Plant-based meats have become more readily available. Plant-based meats are made from plant-based ingredients and can be used to replace meat in traditional recipes. As someone who eats a plant-based lifestyle, I can confirm that meatless alternatives are just as versatile. There are many meatless alternatives, such as meatless burgers and hot dogs, bacon or crumbles of meat, meatballs, and even deli slicings.
They are versatile and tasty enough that even people who do not follow a vegan diet can enjoy them. You may wonder if plant-based alternatives to meat are healthy, despite the fact that they’re popular. This article looks at the nutritional value and benefits of some of the most popular plant-based meat substitutes.
Types and types of meat substitutes
Today, a growing number of meat substitutes are made from plants. Browse some of the top options.
Seitan
Seitan is made of vital wheat gluten. It is chewy and has a savory taste. It works well with pasta, stir-fry dishes, sandwiches, and stews. Seitan is a high-protein plant-based alternative to meat. Calcium, iron and potassium can all be found within its components.You can buy seitan ready-to-use in many grocery stores. It comes as cubes or strips.
Seitan can be made at home with vital wheat gluten and vegetable broth. You can add flavorings such as soy sauce, liquid amino, or garlic. You can make seitan at home by mixing ingredients in a blender, creating a dough, and boiling slices of it to cook them. Seitan contains gluten and is not suitable for those with celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivities.
Beyond Meat Products
Beyond Meat, a popular plant-based meat brand, is known for its high-quality products. This brand is known for its Beyond Burger, a vegan burger that was launched in 2007. It now produces plant-based meat, chicken, sausages, meatballs, and ground meat. Pea protein is the main ingredient in Beyond Burgers. It also contains coconut oil, rice protein, cocoa butter, and dried yeast. Beyond Burgers is free of soy, gluten, and beet juice. One patty contains 100% of the daily value of vitamin B12 and 40% zinc.
Impossible Burgers
Impossible Burgers have a similar concept as the Beyond Burger. Impossible Foods is the brand that makes these burgers. They also make meatless sausages, chicken-style nuggets, and pork alternatives. Impossible Burgers are made with potato and soy protein instead of pea proteins.
The heme iron gives them a meaty flavor. The heme used in impossible burgers, which is normally derived from animal products, comes from the roots of soybean plants. It’s made using genetically modified yeast. The Impossible Burger is packed with micronutrients. One patty, for example, contains 50% of your daily value of zinc, 130% of vitamin B12, and 25% of iron.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit grows in Asia and Africa. It also grows in some parts of South America. It has a green, bumpy, thick rind and a soft, stringy, edible inner flesh.
Jackfruit is used to replace meat dishes like pulled pork because of its mild flavor and consistency. I often use jackfruit with onions and barbecue sauce in a slow cooker to make sandwiches. Jackfruit has a low calorie count and is lower in fat or protein than other meat substitutes. It does contain some fiber as well as a few micronutrients such as calcium, iron, and potassium.
Soy-based food
Soy, a legume, is one of the first plant-based alternatives to meat. Soy-based food is known for its mild taste and versatility, making it ideal to use in many traditional meat-based recipes.
Popular foods containing soy include:
- Beans, also known as soybeans or edamame, are great for stir-fry. You can cook them to eat as a snack.
- This spongy cake is made of soybeans and water. Tofu may be cooked, pressed, or cubed. You can add it to salads or stir-fry, or slice it up and put it on sandwiches. Or crumble it into a pan and cook with vegetables, similar to how some people might prepare scrambled eggs.
- Tempeh, a fermented soy product, is sold in blocks. Tempeh is sliced thinly and added to stir-fry or crumbled into stews, chilis, or tacos.
- Meat alternatives that contain soy Premade veggie burgers and other meat substitutes with more refined recipes use soy protein.
Nutritional profiles for plant-based meat substitutes
Here is a chart comparing the nutritional content of the meat alternatives made from plant-based proteins. The nutrition information is based on a single serving. However, this can vary between brands and products.
Plant-based meat alternatives
Many people consume plant-based meat substitutes for personal reasons. I choose to eat meat alternatives that are made from plant-based products because they align better with my own personal ethics. By eating plants, I am not in favor of industrialized animal farming or its impact on animal welfare, environmental health, or public health.
Depending on the product, some plant-based meats may also be free of saturated fat and sodium, which are nutrients that people might want to limit in order to maintain good heart health. Recent research has shown that consuming a lot of red and processed meat increases the risk of certain cancers. This is especially true for breast and colon cancers. On the contrary, Western diets are deficient in nutrients like fiber, known to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Plants are the only natural source of fiber. A more plant-centric, whole-food-based diet is an easy way to increase your fiber intake as well as get more vitamins and minerals. Plant-based meats are also great because they have a similar texture, taste, and versatility as meat. This is perfect for those who do not want to consume animal products.
The downsides of meat substitutes made from plant-based proteins
Plant-based meat substitutes can have a variety of advantages, but they may also have some disadvantages.
Not all meat substitutes are the same. Some highly processed foods, like those made by Beyond Meat or Impossible Burgers, have the same amount of total and saturated fats as meat products. These burgers contain even more salt per patty than beef, which is not good for your heart.
Many packaged meat alternatives also contain ingredients that people do not want to consume. These include refined oils, modified cornstarch, or dextrose. You can avoid ingredients you are concerned about by reading the ingredient list of any packaged plant-based alternative meat. While tofu can be inexpensive, some plant-based meat substitutes are more expensive per serving.
Which plant-based meat alternatives are the healthiest?
The healthiest plant-based meat substitutes are those that you can eat as close as possible to the original, whole form. Jackfruit flesh, for example, or soy foods like tofu are processed much less than Beyond Burgers and Impossible Burgers.
This does not mean that other meat substitutes cannot be included in a healthy diet. Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers, although more processed than Impossible Burgers, are still good sources of protein. These burgers could be healthier than those from fast food restaurants.
It’s best to choose a meat-free alternative like jackfruit or soy products most of the time and include highly processed alternatives less often. You can use legumes in many recipes, such as peas and lentils. They are inexpensive, full of nutrients, and can be easily incorporated into veggie burgers and other recipes.
The bottom line
Today, a growing number of meat substitutes are made from plants. They are delicious and so easy to find that people who do not follow a vegan diet can enjoy them.
Many of the highly processed meat substitutes are not necessarily healthy from a nutrition standpoint. They tend to have high levels of sodium and saturated fat. Although I would recommend focusing on less processed meat alternatives, such as seitan or whole soy food, products like the Beyond Burger or Impossible Burger are still a healthy option to enjoy occasionally.
Credit: The Web Health & Drugs Discussion
