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June 11, 2010 | Comments: 0

Where’s The Beef? A Guide to Meatless Meals

If you want to cut back on meat for health, environmental, or ethical reasons, there are plenty of meat substitutes to choose from. Here’s a look at some options.

Called meat analogs or mock meats, these products mimic the flavor, texture, and look of hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, chicken cutlets, and deli slices. Some do a better job than others—but overall, they have improved vastly since the rubbery veggie burgers and veggie franks of earlier decades.

An old idea made new again
The idea of meat substitutes as a healthful protein alternative is hardly new. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the famed vegetarian and food reformer, not only invented flaked cereal in the late 1890s, but also promoted meat substitutes made from grains and nuts. He served them at his Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, believing they were healthier than meat and better than medicine. Of course, one common meat substitute, tofu, has been used by the Chinese for more than two thousand years.

Today’s meat substitutes are made from various ingredients—usually soy and wheat protein, but also legumes, rolled oats, vegetables, nuts, rice, and even a fungus (in a product called Quorn). They are generally high in protein, but lower in fat and calories than meat, and cholesterol-free. The fat in them is largely polyunsaturated and thus heart-healthy. Another bonus: they provide fiber, which meat lacks.

But unless they are fortified with vitamins and minerals, as some are, meat substitutes tend to be deficient in vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and other minerals. And they tend to be high in sodium—comparable to many processed meats. Some veggie burgers, hot dogs, and sausage links contain more than 400 milligrams of sodium per serving.

Keep in mind
• The nutrients in meat substitutes vary widely. Patties made with soy protein, for example, tend to be higher in protein than those made primarily from vegetables. Even soy burgers can vary a lot in fat, sodium, and protein. Check the labels.
• Some meat substitutes may contain cheese, which adds saturated fat and calories.
• If you want to avoid all animal ingredients—including egg whites, cheese, whey protein, and milk-derived casein—check the ingredient lists, or look for “vegan” versions.

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