— Ever since I first brought up the countless benefits of switching to a plant based diet nearly two years ago a lot of people have started making smarter nutrition choices. The problem, however is that not all foods are what they appear to be, and everything that goes into making them isn’t always listed on the label. To help clear up some of the confusion I have enlisted the help of my colleague, nutrition and fat loss expert, John Alvino. John has designed an incredible list of plant based meal plans that you can see HERE.
John, the first food I want to address is gelatin. Most people think gelatin is completely fine, but can you tell us where it really comes from?
Gelatin is made from the boiled bones, skins, tendons and other connective tissues of animals. I know this sound gross but, hey, YOU asked! Gelatin can be found in Jell-O, many candies, marshmallows, desserts, and breath mints (such as Altoids), to name a few. There are many other foods containing gelatin. Make sure to read labels carefully.
Is there an alternative substance?
You bet there is! One great alternative is called Agar-Agar, which is derived from a particular sea vegetable. Agar-Agar is sold in noodle-like strands or in powdered form and is usually white-ish in color.
Some other vegan alternatives are guar gum and carrageenan. These are thickening agents that work just as well as gelatin. All of these options are readily available and I suggest you give them a try.
Check out John’s complete plant based meal plans here.
Although cheese is not vegan, most people think it is vegetarian. Is this right?
This is not necessarily the case. A substance named rennet is traditionally used as a coagulating agent during the cheese-making process. Rennet is derived from the digestive juices of slaughtered calves. Rennet, like gelatin, is a common food additive in foods that are considered “vegetarian”, but really aren’t.
Can you find cheese that doesn’t contain rennet?
Yes you can! There are a growing number of companies that use vegetable enzymes or microbial enzymes to make their cheese products. These cheeses taste delicious and are becoming easier and easier to find. I know that as more people become aware of this and lean more towards a plant based diet, all the cheese manufacturers will follow suit and provide vegetarian alternatives to rennet.
I’m sure a lot of people will find this information very eye opening. Thanks for sharing it with us, John.
To get a hold of John’s complete plant based meal plans, click here.
Jason Ferruggia
Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Chief Training Adviser, Men’s Fitness Magazine
Author, Media Spokesperson, Consultant
