Vegetarian Meat Buying Guide
You don't have to be vegetarian 
or vegan to enjoy the perks of meat substitutes. Vegetarian meat has come a long way in recent years, and more and more people are discovering just how tasty and healthful some of these products can be. If you are just starting out on a plant-based diet, such ingredients can make the transition much easier--try making your favourite recipes with these alternatives and you'll barely notice a difference. There are a number of different options available, and the guide below will help you sort through your dietary possibilities. Happy eating!
Meat Substitutes
Tofu
Tofu is arguably the most well-known of all the vegetarian "meats". It originated in China and is made by coagulating soya milk and pressing the resulting curds into blocks. Because it does not have a distinctive taste, you'll often find people who find it bland and prefer not to eat it (in fact, you might even be one of them!). However, since tofu actually takes on the flavours and scents of the ingredients in which it is cooked, by experimenting with different sauces, marinades, spices and textures (tofu comes silken, firm, or extra-firm), you might just end up liking it. Apart from its versatility, tofu also has the advantage of being very nutritious: it is low in calories and has no saturated fat or cholesterol, but contains good amounts of iron and protein. Certain brands can also be quite high in calcium.
Seitan
Seitan, also known as wheat gluten, is made from wheat flour dough that has been washed until all the starch dissolves. A gummy mass of gluten is left behind, and this gluten is further processed to make seitan. Due to its chewier, stringier texture, wheat gluten can be quite similar in texture to actual meat, and it is often used to produce a number of faux meats. Seitan is extremely high in protein, more so than tofu, and is very low in calories, saturated fats and sodium. Because this food is a grain product, it is an incomplete protein and must be complemented by other protein sources such as dairy or legumes: always eat a balanced diet.
Tempeh
Like tofu, tempeh is made from soya beans; however, the process by which it is made is quite different. Tempeh is made from whole soya beans that have been partially cooked and then allowed to ferment. The fermentation not only binds the beans together in a compact cake, it also makes the soya proteins quite easy to digest. This food has been a staple of Indonesian cooking for several hundred years, and it is now becoming globally popular. Its firm texture and nutty mushroom flavour might be more appealing to those gourmets who (still!) dislike tofu, and its nutritional value is also very attractive: it has all of the essential amino acids necessary for a healthy diet, and it contains great amounts of protein, isoflavones and fibre.
TVP
TVP stands for Textured Vegetable Protein, which is a meat subsitute made from defatted soya flour. When cooked, TVP has a similar texture to ground beef and is thus used in many different dishes calling for meat alternatives. Much like tofu, it absorbs spices and flavourings, so it is a very versatile product to have in the kitchen. Additionally, it is high in protein and fibre, and though it does have more fat than most meat substitutes, it has zero cholesterol. Note that TVP is a dehydrated ingredient, so before it can be eaten, it must be reconstituted.
Major Manufacturers
Related Guides
External Links
- Wikipedia.org: A general informational article on tofu and how it is made.
- eSsortment: A guide on seitan and its nutritional facts.
- VRG.org: More about seitan; also contains recipes for making your own and cooking with this ingredient.
- Tempeh.info: This page has extensive information about tempeh, the benefits of soy, and some fabulous recipes.
- About.com: An informational page on TVP.
- Meat-Free.org.uk: A site on the meat-free food industry.
