Would this be acceptable to you?

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Replies

  • mcointreau
    mcointreau Posts: 20
    cellulose (wood) is already in a major amount of foods at the store as a cheap replacement for fibers. Not quite seeing the big difference...
  • lisapr123
    lisapr123 Posts: 863 Member
    Probably not.

    Where on the ingredient listing would this mystery-product be? If it's in the top half of the ingredient list, definitely not. If it's one of the last few ingredients (where color additives and preservatives go) I may.

    Basically, if it's made/modified in the lab....I don't want it to be a primary ingredient in what I eat.
  • nikkiworld2
    nikkiworld2 Posts: 75 Member
    I could be wrong, but isn't lignin in, or it is Flax Seed - which is good for you. If that's the case, then I don't have a problem w/it. I currently put flax seed on my cereal, in my yogurt, etc. Next time I am baking something I will add it to that as well. Flax seed helps lower cholesteral, and reduces inflamation & is good for overall health. Someone correct me if I am wrong about lignin & flax seed. Thank you.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    To be honest no. Why? I don't do diet food and I have a feeling this would be marketed as such.
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    just because something is low in calories doesnt mean it is good for you or has nutritional value

    ^ this
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    cellulose (wood) is already in a major amount of foods at the store as a cheap replacement for fibers. Not quite seeing the big difference...
    From what I could gleam about lignin in a quick search, it sounds like it would function similarly. Not digestable and just filler. The function may be mostly in texture of the product?

    It wouldn't bother me as being dangerous, but if I'm buying food I'd like to get food for my money, not fillers...

    edit: Looks like it wouldn't be in what I buy anyway since I don't do diet foods (except soda). I'd rather have real fat and enjoy it in moderation. The fake stuff is just never quite right.
  • PrincessMiriamele
    PrincessMiriamele Posts: 25 Member
    Does not bother me that it is wood. I eat other plant based items like vegetables...

    I eat cinnamon too and that is from tree bark...?
  • Anaconda62
    Anaconda62 Posts: 181
    In a word.....no, not if I realised what it was and thought about it a bit.

    I often post on the "miracle noodle" threads that I worry about the concept of "food-like-substances" with no nutritional value (yes I have read Micheal Pollan!).

    It seems that we are turning into creatures who are so obsessed with self-pleasuring (in this instance I'm talking about food!) and immediate gratification that we are prepare to pay good money for something that satisfies our desire to eat but provides us with no (or very little) nutrition.

    We feel smug because we have eaten a BIG plate of noodles or a whole pint of icecream or a jarful of chocolate spead and they have added almost nothing to our calorie intake for the day.

    This completely misses the point that calories are energy, they are fuel, they are what keeps us alive. It encourages an unhealthy relationship with food. Instead of learning about good food choices and what a reasonable sized portion looks like, we get to "cheat the system" by eating a huge portion but not getting much energy from it. It seems to me that this can only contribute to fatter, more unhealthy humans. I've read about people who are obese yet malnourished and this is exactly the kind of product to keep them that way.

    It's not that I think everyone has to eat "clean" all the time, but processing food to the point where it is barely food and the key ingredient (I'm thinking of the noodles here) has no nutitional value or energy at all.... it's just leading us in entirely the wrong direction.

    Sorry to rant at you, but this topic really pushes my buttons!
    I'd love your response to this... am I missing something critical here? Is there any research you can point me to that shows that I'm wrong? I'd love to hear it!

    Very well said. Can't add another thing to this post. My answer would also be a resounding NO.
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
    lignin can't be digested by animals. that being said, it is found in the cell walls of vascular plants. it is also present in algaes, which can commonly be used for toothpaste. however, it is resistant to degradation, I believe it is one of the last things left in a plant when a plant dies and decomposes. there are certain vitamins that just go through our system without the aid of other vitamins (calcium and vitamin d for example), but I'm not 100% certain on if there would be an effect of putting something animal enzymes don't break down into our bodies. that's probably why it's very low in calories though. but since it's found in vascular plants, I would say it's probably pretty likely we already ingest amounts of lignin to start. red algae has lignin and is used for sushi, so some people do already eat it. I'm not sure what higher doses would do on a system though.

    also, lignin IS naturally occuring, plants need it to survive. THAT being said, arsenic and asbestos are naturally occuring too.
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
    These are some common uses for lignin now.

    ligninapplications.gif
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
    Hi all

    Just wanted to run something by folk on here... but first a bit of background.

    I'm a PhD student studying Human Health and Nutrition Psychology, however am funded (by scholarship) by a larger organisation much more involved in the food production and manufacturing area, as opposed to the consumer stuff.

    My question is basically this:

    One product that the scientists are currently working on is using a plant based microparticulate called lignin, with a view to using this in products to replace fat and cellulose. This will obviously have a huge impact on the calorific value of the product, by reducing it dramatically. To date, we've tested chocolate spread and muffins due to lignin being brown in colour when extracted in sodium caseinate.

    Would this be acceptable to you, to buy as a product? Lignin is essentially wood...

    I'm just really interested to see peoples reactions and opinions to this!

    sure, if peer reviewed studies indicate that it's safe, i'd try it. cellulose is already in a lot of food products, and that's wood based, too.
  • sarahgilmore
    sarahgilmore Posts: 572 Member
    But our bodies need fat!

    Scientists need to develop and apple that tastes like a cheeseburger. that'd help.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I would worry if I noticed a sap flow or sprouted roots on my toes.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    I probably wouldn't bother buying it. I am fine with foods just as they are.
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
    Bump!

    Really interesting responses thus far.... :)
  • kristy6ward
    kristy6ward Posts: 332 Member
    I wouldn't eat it.. lignin is essentially acidic glue. And I never even ate glue in kindergarten.
  • zoedallas
    zoedallas Posts: 116 Member
    No, I wouldn't eat it. For all the reasons already listed.
  • lizzys
    lizzys Posts: 841 Member
    they put fish dna in tomatoes to stop tham from freezing the question is do we get the omga 3 fish oil
  • chubbytiff
    chubbytiff Posts: 61 Member
    No I think thats whats wrong with most of us. We need to eat more natural things. This kind of thing only pacifies this situation. All these chemicals and injecting meat with antibiotics. Cloneing animals. I personally am trying to stay away from this type of stuff. We dont know the long term effects of all this stuff.
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