![]() It’s also a common ingredient in laxatives and whipped cream. ![]() Some sort of gum or thickener adds springy-chewy texture, binds the ingredients together, and, Coupland suspects, “stops water seeping out before or during cooking.” In the ingredients list, you might also see methylcellulose (sometimes called maple fiber), which Zimberoff discovered is mostly derived from tree cellulose. Many include refined coconut oil, which has been chemically deodorized to remove its scent and flavor and tends to stay firm (like animal fat) at room temperature. ![]() They usually contain a fat, which helps mimic meat’s “soft and juicy texture,” Coupland says. Virtually all of them contain pea, soy, or wheat protein (usually listed as an isolate), which “makes up the solid, physical structure” of the food, says John Coupland, PhD, a professor of food science at Penn State. And Beyond’s Instagram account is peppered with celebrity endorsements highlighting its products’ nutrition facts, like the high protein content, alongside strong better-for-the-planet claims. It’s easy to see why: Impossible’s website features an image of a cracked-open, fresh-looking coconut to represent the oil in its ingredients list. And the other part, she says, is by association: products that are pitched as ethical or climate-conscious might be automatically considered nutritious, too. Part of this perception that fake meats are healthier is formed in direct contrast to beef, “which has been demonized as harmful to health and bad for the environment,” says Amy Bentley, PhD, a professor of food studies at New York University. Even though, “depending on the burger, it could be ultra-processed” and full of ingredients like fillers and additives, she explains. “The term plant-based conveys a health halo,” says Larissa Zimberoff, an investigative journalist and the author of Technically Food. Concern for our well-being is one of the biggest drivers in fake meat sales many of us think we’re healthier without any real proof of the fact.
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