From:             "Henry Grabowski" 
To:               "Susan Grabowski" 
Subject:          http://www.drmcdougall.com/Newsletter/july_aug5.html
Date sent:        Fri, 4 Sep 1998 07:01:27 -0400

Article about veggie burgers  McD newsletter July/Aug 1998


VEGGIE BURGERS

The best accepted meat substitute in America is the vegetarian
hamburger pattie--they’re everywhere and there’s dozens of kinds
to choose from. On the menu of most restaurants you will find a
non-meat burger. Every supermarket and natural foods store
carries a wide variety of these burgers. Why? Because they sell
well and they are versatile. You can eat them plain or between a
bun with all the traditional condiments (mustard, onions,
ketchup, tomatoes, lettuce and relish) or you can break them up
and add them to other dishes to add a meat flavor and texture. 

But all veggie burgers are not created equal and some are tastier
and healthier than others. Unfortunately, the ones that are rated
the tastiest in magazines and newspapers are usually the
unhealthiest, because they are high in protein, fat and / or
salt, which makes them closer in taste and texture to the
original ground cow muscle burger.

To find the burger that is right for you, and hopefully that’s
going to be the healthiest one, you must be a good label reader.
The main ingredients you are looking for are vegetables, grains,
and legumes. 

Many of the popular burgers on the market have soy protein and /
or wheat gluten (protein) as their main ingredients, which makes
the burger very high in protein. Unfortunately, all this protein
increases the workload of the liver and kidneys and can cause
calcium loss through the kidneys. I would suggest, if you are
healthy (no kidney or liver disease and no kidney stones or
osteoporosis), and you like the meaty taste and texture of these
kinds of burgers that you limit them to, say, no more than 1
pattie a day on the average.

Some of the burgers have added oils which can contribute to
health problems, including obesity. One brand, Wildwood
Tofu-Veggie Burgers, are 60% fat and when you eat them the fat
will be very apparent on your plate and your hands.

Still other burgers have small amounts of animal foods, like
cheeses and eggs, added to otherwise healthy ingredients. The
purest vegans and those people who are allergic or otherwise
sensitive to these animal proteins (which are many people) will
want to read the labels and avoid these.

The Cleanest Vegetable Burgers

Advantage 10 / Southwestern Vegetable Burger (Dr. Ornish’s):
Cooked rice, roasted bell peppers, kidney beans, green beans,
carrots, vital wheat gluten, etc. Protein 23%.

Fantastic Nature’s Burger: Vegetables, barley, oats, brown rice,
red wheat, wheat gluten, lentils, etc. Protein 23%.

Garden Burger’s Garden Vegan: Water, brown rice, vital wheat
gluten, bulgur wheat, onions, mushrooms, natural spices,
autolyzed yeast, olive oil, etc. Protein 31%.

Lightlife Barbecue Marinated Grills: Organic rice soy tempeh,
brown rice, water, etc. Protein 33%.

Yves Garden Vegetable Patties: Water, vegetables, organic brown
rice, organic rye, textured soy protein, etc. Protein 31 %.

 High Protein

Garden Burger Hamburger Style: Water, soy protein, etc. Protein
71%.

Morningstar Farms Better’n Burgers: Water, Textured soy protein
concentrate, etc. Protein 63%.

The Original Boca Burger: Protein from soy with purified water,
vegetarian flavors, vegetable fiber, etc. Protein 57%.

White Wave Chick’nBurger: Water, wheat gluten, brown rice, bean
flour, dehydrated vegetables, etc. Protein 55%.

Yves Veggie Burger Burgers: Water textured soy protein, onion,
wheat gluten, etc. Protein 63%.

High Fat

Wildwood Tofu-Veggie Burgers: Wildwood tofu, nigari, etc. and
safflower oil. Protein 29%. Fat 60%.

Amy’s California Veggie Burger: Mushrooms, organic onions, bulgur
wheat, celery, carrots, oats, walnuts, potato flakes, etc. and
safflower oil. Protein 16%. Fat 27%.

Dairy, Eggs, and Oils

Amy’s Veggie Burger (Chicago"): Mushrooms, water, vegetable
protein, organic celery, carrots, oats, and bulgur, cheddar
cheese, etc. and safflower oil. Protein 24%. Fat 9%.

The Original Garden Burger: Mushrooms, brown rice, onions,
mozzarella cheese, egg whites, bulgur wheat, etc. Protein 23%.
Fat 16%.

Garden Burger Veggie Medley (fat free): Cooked brown rice, onion,
egg whites, soy cheese with milk protein, canola oil, etc.
Protein 24%.

Natural Touch Garden Veggie Pattie: Vegetables, textured
vegetable protein, egg whites, corn oil, etc. Protein 40%. Fat
23%.

    Source: geocities.com/heartland/prairie/4195

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