Today more than ever before, American’s are asking more questions about what is really inside the food we consume on a daily basis. While this interest has lead many brands to re-think their manufacturing process, mass production of grocery and convenience foods (like frozen burgers) still has a long way to go, in terms of providing nutritionally balanced products.
Just because a convenience food is safe, and meets all regulatory requirements, does not mean it’s actually good for you. We’d like to share some insider information about what is really in some of the low-budget frozen burger brands you may be buying and explain why Free Graze has earned the right to call ourselves one of America’s healthiest frozen burgers.
Artificial Coloring in Frozen Hamburgers
Believe it or not, the use of artificial coloring in all grades of meat, is an industry norm. Consumers have an expectation of seeing red meat, and associate that with freshness. The problem is, that many manufacturers add a red food coloring, to achieve that rich color, and to high low-quality meat.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides a list of ‘acceptable’ food coloring agents that can be used in restricted amounts, in the American food supply. Some of the food colorings are plant derived and can have minimal impact on health (such as beets used for red hues). But natural food colorings are far more expensive than approved artificial colors, which is why artificial coloring is a problem, particularly in lower cost food products.
Are they bad for you? There have been many clinical studies that suggest food colorings have an adverse effect on children digestively, and other studies have reported a possible link between hyperactivity disorders in children who consume large quantities of it (cereals, confectionary products, yogurt and convenience snacks). The truth is that medical researchers aren’t sure (yet) about the long-term effects of artificial food coloring on health. And for us, that’s not good enough.
Artificial Preservatives
Here is where science agrees with food producers, when we say that artificial preservatives are bad for human health. Did you know that food safety regulators use the term GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) when addressing the question about artificial preservatives? The truth is that they don’t know if it is safe or not, as there is a lack of long-term health studies to provide evidence (one way or the other).
So, the food industry and regulatory bodies in general, allow us to eat foods and assume it is safe, until they receive evidence to the contrary. No wonder consumers have a hard time trusting the safety and quality of many of the foods they purchase at their local grocery.
It’s important to note that sulfites and nitrites, we also at one time considered ‘safe’ and promoted as a solution to extend the product life and ‘freshness’ of a variety of food products. We now recognize that some of these previously approved artificial preservatives, are carcinogenic (increasing the risk of cancer), particularly when they are consumed in large volumes over a long period of time.
The main categories of artificial preservatives include:
· Antimicrobials (to reduce the growth of bacteria and mold)
· Benzoates
· Sorbates (to reduce mold, yeast and fungi growth in food)
· Proprionates (mold inhibitors commonly used in baked goods to extend shelf life)
· Sulfites (to preserve color)
· Nitrates
· Synthetic vitamin E and C
· Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
· EDTA (chelating agent)
· Polyphosphates (to prevent copper and iron nutrients from oxidizing and spoiling food)
One of the reasons that fast food is so notoriously documented for negative health impact, is because of the high volume of artificial preservatives. But these preservatives are also prominent in virtually every consumer product that is not organic (particularly convenience foods). Eating healthy today, and making a better choice for your family, requires some detective work and familiarizing yourself with ingredient labels and artificial preservatives. But there is also an important catch; did you know that the FDA allows the food industry to self-govern to an extent, the additives and ingredients in consumer foods?
Profitability and consumer visual appeal (think about the artificial colors in some of your favorite foods) are the driving force behind the formulation of some very unhealthy options in every grocery store.
What’s Really Inside Our Free Graze Burgers?
For more than fifty years, our family-owned and operated business has been committed to providing top quality frozen burgers, seasoned to perfection, with the healthiest ingredients. Free Graze Foods was created to offer a premium product to consumers who want the maximum nutritional benefit from their burger or turkey patty, without the additives typically found in frozen convenience foods and meats.
We knew it was important, to do it better and to give families the same quality of burgers and turkey patties that we wanted to eat and share in our own homes. And we started with a list of things we didn’t want.
From the source, Free Graze works with a small and exclusive number of agricultural meat suppliers. The relationship that we have had with our suppliers spans two generations now, and it is something we feel good about personally, and with regards to guaranteeing a quality frozen patty to our customers.
On our website, you will find a complete and transparent disclosure of the nutritional content of each flavor of Free Graze burger or turkey patty. What makes us different? We use whole and sustainably sourced real ingredients, that we’ve carefully formulated into what we think are the best flavor combinations.
At Free Graze Foods, we use:
· Real fresh jalapeño peppers
· Fresh high-grade cheddar
· Sweet Vidalia onions
· Custom blended seasonings
What is most important to us, is what consumers will not find in a Free Graze all-beef, blended pork, or turkey burger. And this is why we’re proud to call our frozen premium burgers and turkey patties one of the healthiest options in your frozen food section.
All Free Graze frozen patties do not contain:
· Artificial flavors or coloring
· Artificial preservatives
· Meats that contain antibiotics or hormones
· Fillers
· Animal by-products
· Gluten
We know that when you try your first bag of Free Graze burgers, you will immediately taste the difference. Remember when hamburgers actually tasted like… beef? We do too, and that’s exactly what you get when you choose Free Graze. A savory, moist patty that is seasoned to perfection, that cooks consistently on the grill in about ten minutes (five minutes on each side). Remember to only flip our burgers once, to help sear and lock in the flavor and moisture, for a great burger you’ll enjoy with every bite.
If you have tried one (or all) of our Free Graze burgers, we would love to hear your feedback. Send us an email with your comments to info@freegrazefoods.com.
