Water, soy protein concentrate, reduced fat cheddar cheese (Pasteurized part-skim milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto (color), vitamin A palmitate), wheat gluten, corn oil, contains less than 2% of methylcellulose, hydrolized corn protein, wheat gluten and soy protein, salt, caramel color, cheese powder (cheddar cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), cream, salt, sodium phosphate, lactic acid), dried onions, yeast extract, natural flavor (non-meat), sesame oil, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate. Browned in corn oil. Contains: soy, milk, wheat, sesame.
As I further refine my diet and try to avoid eating processed or scientifically engineered “foods”, I’ve found that an easy way to shop is to eliminate anything with ingredients that read like something from a science experiment. What the heck is disodium guanylate anyway, and what happens to corn protein when it is hydrolized? Personally, the only “hydro” I want involved with my food is when it is washed thoroughly in water.
As you might have guessed, the list of ingredients above was from the back of a box of Boca Burgers. Amazingly, I did recognize a few of the items: soy, milk, wheat. I know what those things are! They actually sound like something you can ingest without an intravenous feeding tube. Despite the fact that I wouldn’t want to eat those things anyway because I eat a paleo diet, I’d still like to think that people would eat that stuff in a way that respects its natural form.
These burgers, if you can honestly call them that, are an offering to people who wish to delude themselves. So you think meat is bad for you, but still want to eat a burger like the rest of the world? Well here you go, a highly processed play-doh pattie that looks and tastes almost like the real thing!
Except it doesn’t, on either count. They look more like something that you would choose as an alternative to soylent green. (Spoiler Alert) Luckily, from the ingredient list above we can be sure that these burgers don’t contain any human or animal parts.
The really crazy thing is I use to eat these things. Back before I had my nutritional epiphany, I mistakenly thought that reducing my meat intake and eating vegetarian style foods would make me healthier. I really had no real knowledge to draw these opinions from, I was merely following the advertising on the packages and the health cliches that permeate our society. Fortunately, I became wiser, and learned some important lessons about food.
Food is something that invigorates and nourishes you. It makes you healthier, not weaker. Food is something that makes you feel better just from having eaten it. And, it consists of things that still bear a resemblance to what it was in nature.
Are there health benefits from Boca Burgers? At best these Boca Burgers can be considered “sustenance”; something that provides calories and some nutrients in order to sustain your life. Are Boca Burgers bad for you? These food products contain gluten, milk, and soy which contain either gut irritants, allergens, pseudo-hormones, or all of the above. Who wants to live with that?
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12 Responses to Boca Burgers Are Not Food
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I got a guy at work to stop eating those dang Healthy Choice microwave dinners simply by asking him to read the ingredient list. I told him if he could read and understand half of what was in it I would give him $5 and never say another word about them.
There’s a few phrases that help to keep you focused on eating right, one being “perimeter shopping” and “if it was made by a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, stay away.”
LOL, I like that “if it was made in a plant, stay away.” We just need to start dropping copies of Food, Inc. from planes like leaflets all over the country.
I was on a veggie-burger kick last year for a bit, thinking it was in some way healthier than what I would eat otherwise. I stopped after a while after asking myself, “Why am I eating these?” and didn’t really have an answer. I’m not a vegetarian and those things aren’t all that healthy anyways.
Sunshine burgers are healthy, delicious, and contain only recognizable ingredients.
.-= ASB´s last blog ..The Hamantaschen Massacre =-.
You can buy Organic Bocca Burgers or regular ones. The organic ones are more expensive but probably better for you. I heard they are making a new product called Bugger Burgers. LOL.
Mmmmm “bugger burgers”. I can imagine what is behind the name, and I don’t think I will be trying them anytime soon. Heheh!
[...] of my favorite posts is David’s look at how Boca burgers aren’t food. Even though I don’t eat a strict paleo diet (I run too much and need more carbs), his [...]
I came across your blog entry here when I was researching a blog I was writing about Boca Burgers, and a terrible experience my daughter had while cooking one of them. You are absolutely right. NO ONE should be eating these. So many of the so-called vegetarian companies are now owned by agri-business corporations, you have to be sure you know where the food is coming from. You really shouldn’t be buying anything from Con-Agra, or Monsanto, or Kraft that claims to be healthy. It simply is not. My latest blog about this same subject can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/29qltrs It offers a vegan recipe for a much healthier burger, and some suggestions for the vegetarian who doesn’t need to use egg and dairy substitutes.
Thank you for the comment Debra. You’re recipe looks pretty interesting, how well do the patties hold together? And you are right, the smell of Boca Burgers is pretty bad even if they aren’t putrid.
Wow, that is some gunk in that burger.
I always try to use as many natural ingredients as possible in my cooking. I’m not a huge fan of organic foods over the ‘regular’ stuff, but I do believe in no chemicals in my own cooking. I think that what you’re doing is really good and glad you have seen the light regarding the food.
You all are crazy. Boca burgers are delicious and there is nothing wrong with them. I’m sure all of the products you use are organic as well right? If you have a real job there is little time to eat organic meals everyday. You probably watched a movie like food inc. and will be on this kick until the next scare tactic movie comes out
I don’t really buy anything organic. I eat a lot of tuna fish from the can and cheap conventional vegetables like carrots and cabbage, that aren’t organic.
I also don’t make much money since I’m a writer, and choose to save up my money for things like hiking trips and such, rather than expensive premium foods. Organic is nice if you can afford it, but hardly a necessity.
How does the amount of free time you have factor into making organic meals? What a completely asinine statement.
So no, Sean, your generalizations are completely wrong.
And yes, Boca Burgers are crap.