TVP - OH, THE HORROR!
I have been looking into TVP (textured vegetable protein) this morning, and I came across something interesting: a rift in the Veggie community! Apparently, there is some heavy debate in some circles about whether or not it is the greatest thing on Earth, or the source of all evil including dead babies. I am actually having some trouble finding people who are not located on one side of the extreme or the other, and I never would have expected such vehement reactions on something so seemingly innocuous.
This led me to try and see what I could find out about TVP itself, including how it is manufactured, and how good for you it actually is, as a replacement for meat. Some of what I found out kind of surprised me.
First of all, there is no denying this stuff is pretty heavily processed. The very nature of TVP seems to be to offer a processed form of protein that has been packed with additives to give it some extra punch in the protein area. But the process for most products don't seem to be too bad; more or less gaining the ingredients - which can include a number of things from grains to vegetables, ect. - grinding them up, then pushing them out through a tube in a mixed product that reminds me a bit of puffed wheat.
But not all products follow by this pattern, and some is soaked in some pretty nasty stuff. According to a number of sites, such a Tofurky.org, BestFoodsList, and Rheumatic.org, there is a process that will use things like hexane (a chemical found in crude oil, specifically called a neurotoxic petrochemical solvent) to soak the TVP. Ew.
However, there seems to be a common misconception that this is common; it doesn't appear to be. Most TVP seems perfectly safe, just not good for anyone hoping to stay away from any processed foods. The manufacturing of TVP certainly isn't environmentally friendly if it is being mass produced, so you will want to check with the company you are buying from if being green is your thing. But you don't have to worry about all companies using hexane, because that seems to be relatively rare.
So, what is my opinion on TVP? If you want to use it occasionally, sure. But there are much better ways to get protein in your diet, that are more natural and have more nutritional content than this stuff seems to. I don't find it nearly as controversial as some do, either way.