Vegetable meat: health benefits and harms

Contents

The history of the appearance of vegetable meat in nutrition
Types of vegetable meat
The composition of vegetable meat
- Nutritional value of soy meat per 100 g
- Nutritional value of vegetable meat based on peas 100 g
The benefits of vegetable meat
Harm of vegetable meat
The use of vegetable meat in cooking
- farm cheeseburger
- vegetable meatballs
Popular questions and answers

Once only popular with vegetarians and people with animal protein intolerances, plant-based meat is now a staple in gourmet diets and trendy restaurant menus. We talk about its benefits and harm to health

Vegetable meat opens up a huge gastronomic world for us, which consumers are actively exploring. Cutlets, minced meat, barbecue, sausage and snacks – some of this abundance can be easily found on the shelves of supermarkets in large cities. Novelties are actively bought up not only by fans of Asian cuisine or adherents of vegetarian principles.

And vegetable meat has found itself in lean, halal and kosher cuisines. The more widely the product is distributed, the more the consumer wants to know about the safety of the novelty. Together with the doctor, we understand the benefits and harms of vegetable meat for the health of men, women and children.

The history of the appearance of vegetable meat in nutrition

The prototype of “non-meat” appeared in Asian countries several thousand years ago. Strictly speaking, it was rather bean curd, which today is called tofu. In general, it may seem that meat substitutes came from Asia. In fact, the technology for obtaining this product was invented in the 1960s in the United States.

Soy meat has changed the market. But even before its appearance, people tried to make their diet from such plant products. In the XIX – XX century, vegetarian ideas developed with might and main. Suffice it to recall the writer and thinker Leo Tolstoy, who refused to eat animal food. In those years, in Europe and the Empire, the enlightened sections of the population professed similar principles. Restaurants and canteens were created for their needs, where they could eat pea and carrot cutlets. This is not exactly vegetable meat, but another harbinger of its appearance in nutrition.

At that time, they did not think about the possible harm. We saw only benefits. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, mankind learned to deal with previously fatal ailments, and technological progress extended people’s lives for decades. Scientists wondered: how to feed a growing population? Livestock is whimsical in care, it needs to be raised and treated. It takes up a lot of resources.

Then they started talking that the way out would be the creation of vegetable meat. Because the potential of legumes has already been recognized. Even Soviet agricultural scientists devoted a lot of work to possible technologies for creating vegetable meat.

Nowadays, numerous product variations have appeared. He has not yet supplanted real meat, but has become a trend. Computer billionaire Bill Gates and actor Leonardo DiCaprio have invested in an American plant-based meat company. The stars were guided not by business interests, but by environmental ones – both are well-known fighters for climate stability. Farms with animals, no matter how strange it may sound, are quite harmful to the production environment. Mainly due to the abundance of livestock waste products.

Fashionable European and overseas restaurants began to show interest in vegetable meat. Steakhouses and burgers, which until then built the image of true meat establishments, have ceased to shy away from vegetable protein and have added new items to the menu. The trend was also adopted by establishments.

In parallel with this, vegetable meat also captured supermarkets. Agree, five years ago it was impossible to see a soy patty in a convenience store. And now in large cities it is a common product. A couple more years – and the product will surely fill the shelves even in small towns. If, of course, there is demand.

Types of vegetable meat

The two most common types of alternative protein are soy and pea. There are products with the addition of wheat, rice, potato starch. You need to understand that vegetable meat is not made from pure soy or peas.

In the first case, soybean meal or flour is taken. These products remain after processing the culture. Previously, they were thrown away, but now they have found a use.

Peas are also not taken in their pure form. Protein is used – a mixture of proteins that looks like flour obtained from grains. In recent years, there has been a double attitude towards the soy product. The voices of those who consider it harmful are heard more and more strongly. Therefore, more products based on peas appear on the market.

Also, types of vegetable meat can be considered products based on it. The most popular is soy texturate. It requires pre-soaking. Texturat is well known in Our Country thanks to instant noodles, where the manufacturer carefully puts dry squares of this delicacy.

Now vegetable meat producers are striving to adapt the product as much as possible to meet consumer expectations. Therefore, they produce cutlets, sausages, meatballs and minced meat based on vegetable protein.

The composition of vegetable meat

The technological map of the product is different for all manufacturers. On the packaging of vegetable meat, you can find something like this composition:

pea protein;
water;
oils – coconut, rice, cocoa;
methylcellulose and potato starch (serve as thickeners);
taste improvers – salt, vinegar, flavorings;
pomegranate, beetroot juice, or iron heme (for color).

It will be an advantage if the vegetable steak contains vitamins B7 and B12, which are usually not enough for people in plant foods. In total, the composition can include up to 34 ingredients (1).

The composition of soy texturate will be concise – soy flour.

Don’t be afraid of the soy content. The fact is that back in 2016, it was forbidden (2) to import and grow seeds of plants in Our Country, whose genetic program was changed using genetic engineering methods, that is, GMO products, – says Candidate of Medical Sciences, dietitian, consultant of the medical service “Doctor Nearby” Alexander Andreev.

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

Nutritional value of vegetable meat based on peas 100 g

Caloric value on 100 g	98 – 320 kcal
Proteins	10 – 17 g
Fats	1,5 – 19 g
Carbohydrates	3 – 7 g

The range of indicators is explained by the fact that each manufacturer uses its own recipe and different raw materials.

The benefits of vegetable meat

In addition to high-quality protein, fat, and carbohydrates, soybeans are rich in fiber, iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), and B vitamins (3).

Plant-based meat based on pea protein contains minerals and B vitamins, a large amount of lysine, leucine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and arginine. All these are amino acids that ensure the functioning of the body, which means they are beneficial.

– Vegetable meat contains vitamins B12, B7 and Omega-3. It is a source of quality protein in the diet. A source of polyunsaturated fatty acids that reduce inflammation in the body and improve tissue nutrition. Some alternative meats contain vitamin B12. Based on all this, we can say that vegetable meat is an almost identical analogue of an animal, with the exception of one important element – animal proteins, – dietitian Alexander Andreev talks about the benefits of vegetable meat.

Benefits for men

The male body has a high cholesterol content. With an excess in the body, this organic molecule hits the blood vessels. Vegetable meat, unlike natural meat, does not contain cholesterol.

In addition, it has an increased resource of saturated fats, which improve blood circulation. Back in the late 90s, a study was conducted that proved that 25 grams of soy protein per day reduced cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease (4).

Polyunsaturated fats work in tandem with vitamins and minerals. So, they have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system (5,6).

At the same time, our expert warns that one should not be overly deceived by the benefits of vegetable meat for the heart and blood vessels. Studies of this problem have been carried out, but only on a small sample of people (7).

Benefits for women

In theory, the composition of vegetable meat is beneficial to the skin – it rejuvenates and slows down the aging process. It also contains trace elements that help the processes of the so-called women’s health. And at any age: both in young ladies and in those who are experiencing menopause.

Benefits for children

A nutritionist warns that it is not worth completely replacing real meat with vegetable analogues in a children’s diet. Unless, of course, there are no instructions from the pediatrician. As in the case of adult nutrition, for a child, vegetable meat will be a useful addition, but not a complete substitute.

“This is almost the same as eating a vegetable salad, only it will be in the form of a cutlet – a good idea for a varied diet,” notes Alexander Andreev.

Harm of vegetable meat

– Many people worry about their health, try to keep the balance of proteins-fats-carbohydrates and reduce the consumption of fried foods. Some mistakenly believe that a healthy diet is a complete rejection of meat in favor of plant-based products. This is not entirely true, – comments dietitian Alexander Andreev.

Many are alarmed by the overly rich composition of vegetable meat. There is a widespread opinion that if there are a lot of “yes” in the composition, then the product is harmful. But as a rule, if the package does not contain prohibited food additives (8), then there is no harm with constant use.

– Also, special attention to the composition should be paid to allergy sufferers, since meat can be made specifically from those products to which they have a reaction. Remember that the vegetable from which alternative meat is made has its pros and cons – these benefits and harms will also be contained in vegetable meat, the expert says.

Soy contains urease, trypsin inhibitor, soyne, saponin and lipoxidase. These are all anti-nutritional compounds that can negatively affect the body’s metabolism. This means they are harmful to humans. They inhibit the action of pancreatic enzymes, provoke indigestion. In addition, they prevent the absorption of trace elements – zinc, magnesium and iodine.

Also, vegetable proteins are digested worse than animals. Cell membranes are made up of fiber, which makes it harder for gastric juice to break it down, and therefore wrap proteins for the benefit of the body (9).

– The most important principle in the use of any food should be the thought – everything is good, but in moderation. So with plant products – this is not a panacea for all diseases, they cannot be a full-fledged alternative to an animal product. You can use them during illness, fasting, or just from time to time, then there will definitely be no harm from vegetable meat, ”the dietitian concluded.

The use of vegetable meat in cooking

Vegetable meat occupies all gastronomic niches: it can be made the main dish on the table, used in traditional fast food or turned into a sample of haute cuisine. Its main advantage, like that of ordinary meat, is the variety of species. You can buy ready-made cutlets, fry them and serve with a side dish. Buy a steak or minced meat and try to make a dish to your taste.

farm cheeseburger

Packaging of vegetable burger patties	200 – 300 g
wheat buns	3 piece.
Stretching cheese – mozzarella or cheddar (you can take vegetable)	60 g
Pickle	1 piece.
A tomato	1 piece.
Sauce to taste (the simplest is ketchup and mayonnaise)	2 Art. spoons

Fry the patties as directed in the instructions. You can use the grill. Dry the buns in a pan – so they will better hold the sauce and filling.

Brush the bottom of the bun with the sauce. Place the hot patty on top. Next, cheese – so that it begins to melt from the heat of vegetable meat. Add a few circles of pickled cucumber, a circle of tomato. You can sprinkle with microgreens. Close the burger with the top of the boucle and serve.

An egg can be used as an alternative to vegetables. Break it into a hot pan, but do not let it spread much. Put cheese on top.

vegetable meatballs

Packing of vegetable stuffing	300 – 400 g
Small onion	1 piece.
rice	2 Art. spoons
Egg	1 piece.

The difference from meatballs is that the minced meat will have to be fried in a pan beforehand. 5-7 minutes until golden. Boil a small portion of rice according to the instructions, but remove it from the heat 5 minutes before cooking. Drain the water.

Finely chop the onion. Mix it with minced meat, rice, a whole egg (you can take a couple of quail). Add salt and pepper to taste. Blind the meatballs. If they don’t form, add flour.

Ideally, pour the dish with tomato or creamy mushroom sauce and put in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. But you can just fry again in a pan for about 7 minutes.

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