Plants, if eaten and not processed by in large can be generally good for you with exceptions of course. Keeping in mind how they are produced… And I am not saying ORGANIC is good for you. But what about Plant Based Foods? First two picked at complete random. Here is an example of something that many people LOVE.
KateFarms – “Organic Vegan Plant Based Nutrition Shake.”
16g Protein, 330 Calories, 20g Total Sugars, 12g Total Fat
Ingredients: Purified Water, Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Brown Rice Syrup Solids, Organic Agave Inulin, Organic High Linoleic Sunflower Oil, Organic Dutch Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin and Mineral Blend†, Organic Chocolate Flavor (Natural Flavors, Organic Cocoa Extract), Organic Flaxseed Oil, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Rosemary Extract, Organic Spectra™ Phytonutrient Blend‡.
Masked as #2 in the list is a highly processed sugar. And a terrible sugar. Not because it’s “Organic”, but that may be a contributor, but because Agave nectar when processed and called “Agave Syrup” is EXTREMELY high in fructose and is dismal for the body. 1 Then #4 is sugar again – highly processed as well. But if you notices before almost every ingredient it says “Organic” – “Organic” – “Organic” – tricks the mind to tell you that something is more healthy for you. You can see more on that here.
This is a “Plant Based Food.” You decide if it’s good for you.
Another random product. “Beyond Meat”. Great for the environment, right? But is it good for you?
Ingredients: Water, pea protein*, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, rice protein, natural flavors, dried yeast, cocoa butter, methylcellulose, contains 1% or less: potato starch, salt, potassium chloride, beet powder color, apple extract, pomegranate concentrate, sunflower lecithin, vinegar, lemon juice concentrate, vitamins and minerals (zinc sulfate, niacinamide [vitamin B3], pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin B6], cyanocobalamin [vitamin B12], calcium pantothenate). *warning of pea allergies
#2 ingredient is a highly processed yellow split pea (normally) milled into flour and is very high in sodium. #3 canola oil – trans fat, chemically made to not smell or taste, extracted by using hexane (solvent made from crude oil). #6 – Natural Flavors is bizarre, when you read what it actually is. MSG and a million other toxic and even addictive additives as approved by the FDA. 2 3
So yeah. Plant based foods – seemingly are not all they are cracked up to be. There may be a handful of products out there that are ok for you, but get me a piece of grass fed cow ANY DAY. The body processes that and there is very little waste, because our body is designed to eat ruminant animals.
We need to start listening to our bodies people.