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What's really in vegan meat substitutes?
Thanks for asking. Despite the rising popularity of vegan or vegetarian lifestyles, many people still love the taste and texture of meat or simply can't kick the habit, having eaten meat throughout their lifetimes.
That explains why the vegan meat substitute market is thriving.
These 100% plant-based products are a good source of protein and closely resemble meat in a number of ways.
But no doubt many of you who eat them have wondered whether they're actually better for the planet or for human health.
What are the main ingredients then? One of the first ingredients that comes to mind is soy, which is widely used in meat substitutes.
You may have heard talk of soy being exported to Europe from Brazil, which of course increases the carbon footprint, not to mention that a significant percentage comes from deforested land.
But actually, most of the soy imported from Brazil is used to feed livestock. whereas the soybeans used in plant-based foods are mostly produced in Europe.
Overall, the environmental impact of meat substitutes is 10 times lower than that of factory farmed meat.
In addition to soy, you also have chickpeas, gluten, legumes and wheat.
But there are concerns about how the quality of those ingredients is impacted by processing.
They're transformed in order to change their taste and texture, which can have an impact on digestibility and the health of those who consume them.
How so? To imitate meat, many ingredients are added, such as beets for juiciness and colour, or bamboo fibres for texture.
But the meat substitute market is dominated by food manufacturing giants, who have no issue in adding a lot of fat and salt to their products, in the form of sunflower oil or rapeseed oil, for example.
Veggie steaks tend to have around 12% fat content and contain an average of 1.1 grams of salt.
There's a little less in veggie patties, but they're not a whole lot better.
And don't even get me started on all the additives.
One example is methylcellulose or E461 to give it its food additive code.
It's a thickener that can lead to stomach pain.
Then you've got pesticide residues such as pyrethroids, which are molecules with neurotoxic effects.
You really need to pay attention to the ingredient labels on products.
As a general rule, the shorter the list of ingredients and the easier it is to understand what they are, the better.
Should we avoid meat substitutes then? Not necessarily.
It really depends what you're looking for.
Omnivores will sometimes eat things primarily for pleasure, out of a desire for a certain flavour or texture.
That's true even if the food item in question isn't the healthiest.
The same goes for vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians, really.
The key is finding the right balance. Meat substitutes are definitely useful in some situations, like if you're at a barbecue or hot dog party for example, or just have a craving for a burger.
If you're concerned about all the packaging used to contain meat substitutes in supermarkets, why not learn how to make them at home?
But the best option is still to learn how to cook differently, with recipes that don't revolve around meat.
There you have it. Now you know what's really in vegan meat substitutes.
In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines.
Listen along and you will really know for sure.
