More and more studies warn against the risks of ultra-processed foodswhich already represent more than 30% of food in Spain. These products – such as industrial pastries, sausages, soft drinks, instant purees or sausages – contain saturated fats, added sugars, salt and … additives designed to improve flavor and extend shelf life, but at a high health cost.
Food technologist Mario Sánchez, known for his informative work on food safety, analyzed five varieties of Frankfurters to find out what some of the most common products in the Spanish basket and those most often offered to children actually contain.
In the video, the expert explains that traditional meat derivatives -like those of Campofrío, El Pozo or Hacendado- are mainly made with mechanically separated meat (CSM), poor quality raw material. “It is the meat that remains stuck to the bones in the food industry, while the most interesting parts have already been removed, such as the thigh or the sirloins. What is not easily removed is subjected to a lot of pressure until you obtain a paste with a slightly strange appearance,” explains the expert.
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The broadcaster and content creator points out that these products integrate high amounts of salt and saturated fattwo ingredients linked to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases when consumed frequently. “We have classic ultra-processing,” he warns.
However, the technologist wanted to evaluate two versions of vegetable sausages. These are the Better Balance and Heura brands, the latter recently added to the shelves. “The nutritional part improves a lot in these varieties. Better Balance contains more fiber thanks to grains and tubers, but Heura is the one with a more balanced profile, as it incorporates high-quality protein through legumes, such as soy, a complete protein,” he says.
According to the analysis data, Heura “wins on the street.” It leads in almost all parameters: only 1.5 grams of salt per 100 grams, 0.5 grams of saturated fat and a protein content of 19 grams, from legumes like soy, a complete protein. “The cool thing is that when you try them, the typical smoky flavor of sausages remains,” says the expert.
However, the whistleblower is clear: “he is always occasional consumer transformation“, and should not replace higher quality protein sources, even if “they have greatly improved the nutritional profile of what was on the market.”
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