Meat Substitutes

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

 

I don't want to sound as if I'm poo-pooing (I'm not the first to say it, Doreen did first! LOL!) the meat substitutes available today. On the contrary, I use them occasionally myself and have used them in my own recipes and articles written for the Vegetarian Living portion of a Real Food Living newsletter. I also think they are, in most cases, healthier than meat and have assisted many in the transition to vegetarianism. I just want to mention what I feel are three important points:

 

1) Many people don't like meat substitutes at first because they still remember the taste of meat. It takes a full two weeks for taste buds to start changing over (by literally forming new ones that are more appropriate to your current diet). If you try one and don't immediately like the taste and texture, don't assume you won't eventually. I didn't like veggie hot dogs or sausages until I'd been away from meat for quite a while. The same thing happens with the "real" thing eventually--now dairy cheese tastes greasy and meat just smells "dead" to me. Some new vegetarians find it easier to use ethnic recipes or stray away from the usual "meat and potatoes" meal format, instead of making a very familiar recipe taste unfamiliar with substitutions. So, if you don't like meat substitutes at first, try them at a later date if you feel you want to eat them.

 

2) The standard American diet is over-run with protein, so we are convinced it is THE most important factor in our meals (even subconsciously, telling kids to eat their meat, rather than their vegetables). While concentrated plant protein doesn't seem to adversely affect the kidneys the way animal protein does, it still can take the place of more important sources of nutrients like fresh veggies and fruits. Protein really is among the least of our worries. It's hard to get people in general to support vegetarianism when protein is such a huge concern, even to vegetarians.

 

3) Most meat substitutes are highly-processed and full of sodium, additives and other flavorings. Even the organic varieties made by "health food" companies tend to use soy protein isolates and other factors that do not, in my opinion, constitute whole foods. Unless meat substitutes are specifically labeled GMO-free or "organic", odds are that they contain high amounts of genetically modified soy bean ingredients (as is the case with Boca and Morning Star Farms, two of the most popular veggie product lines). Since many people become vegetarian because of an interest in overall health, it seems reasonable to eat fewer processed foods, isolated factors, or genetically modified foods. Organic, traditional soy foods may be beneficial to health, but no long-term studies have been done on isolated and GMO soy factors. Moderation is important in all things and it can be all too easy to base an entire diet around soy products if using meat substitutes too often.

 

I just had to share some thoughts and I hope I haven't offended anyone. An important part of vegetarianism for me has been the ability to question things, regardless of how long I've done/believed them. I sometimes think meat substitutes, by their very existence, imply that human's "need" meat or a suitable replacement to be healthy and/or satisfied. I believe this to be precisely wrong. So, while they (meat substitutes) have their place in aiding in the transition to, or even remaining an important (though moderate) part of, many vegetarian's diets, it might be worth noting that they are not completely necessary. This is just my own opinion and experience, so others' may be different.

 

Have and awesome day!

~Nita