In a major breakthrough for vegan cheese, artificial intelligence helped Climax Foods uncover a plant source of casein—the protein responsible for many functional qualities in dairy.
While I’m all for replicating the flavors of non-plant based foods, adding an addictive substance to a non-addictive food is problematic. If corporations are allowed to do this with vegan cheese, I’m sure it won’t stop there.
Casein, a protein found in mammals milk. When it’s broken down in the body it turns into casomorphins, which are capable of passing into your brain and attaching to your morphine receptors. For babies this is a good thing because it can help stimulate a desire to consume milk, but in adults it’s totally unnecessary and creates a desire to consume not out of hunger.
The best comparison would be caffeine additives in drinks, or tiny amounts of cocaine in the original Coca-cola recipe.
I had no idea! But I’ve also never really had any issues overeating so tbh I’m not so worried about eating plant casein when it hits the market.
I low key have a huge fascination for cheese making, it’s almost magic how people are able to make such utterly different things through a process that is roughly similar.
I get your point, but casomorphins are capable of passing the blood-brain barrier and attaching to morphine receptors, like all other opiates. Glucose is not the same.
While I’m all for replicating the flavors of non-plant based foods, adding an addictive substance to a non-addictive food is problematic. If corporations are allowed to do this with vegan cheese, I’m sure it won’t stop there.
Yeah, hopefully the plant-based version won’t be addictive.
Sorry what addictive substance are you referring to?
Further research is needed, but when digested casein breaks down into casomorphin which might bind to opioid receptors and release dopamine.
Sources:
Casein, a protein found in mammals milk. When it’s broken down in the body it turns into casomorphins, which are capable of passing into your brain and attaching to your morphine receptors. For babies this is a good thing because it can help stimulate a desire to consume milk, but in adults it’s totally unnecessary and creates a desire to consume not out of hunger.
The best comparison would be caffeine additives in drinks, or tiny amounts of cocaine in the original Coca-cola recipe.
I had no idea! But I’ve also never really had any issues overeating so tbh I’m not so worried about eating plant casein when it hits the market.
I low key have a huge fascination for cheese making, it’s almost magic how people are able to make such utterly different things through a process that is roughly similar.
I welcome an ethical survival of the culture.
Next thing you know they’ll be allowing high fructose corn syrup and caffeine as food additives
I get your point, but casomorphins are capable of passing the blood-brain barrier and attaching to morphine receptors, like all other opiates. Glucose is not the same.