Soy meat: health benefits and harms

Today, not only vegetarians pay attention to soy meat – they prepare gourmet dishes from it and include gourmets in their diet. Together with a doctor, we are talking about the health benefits and harms of soy meat

For a long time, the phrase “soy meat” in Our Country was pronounced with a negative. He was considered a surrogate, something chemical, an attribute of poverty. Yes, and soy meat itself could only be found in instant noodles and in Chinese markets.

But everything changed a few years ago, when vegetarians began to actively use soy meat in cooking, and then other lovers of culinary delights turned their attention to a miracle product. Today, a hamburger with soy meat or soy goulash is a delicacy. We talk about the dangers and benefits of soy meat for humans.

The history of the appearance of soy meat in nutrition

Soy is a plant of the legume family, the closest relative of the more familiar beans, peas and lentils. All of these plants are rich in vegetable protein, but even among them, soybeans take an honorable first place by a wide margin,” says endocrinologist, nutritionist, certified health trainer Anastasia Tarasko.

The fruits of soybeans are soybeans, which are eaten boiled and stewed. Soy flour, milk, cheese and texturate are made from them – this is another name for soy meat.

It is generally accepted that texturate came from somewhere in Asia. After all, China today is the leader in the consumption of soy meat. If you have been to South Korea, you might also have noticed the popularity of this product in their cuisine. But in fact, the rights to the inventions of textureat belong to the Americans.

It was in the 1960s. ADM has developed a technology for the production of texturate from defatted soy flour. Soy flour is actually a by-product of bean processing. They learned to get a highly concentrated protein plant product from it. Then the technology was picked up by other companies in the food industry.

Analogues of soy meat were still known in ancient Asia. During archaeological excavations, ancient recipes for the production of such a product were found. But to be precise, it is rather tofu – what we today call bean curd. Whatever it was, the product fell in love with the eastern part of Eurasia. Today, China is the largest importer of soybeans and texturate.

In Our Country, the production of texturate began to develop in the late 90s. First, raw materials were imported, then the first crops were planted on an industrial scale and production. They are located in the Far East and in the southern regions of the country.

Composition of soy meat

When talking about the benefits of soy texturate, the first thing they pay attention to is protein.

– Soy protein is absorbed by the human body by 97%. The biological value of soy protein is close to casein – milk protein – and meat and fish proteins. The biological value of meat and fish is 80, casein is 75, soy texturate is 74, other vegetable proteins are 50 and below, says endocrinologist Anastasia Tarasko.

Soy meat contains a complex of vitamins and microelements necessary for the body: vitamins D, E, H and group B, iron (Fe), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) .

Nutritional value of soy meat per 100 g

Caloric value on 100 g	102 – 310 kcal
Proteins	20 – 54 g
Fats	0,14 – 4,6 g
Carbohydrates	4 – 40 g

Due to the abundance of manufacturers of soy texturate and different formulations, the nutritional value of the final product varies significantly. This is due to such a large range of indicators of BJU and the calorie content of the product. You can find exact data on a specific pack.

– Thanks to the dietary fibers included in the composition, soy meat saturates the body for a long time. For dry texturate, the average calorie content is 290-300 kcal, but in finished form this figure does not exceed 100-110 kcal per 100 g, since soy meat increases 3-5 times during cooking. These caloric values justify the use of soy texturate as part of dietary nutrition, – adds the Healthy Food Near Me expert.

The benefits of soy meat

Due to its composition, soy meat is considered as a means of preventing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, cholecystitis, arthritis and arthrosis. But this does not mean that you need to consume texturate in unlimited quantities.

– Since this is a protein product, the daily intake depends on the person’s body weight. For example, 100 g of dry soy meat contains approximately 50 g of protein. An adult with moderate physical activity with a body weight of 70 kg needs 70-90 g of protein per day. Of it, 30% is acceptable soy protein, which means that 50-70 g of dry soy texturate can be used per day. This is 1,5 – 2 servings of the finished product. For better assimilation, such an amount should be divided into two meals, says Anastasia Tarasko.

Soy protein removes cholesterol, and soy products themselves do not contain this harmful component (1).

The benefits of soy meat for men

Soy protein is recommended for men due to its high protein content and a number of vitamins. For example, vitamin E. It fights free radicals, improves blood circulation and prevents the formation of blood clots, improves tissue function, including the prostate gland. Vitamin H is necessary for carbohydrate metabolism and the functioning of the pancreas. B vitamins are indispensable for the functioning of the central nervous system.

The benefits of soy meat for women

Soy texturate is rich in iron, which means we recommend it in the diet of young women. Iron maintains adequate hemoglobin levels and thyroid function. Potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc, which are included in texturate, are involved in the metabolic processes of the body.

– The increased content of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated acids, which are responsible for the normalization of lipid metabolism and prevent metabolic disorders, can also be attributed to the benefits of soy meat for women. Unsaturated fatty acids stabilize cardiovascular processes and stimulate the brain, says Anastasia Tarasko.

The benefits of soy meat for children

The benefits of soy meat for children and adolescents lies in the content of vitamin D and calcium, magnesium, lecithin. D is involved in the functioning of the immune system, is responsible for the strength and stability of the skeleton, and is necessary for the absorption of calcium (2).

– Calcium and magnesium are the main elements of bone and connective tissue, which are intensively formed in childhood and require increased consumption of these elements. Lecithin is a complex of phospholipids (choline, phosphatides, inositol), the main structural element of the cell membrane, necessary for cell renewal and serves as one of the main sources of nutrition for the nervous system. The components of lecithin are inherent in the human body, and their deficiency is accompanied by dysfunctions of the nervous, cardiovascular and other systems, says Anastasia Tarasko.

Harm of soy meat

With all the advantages of the product, our expert notes: it is not worth completely replacing natural meat and seafood with soy texturate. Unless, of course, you have no contraindications to conventional products. The ideal proportion in the daily diet:

70% – meat, fish and seafood.
30% – soy protein.

Soy meat has a number of disadvantages.

Soy protein does not have a complete amino acid composition. It contains practically no serine and phenylalanine. That is, we can say that in soy only 16 of the 18 amino acids.
Soy texturate contains salts of oxalic acid – oxalates. Therefore, it should not be used by people with a predisposition to urolithiasis with the formation of oxalate stones.
The phytic acid found in soy meat combines the positive and negative characteristics of texturate. Phytates provide anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, antioxidant, detoxifying effects. At the same time, phytic acid molecules bind minerals entering the body, preventing absorption.
Phytic acid also affects the enzymes responsible for food processing. It inhibits the work of pepsin, trypsin and amylase, which break down proteins and starch into sugars.
The second component of soy meat with a dual character is estrogen-like isoflavones or soy phytoestrogen. It is recommended for women who, due to age or other reasons, have problems with the natural production of this hormone. But it is contraindicated in pregnant and lactating mothers, risk groups for the development of oncology and after treatment of oncological diseases (3).
Excessive use of phytoestrogens negatively affects the male hormonal background, normal puberty in children.
Soy protein is a common allergen. – There are no reliable large-scale studies confirming the fact of the relationship between the systematic use of genetically modified soybeans and disruption of the brain, the development of oncology, “influence on the genome”, and so on. At the same time, the effect of GMO products, including soy, on the intestinal microbiome (a certain set of microorganisms in the large intestine) has not been fully studied, and the final safety has not been confirmed, notes Anastasia Tarasko.

The use of soy meat in cooking

About 400 soy products are used in the world today: milk, bread, sauces, cereals, etc. There are statistics that after wheat, soybeans are the second largest crop (4). And the numbers are growing year by year.

Futurologists in their forecasts constantly predict that in the future soy meat will become almost the basis of the population’s diet. Unless, of course, the population growth rate remains high.

In the meantime, cooks are inventing new recipes for cooking soy meat. Today you can come to a popular restaurant in the center of the capital and find a rather expensive item on the menu, which will be based on texturate in some special sauce. Soy meat is actively used by vegetarian fast food and health food stores.

How to cook soy meat in a pan

Frying textured like beef, pork or chicken steak in a pan will not work. If you just throw the pieces into the pan, you get inedible coals. We tell you how to cook this meat in a pan.

Step 1. We prepare raw materials

Soy meat is sold in dehydrated form. Unlike an animal product, it is practically devoid of any liquid. On the packaging there is an instruction from the manufacturer on how to saturate the meat with moisture. Usually, the pieces are poured with warm water and left for 15 – 20 minutes in a saucepan or other container. You can immediately salt the water. Some advise already at this stage to add the first seasonings. The main thing is that they are not a small fraction. That is, ground pepper will not work. Take bay leaves, coriander and other large spices.

Step 2. Cooking vegetables

While the meat is saturated with moisture, it’s time to do the vegetables. Frying will complement the taste of texturate and will allow you not only to fry it in a pan, but to stew it, as it were. Take half the onion, carrot, bell pepper. For flavor, you can add a clove of garlic and some herbs, such as parsley. We cut finely. Fry with the addition of vegetable oil in a pan. We mix constantly.

Step 3: Add Meat

There are two options. Or put on medium heat and cover with a lid so that everything is stewed for 5 – 10 minutes. Then add half a glass of water. Or vice versa – put on a strong fire and stir every 20-30 seconds. Then five minutes is enough.

Marinade for soy meat

Texture due to its properties goes very well with different marinades. In general, the taste of soy meat is specific and not to everyone’s liking. Therefore, it is recommended to rinse it with running water in a colander before or after immersion in water.

At the same time, the product perfectly absorbs any marinade and the taste will play in a new way. Here is a marinade you can use for soy meat.

Indian curry

The easiest way is to buy a jar of ready-made sauce in the store. Pay attention, not the curry seasoning, but the sauce – it contains a mix of spices. There are sharper ones, there are more universal ones. You can try Indian masala – it is also sold ready-made.

Caucasian marinade

To help you cilantro, garlic, a mixture of peppers. Perhaps coriander or a ready-made mixture of Caucasian herbs. Add a teaspoon of diluted vinegar, vegetable oil and a teaspoon of sugar.

Teriyaki or BBQ

These sauces also go great with soy meat. And what is important – they are already sold ready-made in almost every supermarket.

Mix soy meat with any of these marinades and it’s ready to be fried or sautéed right away. With or without a lid – decide for yourself, it depends on what kind of dish you want: a kind of goulash or steaks.

Submit your signature dish recipe by email. [email protected]. Healthy Food Near Me will publish the most interesting and unusual ideas

Soy meat in soy sauce

This classic is the most popular addition to texture. But just pouring soy sauce on meat is a bad idea. You run the risk of overdoing it, oversalting and getting the product with a pronounced soy sauce taste. Let’s be more delicate.

We suggest making a vegetable marinade with soy sauce. Medium onion, 1 – 2 carrots, a couple of cloves of garlic, bell pepper. We cut everything finely. If you want to try something new, buy fresh ginger root. Preferably not too dry, otherwise fibers will be felt. Mix everything with soy sauce and olive oil. Do not overdo it with the latter, otherwise it will be bitter. How much soy sauce to add depends on its saltiness. There are samples so concentrated that a couple of teaspoons will be over the eyes. If the sauce is “thin”, then you can 3 – 4 tablespoons.

Fry the mixture in a pan for five minutes, then spread the prepared soy meat. It is better to stew under the lid so that the pieces are saturated with sauce.