Which Garden Is My Burger From?
Posted by: owleyes333 / Category: Environmental Science BIO 36, food, gardenburgersAs curious humans, we often ask large, philosophical questions like "Where do we come from?" Though, how often do we take some time to look at the things we consume on a day to day basis and ask "Where does THIS come from?" For this blog assignment, I am take a simple product - a Gardenburger Veggie Medley Patty, to be precise - and dissecting it. Honestly, I am super curious to find out what it is I am actually eating.
| Picture courtesy of Gardenburger http://www.gardenburger.com/product.aspx?id=11631 |
- cooked brown rice (brown rice, water)
- broccoli
- water
- carrots
- onions
- whole kernel corn
- rolled oats
- brown lentils
- red bell peppers
- green bell peppers
- oat fiber
- ground flaxseed
- 2% or less of canola oil
- onion juice concentrate
- salt
- methylcellulose
- natural flavors
- soy sauce (fermented soy beans, salt)
- autolyzed yeast extract
- hydrolyzed wheat gluten
- evaporated cane juice
- spices
- caramel color
- garlic powder
- yeast extract
- onion powder
- soy lecithin
That's a shit load of stuff, if you will excuse my French. Good news? It seems like a lot of good, healthy stuff is found in it, but to be honest, its the big chemical-looking words that freak me out. I have no idea what "autolyzed" and "hydrolyzed" means, let alone "methylcellulose." So let's look this stuff up.
Brief Chemical Definitions:
Autolyzed yeast: A form of "live" yeast combined with salt.
Hydrolyzed: A compound broken down by a chemical reaction to water.
Methylcellulose: A chemical compound formed from cellulose.
Once they are broken down, they do not seem too bad. But where does it all come from? These ingredients did not magically appear in this veggie patty I'm eating. There's no "veggie fairy" which comes and leaves ingredients in my freezer every night. So where does the company get all of this stuff?
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| Picture courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plans/vegetable/heritage-vegetable-garden/ |
Where do the Veggies Come From?
After my research, I could not find the exact location of any farm that gave the company its ingredients, but I have found that the ingredients included in the patty are all grown within the US, gathered, and sent to the Gardenburger distribution center in Battle Creek, Michigan. And although being unable to find this portion of information was disheartening, I was rather delighted to find something else.
Apparently the Gardenburger company is very involved in communities, and they take the time to visit local farmers' markets around the country to show others how to cook and eat healthily. They even share tips about sustainable gardening and give money to those gardens with a strong sense of community, sustainability, and progressiveness.
So... Is it Healthy?
Yes! And its probably one of the healthiest things I eat! Gardenburgers are veggie patties that are made with real, natural ingredients. Being that they are a forward thinking, sustainable-driven company, they try to keep their ingredients as clean and natural as possible.
Now, I cannot guarantee that the Gardenburger will still be healthy in any recipe, because it is always possible to make something unhealthy. But, if you use healthy cooking tips and you keep it simple (and refrain from using a shitload of ketchup like I do) then you can definitely count on it being a much, much healthier option than a burger made of beef.
In Conclusion...
This was a very enlightening experience. I enjoyed taking the time to think about where my food comes from - but then again, if I chose to dissect something much more unhealthy, I am sure I would not come to the same conclusion. And, reading up on Gardenburger's community gardens, it has encouraged me to be more productive myself. I do not think I am ready to take care of my own plant successfully, but I do think I am ready to start experimenting with healthy cooking.
Apparently the Gardenburger company is very involved in communities, and they take the time to visit local farmers' markets around the country to show others how to cook and eat healthily. They even share tips about sustainable gardening and give money to those gardens with a strong sense of community, sustainability, and progressiveness.
So... Is it Healthy?
Yes! And its probably one of the healthiest things I eat! Gardenburgers are veggie patties that are made with real, natural ingredients. Being that they are a forward thinking, sustainable-driven company, they try to keep their ingredients as clean and natural as possible.
Now, I cannot guarantee that the Gardenburger will still be healthy in any recipe, because it is always possible to make something unhealthy. But, if you use healthy cooking tips and you keep it simple (and refrain from using a shitload of ketchup like I do) then you can definitely count on it being a much, much healthier option than a burger made of beef.
In Conclusion...
This was a very enlightening experience. I enjoyed taking the time to think about where my food comes from - but then again, if I chose to dissect something much more unhealthy, I am sure I would not come to the same conclusion. And, reading up on Gardenburger's community gardens, it has encouraged me to be more productive myself. I do not think I am ready to take care of my own plant successfully, but I do think I am ready to start experimenting with healthy cooking.