"Modified Cellulose" - Good, bad, neutral?
Posted by CeltKat on Nov 08, 2007 · Member since Feb 2006 · 195 posts
I just discovered the existence of these meat analogs from Canada, It's All Good (www.itsallgoodfoods.com). Bryana Clark Grogan likes them and featured the "chicken" breast on her blog (http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/04/its-all-good-new-product-inspires.html). Has anyone tried these? I checked out the ingredients for a couple of their products and the only one I was unfamiliar with was "modified cellulose." From a quick Google search, I'm pretty sure this is plant derived, but is it healthy? I try to avoid most processed foods/artificial chemicals/flavors/etc, but will use analogs once in while. Thoughts on modified cellulose anyone? Or It's All Good products in general?
Hmmm... I think the same guy that invented Yves products (later selling that line), decided to make It's all good products.
I don't actually know what that is though...
Cellulose is plant fiber. Basically it's modified to make it more digestible. I don't know all about the process. They use it to bulk up the product, and it also provides a better texture, more satisifying "bite" to the analog. Not to mention filling you up better.
Fibre won't hurt you; they're always on at us about needing more of it, though of course we veg*ns have the fibre market cornered anyway... ;)
modified food starch is nothing like MSG (monosodium glutamate)... modified food starch is just starch that has been modified to make it more "thick", whereas MSG is more or less naturally occurring, just not the healthiest thing out there :)
true, but wouldn't that mean that anything that has both sodium and the amino acid glutamate have the possibility to be turned into msg either in the product or in the body? from a biochemist's point of view, i don't see how easily that could be done, but it does give me something to ask my biochem professor today ;)