helen Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I have been buying a smoked chorizo sausage from Earth Fare (a smaller Whole Foods type store) whose ingredients read: pork, water, paprika, sea salt, garlic, onion. It says 'not preserved, no nitrates added'. I posted my lunch on a FB group I am doing with friends locally and I got this response: "hold the phone... we can have chorizo??? they have fantastic looking chorizo at Main St. Meats but it has just a little bit of sugar, they said to help create the fermentation process. About 30g sugar for every 15 lbs. Is this Whole 30 legal? I almost cried passing up on it." Am I wrong? My friend can't have that chorizo or can she since fermentation? Is my chorizo okay? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kysanne Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I'm interested to see this answer...having my old friend chorizo back would be life altering!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted January 14, 2014 Moderators Share Posted January 14, 2014 The chorizo ingredients listed for what you bought is fine. You can have it during a Whole30. I have found and enjoyed such chorizo from Whole Foods. The chorizo that comes with any amount of sugar is NOT okay. The Whole30 does not make allowances for small amounts versus large amounts. The acceptable level of added sugar is zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Fermented chorizo? Am I missing out on something. Glad Tom gave an answer. At least you guys are in the same area and you can tell them where to source the acceptable stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Woo hoo! Thanks Tom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Fermented chorizo? Am I missing out on something. Glad Tom gave an answer. At least you guys are in the same area and you can tell them where to source the acceptable stuff. I thought the same thing. I'm going to ask her to ask the butcher to clarify. It is nice to be in the same area. I did my first Whole 30 last Jan and it went great. I did my second in Sept and did it with my husband and four other women and we chatted a lot on FB. This time one of the women is back and I have roped in about six other FB friends four are local. It has been a LOT of fun actually! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vian Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Many cured sausages are slightly fermented. They add sugar and a live culture, then cure/dry them in a controlled environment. The culture turns the sugar into lactic acid, which gives the sausage a tart flavor and helps preserve it. Many traditional Italian sausages are made this way (like salami and pepperoni). Which leads me to the question, if sugar is used in kombucha, but the culture consumes it, and it's ok for a whole30, then why wouldn't likewise cured sausages also be ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Many cured sausages are slightly fermented. They add sugar and a live culture, then cure/dry them in a controlled environment. The culture turns the sugar into lactic acid, which gives the sausage a tart flavor and helps preserve it. Many traditional Italian sausages are made this way (like salami and pepperoni). Which leads me to the question, if sugar is used in kombucha, but the culture consumes it, and it's ok for a whole30, then why wouldn't likewise cured sausages also be ok? This is the exact conversation we had at dinner. We've seen two types of chorizo around here, but not a cured or fermented one. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabel Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Vian... I was thinking the exact same thing about kombucha I wonder if that's why most fish sauces have sugar added.... aren't they fermented as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa Urban Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Here's what it comes down to--consistency with the rules, and making it easy to follow the program. While the sugar used in fermented meats (like some salami) is "used up" in the fermentation process (as with kombucha), it's impossible for our Whole30'ers to know which meats are fermented, and which actually contain sugar added after the fermention (or in place of fermentation, as not all processed meats are fermented). Therefore, if there is sugar in the ingredient list, it's out for the program. Period. Melissa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vian Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Thanks Melissa! That makes a lot of sense. And is consistent, as the rules for kombucha state that if sugar is on the ingredient list, then it was likely added during the second fermentation and it's not allowed because it won't all be used up. I also understand how not everyone would be able to know or find out whether the sausage they are about to buy is fermented or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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