Why is hydrolyzed wheat & soy protein in everything?

I attempt to be a positive messenger with my blogs vs. delivering dooms day information. This blog is to increase more awareness regarding what is being added to our foods.


I used the pink slime picture for added dramatic effect.

What is hydrolyzed wheat & soy protein?
*Hydrolysis is basically chemical digestion on an industrial scale: the protein is dropped into a vat of sulfuric acid, boiled for several hours to over a day in order to break down the proteins, after which lye is added to raise the pH back to neutral.
*When we hydrolyze a protein down, one of the amino acids we get is glutamic acid, known as glutamate in its anionic form. And since wheat gluten in particular contains a lot of glutamine, hydrolyzed wheat protein will contain a lot of free glutamate.
*And free glutamate is the molecule that plugs into the taste receptor that stimulates our taste buds and cravings.

Why are we adding hydrolyzed wheat & soy protein to our foods?
1. Flavor enhancers: It uses the same taste receptor that’s tickled by the abundant free glutamate in soy sauce, Parmesan and Roquefort cheese, Vegemite and Marmite, fish sauce, nori, kombu, and MSG.
2. It is much cheaper than real food, because the USA heavily subsidizes the production of corn, soy, and wheat, and soy or corn will be otherwise fed to cattle.

Be cautious of these ingredients because they can be coming from GMO’d (Genetically Modified Organisms) crops. The companies who want you to be aware of GMO will include it in their ingredients as non-GMO. Below is a document to further enhance your awareness and not just your taste receptors.
Non-GMO-Shopping-Guide

Heather Fleming, Joyful Food Expert
Founder of the Conscious Nutrition Program
& Author of the Have it ALL Diet
“Click HERE to Have it ALL”