THE IMPOSTERS
Oxygen|Summer 2021
THE SUPERMARKET SHELVES ARE REPLETE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIC FARE — NO-MEAT JERKY? DAIRY-FREE CHEESE? EGGLESS EGGS? HERE’S THE LOWDOWN ON THESE TRENDING NEW FOODS — WHAT THEY ARE, WHAT THEY AREN’T, WHAT TO BUY AND WHAT TO PASS BY.
MATTHEW KADEY
THE IMPOSTERS

SIMPLICITY HAS ALL BUT DISAPPEARED WHEN IT COMES TO NUTRITION.

These days, you can bite into a veggie burger that “bleeds,” chomp on chips made of fish skin and whip up a tuna salad with nary a swimmer in sight. Thanks to modern food technology, human ingenuity and the popularity of trendy and/or restrictive diets, every type of food now suffers from impostor syndrome, and the uprising of counterfeit fare shows no signs of slowing down.

But do any of these imitation edibles actually taste good? More important, are they at all nutritionally valuable, or are they simply as mega-processed as they are mega-marketed? Here is how some of the trendiest contenders stack up to the real deal.

THE TRICKSTER: NO-MEAT JERKY

It’s enough to make long-haul truckers skid off the road — jerky made with everything from shiitake mushrooms to sun-dried tomatoes to seaweed and more. Plant-based jerky is a convenient — and surprisingly tasty — snacking option if you’re looking to trim some processed meat from your diet. But some versions made with jackfruit, kelp or mushrooms lack the protein needed to slay between meal hunger or to build and maintain lean muscle tissue. And while no-meat products contain less saturated fat and often fewer calories than the original, those elements are replaced with sodium, sugar and fillers.

THE VERDICT: So are you getting jerked around? It depends on how you look at it. While a plant-based product can certainly scratch your itch when you’re craving this classic snack, the nutritional trade-off might not be worth the while.

This story is from the Summer 2021 edition of Oxygen.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Summer 2021 edition of Oxygen.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OXYGENView All
Work Hard. Be Nice To People.
Oxygen

Work Hard. Be Nice To People.

This is the mantra of trainer and social media mogul Claire P. Thomas. And as we found out, it suits her to a tee.

time-read
10 mins  |
Fall 2021
The Power Of Suggestion
Oxygen

The Power Of Suggestion

Though the media makes it out to be voodoo, hypnosis may be your secret sauce for success.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
Test Your Fitness Levels
Oxygen

Test Your Fitness Levels

Exactly how fit are you? How do you measure up? Find out with these next-level self-trials from Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody trainer and author of Lose Weight Like Crazy Even If You Have a Crazy Life (Galvanized Media, 2020).

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2021
Ankle weights
Oxygen

Ankle weights

Does this ‘80s staple still have a place in modern workouts? Our experts weigh in.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)
Oxygen

THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)

OLYMPIC LIFTS ARE A VALUABLE TOOL FOR IMPROVING STRENGTH and athletic performance — and as a side bonus, they also help develop crazy-good muscle shape, size, and definition. In fact, one could argue that the power-clean portion of the clean-and-jerk is the best exercise ever devised. “The clean is a functional movement used [routinely] in everyday activities,” says Aaron Viscounte, CSCS, head coach and manager at Summer’s Fitness Inc. in North Canton, Ohio. “We use aspects of the clean to pick up a box and put it on a shelf, move furniture or even go grocery shopping.” During a power clean, the barbell travels from the floor to the “racked” position at shoulder level and back down again. We tapped some elite trainers for their step-by-step expert advice on making the most of every rep.

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall 2021
The science of happıness
Oxygen

The science of happıness

WHY DOES A GOOD WORKOUT MAKE YOU FEEL SO MUCH HAPPIER? TURNS OUT, IT HAS AS MUCH TO DO WITH YOUR HEAD AS WITH YOUR BODY.

time-read
7 mins  |
Fall 2021
THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES
Oxygen

THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES

Improve athletic performance and perfect your posterior aesthetic with these 18 awesome exercises.

time-read
9 mins  |
Fall 2021
Three's the charm
Oxygen

Three's the charm

After the birth of her third daughter, Lindsay Raynne vowed to get healthy.

time-read
2 mins  |
Fall 2021
Keep your head in the game
Oxygen

Keep your head in the game

Adding a few targeted ingredients to your otherwise healthy lifestyle is a yes-brainer when it comes to maintaining your mind.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
Recovery Discovery
Oxygen

Recovery Discovery

The fitness space is flooded with products, potions and protocols promising to optimize your recovery from training. See what science has to say about some of the most popular applications.

time-read
9 mins  |
Summer 2021