Working together to improve health
The health aspect is an incredibly complex area and as part of this, we at SimSuFoodS collaborate with several players in the industry, such as Chalmers University of Technology, where we plan to evaluate digestibility (digestibility of proteins) from different raw materials, as well as how iron absorption can be improved.
FREE FROM ADDITIVES
SimSuFoodS products are completely free of additives such as preservatives, stabilizers and flavor enhancers.
The dishes prepared with our products are cooked at lower temperatures and pressure compared to meat-like textured products, reducing the risk of unwanted side reactions that can cause substances harmful to the body.
IMPROVED HEALTH
High consumption of red meat and meat products can increase the risk of cancer. Compared to vegetarian diets, animal diets contain higher levels of saturated fats, which are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Increasing the amount of plant proteins in the diet therefore offers the potential for a number of health benefits.
When increasing the proportion of plant-based diets, it is extremely important not to lose sight of the nutritional perspective. Here are a few things that are important to know and keep in mind
AMINO ACIDS
Proteins are made up of amino acids and some amino acids, known as essential amino acids, cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from the diet.
Vegetable raw materials individually usually do not contain the essential amino acids in sufficient quantities, but together they complement each other. SimSuFoodS products contain proteins from both cereals and legumes, which gives rise to this complementary effect.
MINERALS
Our body is completely dependent on minerals such as iron, zinc, phosphorus, calcium and others to function.
Bioavailability, i.e. the ability of the body to absorb a mineral from a consumed food, differs between different foods. Absorption is also affected by other parts of our diet. For example, caffeine impairs our absorption of iron.
The bioavailability of minerals in vegetable raw materials can be increased by various pre-treatments such as soaking, sprouting, fermentation and acidification.
PROTEIN QUALITY
The term 'complete protein' does not simply mean that all essential amino acids are present. Almost always, all the amino acids are present, but one or more of the essential amino acids are present in insufficient quantities for the protein to be optimally absorbed.
Sometimes the Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PCDAAS) or the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) is mentioned in connection with complete protein (FAO/WHO 1990; FAO 2013). Both PCDAAS and DIAAS are measures of protein quality where, in addition to the content of amino acids, consideration is given to how well they are digested, i.e. metabolized in the body.
Most animal foods are of high protein quality. Two foods with low protein quality can be combined to provide a higher protein quality. Supplementing a vegetarian meal consisting of rice and vegetables with a very small amount of fish, eggs, or meat increases the protein quality of the meal.
JÄRN
Globally, iron deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency, which has also been recognized as an increasing problem among young women in Sweden.
There are two different types of iron, heme iron and non-heme iron, where the bioavailability of non-heme iron is lower than that of heme iron. Vegetable foods contain exclusively non-heme iron and the bioavailability is also more affected by other substances.
For example, co-consumption of vitamin C, fish and meat can improve the absorption of non-heme iron, while substances such as polyphenols (found in e.g. tea, some herbal teas, coffee, wine) and phytic acid (found in fiber-rich foods such as cereals, legumes and nuts) can reduce absorption.