As a regular consumer of veggie burgers, a recent Mother Jones article about neurotoxins in veggie burgers got my attention (thanks for sending, Chris). Many popular brands (including Amy’s and Boca, some of my favorites) are reportedly made with hexane, an EPA-registered air pollutant and neurotoxin. Hexane is added to pull the fat out of the soybean used in the burgers and make them seem healthier.
It was kind of discouraging to see that the list of hexane-containing products was markedly longer than the list of products without it. However, what better excuse do you need to make your own veggie burgers? I found this recipe from Self for Bean & ‘Bello Burgers that looks delicious!
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check this: http://www.boingboing.net/2010/04/15/hexane-and-soyburger.html
Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me.
I have to admit, anyway, that I went to Quantum Leap last night and totally ordered a veggie burger, figuring that, well, I guess I’ve been eating hexane for years then…
For better or worse, taking a Food Science and Tech class this past semester has made me less likely to freak out about food additives, understanding their function a little better.
Still, even when these kinds of stories turn out to be nothing much to worry about, it’s yet another reminder that it really is best when you can make your own food, and that what maybe we should be focusing on is making wholesome, healthy (yet still affordable) ingredients available to more people.