Plant-based products, and especially plant-based meat alternatives, have oils added to meet the fat content that an animal product would naturally have. Due to their low cost, refined vegetable oils are mostly used, such as soybean, corn and canola oil. In the process of extraction chemical solvents are used and oil is often exposed to heat which causes oxidation and damage. So, how healthy are such foods really?

Food additives such as artificial food colours and intense sweeteners might be one of the causes of conditions such as gut permeability, IBS and hyperactivity in children. This means that it would be perhaps best to avoid them. However, with nearly 60% of foods found in a supermarket being processed or ultra-processed, this is rather difficult.

Food additives are chemical substances that are added to food to keep it fresh and enhance the colour, flavour or texture. Some are found in nature and wholefoods, however, food additives are regularly present in high amounts in processed foods. Also, some food additives are used more than others, posing questions about continuous exposure and long-term consumption.

Sugars are placed in most processed foods, and though some would think it’s because of enhancing flavor, texture or extending shelf life, the real fact is that sugar today is a very cheap ingredient. Because of this, it’s used excessively, which is seen in the current situation of our public health.

It seems that nutrition labels on the back of food products are getting longer and more complex to understand, which leaves many of us wondering — what is really in our food? Food processing and food manufacturing have brought many areas in the world out of starvation by making food items last longer and more available. But in our modern world of convenience, have we become too reliant on semi-prepared and fully processed foods, and what long-term effects might this have on our health?

A food product being “Plant-Based” sounds great, and they are often given a label or claim as being “healthy”. But what is really in these products - carbohydrates that are a part of real, whole foods or carbohydrates that are highly processed?