MYTHS AND FACTS RELATED TO INDUSTRIALIZED PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES
The analysis of the samples of 178 PLANT-BASED beverages reveals the facts that bring down myths related to industrialized products.
MYTH: THEY ARE POOR IN NUTRIENTS
FACT: THEY ARE NUTRITIVE, THEY CONTAIN SIGNIFICANT CONTENT OF PROTEINS, FIBERS, VITAMINS AND MINERALS, IN ADDITION TO OTHER NUTRIENTS CONSIDERED AS IMPORTANT FOR HUMAN NUTRITION
- The nutritional composition can be incremented as fruits and other nutritive ingredients are mixed together
- They can contain significant quantities of nutrients
- They have the natural nutrition characteristics of the plant bases used: cereals, legumes, oilseeds, fruits and mixed bases
- They are nutritive alternatives for vegan or lactose-intolerant persons
MYTH: THEY HAVE HIGH QUANTITIES OF FAT, SUGAR, AND CALORIES PER GRAM
FACT: THE QUANTITIES OF SUGAR, FAT, AND CALORIES DEPEND ON THE FORMULATION OF RAW MATERIALS USED, BUY THEY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY AND THERE ARE PRODUCTS WITH REDUCED CONTENT OF SUGAR AND FAT, AND ALSO “ZERO-SUGAR” PRODUCTS
- The quantities of SUGAR and SATURATED FATS vary a lot according the different types
- There are versions without SUGAR additions
MYTH: THEY HAVE HIGH QUANTITIES OF SODIUM
FACT: MOST BEVERAGES USUALLY HAVE LOW SODIUM CONTENT
- The quantity of sodium used varies a lot among different brands and different types
- among the 178 products analyzed: 9.6% do not contain sodium; 33.1% have up to 40 mg and 35.4% have up to mg, in portions of 200 ml.
MYTH: THERE IS LITTLE PRESENCE OF IN NATURA FOOD
FACT: THE BEVERAGES MAIN INGREDIENTS ARE THE VEGETABLES USED
- In plant-based beverages, the natural vegetable bases predominate: cereals, legumes, oilseeds and fruits
- There are beverages that incorporate other ingredients to give body, color, flavor, among others, but in a proportionally much lower.
MYTH: THEY ARE FAKE BECAUSE THERE ARE FOOD INGREDIENTS OF INDUSTRIAL USE
FACT: THE EVENTUAL USE OF INDUSTRIAL FOOD CAN OCCUR IS NOT A RULE OF THUMB IN THE SECTOR, AND ALL OF THEM ARE APPROVED BY ANVISA (MINISTRY OF HEALTH) AS SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION
- Some companies use a large quantity of ingredients, however, other don’t
- In an industrial scale, it can be inevitable to use food raw materials in its original state, being its processing necessary. However, the processes used in the ingredients processing or extraction are developed and used in compliance with the technical and safety standards
- The ingredients of industrial use used in some products have technological purposes and are provided in the legislation that authorizes its safe use
MYTH: THEY ARE BAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS
FACT: THE NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS VARIES ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, BUT IT IS NOT AN INDICATION OF LACK OF QUALITY, HEALTH, OR SAFETY
- Some companies use a large quantity of ingredients, however, other don’t
- Using a high number of ingredients has no relation with the LOWER quality or safety of a food product. There is no scientific evidence to state that a product with 4 ingredients has a better quality and is safer than another with 5 or more ingredients
MYTH: THEY USE ADDITIVES CAPABLE TO MAKE THE PRODUCT EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE (ADDITIVE)
FACT: THE COMPANY CAN USE ADDITIVES FOR TECHNICAL OR FOOD SAFETY REASONS
- Some companies use many ADDITIVES, for technical or food safety reasons, however, other don’t
- Proportionally, additives are used in very low quantities in relation to the main ingredients
- Many analyzed products do not use THICKENERS, STABILIZERS, EMULSIFIERS, DYES, FLAVORING and PRESERVATIVES
- There are no news of the existence a plant-based beverage with “hyper-flavor”
- All ADDITIVES used in industrialized plant-based beverages manufacturing are included in the specific legislation that authorizes its safe use, being used for technical and safety reasons for the consumption products
MYTH: THEY ARE FREQUENTLY ADDED WITH AIR OR WATER
FACT: WATER IS A BASIC RAW MATERIAL FOR A PLANT-BASED BEVERAGE
MYTH: THEY ARE BAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE UNFAMILIAR INGREDIENTS NAMES
FACT: IN FACT, SOME INGREDIENTS ARE A LITTLE FAMILIAR, BUT EACH OF THEM HAS ITS PURPOSE. THIS IS ALSO NOT AN INDICATOR OF LACK QUALITY, HEALTH, OR SAFETY
- The additives use technical nomenclature, which is not familiar to many people. But the name has nothing to do with the safety or health of an ingredient
- Plant-based beverages are mainly formulated with known plant-based ingredients and widely consumed by population, such as: soybean, oat, rice, coconut, almond, etc.
MYTH: THEY USE HARMFUL MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
FACT: THE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES ARE SAFE. THE INDUSTRIES OF THE SECTOR USE QUALITY ANS SAFETY SYSTEMS IN THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION PROCESS
- Most of the processing stages and techniques do not imply in the product loss of quality or its inadequacy for consumption
- Physical processes are used in the plant-based beverages manufacturing, which are considered as “clean” technologies (Ex: ingredients mix, etc.)
- The existing processing techniques are used to preserve the beverages appearance and texture, with dedicated systems in order to ensure the products quality and safety.
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