What?s in Your Veggie Burger?

I just came across an article in Eating Well Magazine this week talking about veggie burgers and a particular ingredient used to make them. Apparently there is a compound called Hexane which, wait for it, is a by-product of gasoline refining and it’s used to separate whole soybeans into soy oil, protein and fiber. Now you know that the majority, if any of the veggie burger eating community has no idea about this little tidbit. I’m not going to just transcribe the whole article here but it’s well worth a gander. Suffice to say that hexane contributes to excess ozone and is listed as a hazardous air pollutant. How’s that burger tasting now? Taste a little like the gas station this morning?

Here’s my two cents:

My missus is a veggie so I’ve eating my fair share of soy food, i.e. tofu and tempeh but I tend to steer clear of the processed soy products like the soy burgers, hot dogs, meats or textured soy proteins. If I can’t read the ingredients list I’m not eating it, pure and simple. For those of you who may now be asking about soy the best advice is to only buy products (burgers included) that are labeled USDA Organic. Organic producers are not allowed use hexane in the production of their food. Also, tofu and soy milk are OK as the soy protein in these doesn’t need to be separated from the soy oil and fiber.

I like to pass on these interesting food related bits to you guys so we’re all better informed. I, like you, just learned something new myself.

Cheers.