People who exclude all kinds of animal products including fish, meat, eggs, dairy, and honey from their eating habits are basically called vegan people. And the reason behind it is mostly religious, ethical, and sometimes environmental. Of course, this habit prevents animal extinction and also saves people from various health issues like heart disease, high cholesterol, high calories, and being overweight.
But the amount of protein and nutrition meat contains, is very important for the human body. And vegan people tend to suffer from a lack of protein and nutrition if they can’t find a proper meat replacement in their daily meals. Meat is the ultimate reservoir of Fat, Protein, Cholesterol, Sodium, Potassium, Iron, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, and Cobalamin along with flavour and texture. So finding a proper meat substitute in vegetable form is not that easy! So here we are, to help you and talk about some famous meat substitutes for vegan people.
TOFU: A classic meat alternative that has been one of the basic sources of nutrition, mostly in Asia for centuries. It is a low-calorie source of protein, calcium sulfate, magnesium chloride, vitamin B12, and iron which is also versatile as it easily absorbs the aromas from spices and marinades. You can get countless variations of tofu-like aromatic tofu, smoked tofu, and marinated flavoured tofu with various herbs and spices.
TEMPEH: A traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soya beans. Tempeh contains 20% protein on average and high fibre with more vitamins. It has a stronger flavour and firmer texture than tofu and is usually formed as cake. People like to pair it with peanut-based sauces, stir-fries, and Thai salad.
SOY PROTEIN: Dehydrated soya, once mixed with water can be used as a meat substitute in any dish. Soya is usually sold as mince, cutlets, or balls with tofu marinades and spice mixtures to enrich the aroma and flavour. It also gets used in vegetable burgers, bolognese sauce, and chilli sin Carne.
WHEAT PROTEIN: Seitan, is high in protein, low in carbs, and a good source of iron which is widely famous for the gluten-free diet. It is basically wheat gluten, derived from wheat protein by adding water to wheat flour and removing the starch. Seitan acquires its’ meaty texture by boiling, baking, or steaming the raw dough and is really ideal for making vegan sausages or cold cuts at home.
MUSHROOMS: They naturally have a meaty flavour that is rich in umami (a type of savoury taste). They are low in calories and high in fibre, which can be a good choice for weight loss. Portobello mushroom caps can be grilled or broiled and used in stir-fries or tacos. Having mushrooms with pasta, noodles, salads or burgers can make you forget about meat!
JACKFRUIT: For centuries, jackfruit has been used in Southeast Asian Cuisines. Only recently, it has become very popular in the US as a substitute for meat because of its chewy texture. It is high in carbs and low in protein. One can try BBQ pulled jackfruit sandwich as it works best as a pork substitute!
GREEN SPELT: A species of wheat that is harvested while semi-ripe and roasted and dried after the harvest. It has a high content of vitamin Bs, magnesium, and phosphorus. Bruised grain and semolina made from green spelt are best for vegan patties, cutlets, and balls.
OAT FLAKES: Oat flakes are an ideal source of zinc and iron along with carbohydrates which can prevent hunger and help to lose weight. Pulled oats are good alternatives to pulled pork. Besides, fried oat dough combined with vegetable broth, grated carrots, and some other vegetable proteins with a little fat can make super delicious cutlets tasting like meat.
BEANS AND LEGUMES: One affordable source of plant-based protein that serves as a hearty and filling meat substitute.
- LUPIN PROTEIN: Lupins are protein-based legumes just like soya beans. They can be used in vegan cutlets, donor kebabs, and sausages.
- BLACK BEANS: Beans have a rich amount of protein and fibre, and also, the darker the bean, the more anthocyanins. Black beans and pinto beans complement Mexican recipes along with soups and stews. But burgers made from black beans are highly delicious!
- LENTILS: Lentils contain the highest amount of protein. Adding different spices and Tarkas can give more taste to it.
- CHICKPEAS: Chickpeas, rich in fibre, contain more protein than many types of meat and provide a substantial amount of iron and calcium similar to milk. They are the basic ingredient in various Middle Eastern dishes, including Falafel and Hummus. Chickpeas and Cannellini beans work really well with Mediterranean flavours.
Most of the organic plant-based meat substitutes are available in supermarkets and worldwide famous restaurants, where chefs make super delicious vegan meals. If not organic food, there is TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein) which is a highly processed vegan meat substitute developed in the 1960s by Archer Daniels Midland. It is a byproduct of soy oil, removing the fat using solvent, resulting in a high-protein and low-fat product. This soy flour then gets used as nuggets and chunks.
Nowadays, vegan foods are very popular and getting more responses than meats. So many popular meat substitute companies have also been created, like BEYOND MEAT, GARDEIN, TOFURKY, YVES VEGGIE CUISINE, LIGHT LIFE, BOCA, MORNING STAR FARMS, QUORN, etc. However, one must check the labels and nutritional information along with the ingredients before purchasing any food from supermarkets.
