is vital to the function of your heart and muscles. You will also get 35 percent of the iron you need each day in a serving of TVP. Additionally, a serving of TVP provides 16 percent of the calcium and 1 percent of the vitamin A you require daily.


      First - here is how to make it at home in bulk.

      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Wise Old Owl ().

    • Risks of Textured Vegetable Proteins:
      Imitation meat products use textured vegetable proteins as the main material. To enhance appearance, taste or other desired qualities, these products may also contain food dyes, emulsifiers, preservatives or artificial flavoring. All these additives have been found problematic.
      The use of some types of food dyes have actually been banned in Europe because of their link with hyperactivity in children and effects on the nervous system. Phosphate salts, often used as emulsifiers in food processing, can be harmful to the kidneys. Emulsifiers are necessary in processed food because they stabilize oil and water mixtures. Sodium phosphate and potassium phosphate are examples of this type of food additive. The latter is known to trigger allergic reactions.
      Nitrites are a common type of preservative for meat and imitation meat products. When sodium nitrite in food is digested by gastric juices, it can combine with amines to form nitrosamines. Certain studies have already found this type of substance to induce the formation of malignant tumors.

      Part of the process of making textured vegetable proteins, is the use of a chemical solvent called hexane. This is one of the inputs used to separate the fat content of soybeans from its proteins. Hexane is also a major component of gasoline. So far studies have shown that only trace amounts of this substance are found in TVP products. One would need to consume an impossibly huge amount for acute symptoms to appear. Unfortunately there appears to be no research for long-term effects. Do these trace amounts of hexane eventually build up in the body?
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      I read somewhere that they used kerosene or gasoline or some kind of fuel in making TVP.
      Hexanes are significant constituents of gasoline. They are all colorless liquids at room temperature, odorless when pure, with boiling points between 50 and 70 °C. They are widely used as cheap, relatively safe, largely nonreactive, and easily evaporated non-polar solvents.


      Should we worry about trace amount of Hexane?
      Probably not, though it’s hard to know for sure. Hexane is a volatile solvent that’s used, with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, to extract oil from soybeans (as well as from nuts and olives). Most soy protein ingredients in meat analogs and nutrition bars, which are listed on labels as soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate or textured vegetable protein, have undergone hexane processing.


      If you want to avoid hexane-treated soy foods, look for “100% organic” products with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) seal, since hexane is banned in organic food production. A label that just says “made with organic” ingredients is no guarantee that all ingredients are hexane-free.Better yet, buy soy foods made from whole soybeans—such as tofu, tempeh, soy milk, and soy yogurt—since they do not typically undergo hexane processing and are generally healthier for you, too. Whole soybeans (edamame) are always a hexane-free and healthy option. Expeller-pressing and cold-pressing are physical methods to extract oils that do not involve solvents, so soy and other vegetable oils produced in this manner are also hexane-free.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup: