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Whether you are adding more meatless meals to your weekly or daily cycle Thinking of going vegan Or vegan, vegetarian eating is very popular right now.
But what are your options when it comes to meat alternatives?
exist Many sources of plant protein There are these days that giving up meat (for a meal or for life) is easier than it was before.
Online and in grocery stores, your options for buying meat alternatives are more abundant than ever, from next-generation fake beef to the staples people have eaten since ancient times, like eggs and beans.
(Fun fact: According to archaeologists, Roman gladiators were likely vegetarians.)
Here are five popular meat alternatives that you can weave into your weekly meal plans.
While brand names may vary in your local supermarket, most of the products you’ll spy on in the meat alternatives section (usually near the products section) will fall into one of these categories.
1. Legumes and beans
“I highly recommend pulses as the best alternative to meat,” he says. Gail NocinoThis is because they’re the least handled option, MS, RDN says.
You can substitute black beans with minced meat tacos, lentils with sausage in soups, or white beans with chicken in your favorite casserole.
You can also easily DIY Vegetarian burger From lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans, soybeans and more.
2. Tofu, tempeh and other soy products
Foods containing soy are a popular base for meat substitutes, given that they are A. Complete protein.
Similar to the way you make cheese, tofu starts with soy milk that turns into curd and comes in a variety of textures, from soft to hard.
Think of it as a clean menu ready to flavor any seasoning, sauce or seasoning.
Made from cooked fermented soybeans, tempeh has a firm texture and nutty flavor.
One great way to use dates is to replace ground meat with hot peppers. It’s also great spiced, chopped, and baked instead of cold cuts and as a bacon alternative.
3. Seitan and “wheat flesh”
Seitan is a meat substitute made with wheat gluten that provides the protein in wheat.
It has similar texture and color to cooked meats and is a popular base for meat alternatives to bacon fillets and delicacies.
Some of these products may contain more salt or oils than you want to consume, so read the labels.
“When looking for artificial meat products, look for those that are lower in saturated fat and sodium,” Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN
Naturals Upton It is a favorite dish for hot dogs, bacon, and seitan sausage, but check your local market for a variety of brands.
There are no evil foods Another “wheat meat” brand that has gained admirers for its delicious alternatives to “chicken” and “chorizo” meat.
4. Pea and soy protein “meat alternatives”
“There are new vegetarian alternatives to meat made with pea protein, soybean and complex proteins,” says Nocino.
Some are also made from soy protein concentrates.
These products convincingly replace everything from gyros to chicken nuggets.
While they’re more processed than tofu, tempeh, or seitan (and they can all have high sodium), they are delicious ways to satisfy your occasional meat craving.
“For some meat eaters, processed meat alternatives help include more plant-based foods,” says Nocino. “My husband, who used to eat meat, loves Poke Burger.”
5. High-tech “burger” and “ground beef”
both of them Impossible Food And the Beyond the meat Selling “raw” vegetable meat that looks like uncooked ground meat.
Beyond Meat also sells sausages. Their tastes are very similar to the “real deal” although these opinions tend to mix.
“Some people like modern pseudo-meats that ‘bleed’ and It looks and tastes like real meat“Others don’t like the taste of meat and prefer beans, peas and grains,” Palmer says.
The Impossible Burger is described as tasting just like real beef, because Heme – Which is what makes meat taste like meat – extracted from soybeans.
