What are "meat substitutes"?
Meat substitutes, or meat alternatives, are exactly that- an alternative to meat. Typically, it’s a concoction of ingredients to mimic the taste, flavour, texture, and sometimes colour of meat, but without the saturated fat or animal products that are so characteristically meat. It’s very common these days to have a total meat substitute and use a vegetable as a whole to replace meat (which I touch on below!), instead of the lab-made mixture that is a classic meat alternative. I’ll talk about some if the ingredients found in meat replacements below.
What is plant based meat?
It’s meat made from plants! The Impossible Burger is an example of plant based meat, which you may have heard of in the news.
What are vegetarian meat substitutes?
Some of the most popular vegetarian meat substitutes are tofu, tempeh, TVP (textured vegetable protein), soy, and seitan. I’ll go over some of the ingredients you may not have heard of.
TVP is a manufactured soy product, typically used as a meat extender, which means it can be added to ground meat products (since it has the same look) to make meat more plentiful without actually using more meat. This is generally done for financial reasons. But, it can also be used as a substitute completely for meat products.
Since TVP is made from soy, and soy is considered a complete protein, it has all of the essential amino acids your body needs. It’s low in fat, carbs, and calories, but lacks flavour, so you’ll need to add some seasoning to make it delicious. TVP is highly processed, which makes it a villain these days due to the natural product preference.
TVP contains by-products, such as soy isolates, and the process to make TVP involves an aluminum tank. Some studies show aluminum ingestion in high amounts contributes to central nervous system impairment, and other health concerns (2). It’s the process that makes some people shy away from TVP, as the manufacturing process strips away some key nutrients, such as iron and zinc, which are found in meat products naturally.
To be honest, my opinion on TVP is a positive one. TVP has less cholesterol and fat, which makes it a great choice for those at risk of heart disease and stroke, or those who want to lose weight (1). It’s not new news that eating lots of meat (red meat specifically) can increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, and inflammation due to meats’ high cholesterol levels and digestive by-products.
Plus, vegetarians and vegans have a hard time finding enough protein every day, and TVP can be a huge help.
What are vegan meat substitutes?
Tofu, tempeh, TVP (textured vegetable protein), soy, and seitan are popular choices for vegans as well. I mentioned seitan earlier as an option that is lesser known, so I’ll talk about that here.
Seitan is wheat gluten, made from gluten (which is a protein!!). It needs to be cooked before eating, and can be found frozen at our local grocery store. Seitan has 21 grams of protein per serving! That is a lot. Though it is made from gluten, it is actually low in carbs, since all of the starch is washed away during the processing.
You can cook it how you would any other meat substitute- fried, baked, sauteed, simmered, cooked, or steamed. Be sure to season it so it has some flavour! It is more dense than tofu, which for people who used to eat meat find more appealing.
Pro tip: if you’re vegan and looking for a meat substitute and want to use a processed type (like TVP), read the ingredients on the back of the bag/label! Sometimes, honey is used to make a more amenable taste, and if you’re the kind of vegan that doesn’t eat honey, you’ll want to know this before you buy the product.
Did you know you can use actual vegetables as a meat alternative?
1. Mushrooms: they have an umami, or meaty, flavour and are used commonly as a meat alternative. Portobello mushrooms especially are rich and filling and provide key nutrients such as riboflavin, niacin, phosphorous, pantothenic acid, copper, and selenium. Plus, it only has about 22 calories.
2. Jackfruit: though technically a fruit, it’s a fantastic alternative to meat. It’s savoury with a slightly sweet flavour. It contains nutrients such as riboflavin, magnesium, vitamin A, manganese, copper, and vitamin C. It does have about 155 calories per serving, but it comes from mostly the carbohydrates, yet it is still low on the glycemic index. With 3 grams of protein per cup, you’ve got yourself a nice meat alternative here.
3. Eggplant: we’ve heard of eggplant parmesan, or eggplant lasagna, but have you actually tried it?! It’s quite delicious with a meaty, rich flavour. Eggplant contain manganese, folate, potassium, and vitamin K. It has 20 calories, and only 3 grams of carbs per one cup serving.
4. Lentils: these legumes have been replacing meat for a looong time. They’re hearty, come in different colours, are quick to cook, inexpensive, and a small amount can be more than enough for one person. Lentils have 9 grams of fibre per per half cup! That’s about a third of what the daily recommended intake is.
5. They are many other choices too, such as potatoes, cauliflower, nuts, beets, and other beans or legumes. Get creative! Find a taste that works for you and the dish you’re modifying or creating.
What nutrients do I need if I use meat substitutes?
Meat has key nutrients, such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Sometimes, products like tofu and TVP are fortified with these ingredients so that vegans and vegetarians can still get all of the beneficial nutrition they need. Vitamin B12 has not been fortified as often in the past though. So be sure to read the nutrition facts label to see if the meat alternative you chose has these ingredients.
1. Zinc: works with the immune system to fight off illness, makes protein and DNA, and helps the body grow and develop. Too much zinc (over supplementation) can make you physically ill, copper deficient (forms red blood cells, and keeps nerves healthy) and a weak immune system.
2. Iron: Your body needs iron for growth, to make hemoglobin, and to help make some hormones. Too much iron supplementation can lead to gastrointestinal damage, and liver and brain damage.
3. Vitamin B12: this vitamin is only found in animal products. Vitamin B12 keep nerves healthy, makes DNA, and prevents megaloblastic anemia. Since it’s water soluble, it is difficult to overdose on this vitamin, but high doses can cause nausea, vomiting, and headaches.
If you’re still concerned, talk to your registered diet nutritionist about safe supplementation with vitamin B12.
Which meat substitute tastes the best?
That depends on your definition of best! I like going natural when I can, so lentils and beans are my go-to. I also love tofu, the texture and how it soaks up the flavour is just perfect for me. As far as processed products, I’ll go for the Morning Star meats for dishes like stir-fry and breakfast sausage patties.
It’s really up to you to decide what is important to you- wholly natural, processed, flavour, and nutrition all play a role in your choice. Not to mention price, accessibility, and cooking difficulty.
References:
(1): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28100883/
(2): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30315446/
