The Complete Guide to EVEN MORE Vegan Food Substitutions--A sneak preview recipe, and a giveaway! (2024)

FAQs

Why vegan meat substitutes are the worst junk food? ›

Foods are more processed if they contain artificial ingredients or "natural flavors." In meat substitutes specifically, ingredients such as soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate and textured vegetable protein are processed ingredients. That's bad news because ultraprocessed foods increase your risk of: Obesity.

A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

You can make a lot of delicious vegan food on a budget! Vegetable curries with rice and tofu, creamy or broth-based soups, vegetable stir-fries, sandwiches, veggie & bean chilies, pasta dishes, and salads are all examples of tasty and affordable vegan meals.

Because of their processed nature, plant-based meats don't provide a plethora (or sometimes any) of the nutrients that make whole plant foods so good for you, such as significant amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, monounsaturated fats, and polyphenols.

“Compared to a meat-based burger, Beyond and Impossible contain roughly the same amount of saturated fat and more sodium,” she says, both of which, when over-consumed, can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Beer and Wine

Isinglass, a gelatin-based substance derived from fish, is used as a clarifying agent in some beer and wine. Other non-vegan ingredients sometimes used are casein (from milk) and egg whites.

You'll restrict grains and foods made with them, such as bread and pasta. You also limit starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, as well as beans and legumes. And you'll cut high-sugar tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, and bananas, as well as fruit juices and sweets.

Many vegans refer to Oreos as “accidentally vegan,” meaning they don't contain animal products — but they weren't created to be a specifically vegan treat. Oreos do not contain milk, eggs, or any other animal-derived products, so they are technically vegan in that sense.

What is the healthiest plant-based food? ›

Fats in olive oil, olives, nuts and nut butters, seeds, and avocados are particularly healthy choices. Cook a vegetarian meal at least one night a week. Build these meals around beans, whole grains, and vegetables. Include whole grains for breakfast.

Vegans don't eat meat or dairy products like eggs and cheese. Instead, vegans eat either plants themselves (such as leafy greens like spinach and lettuce), products that plants produce (fruits, seeds, nuts, and legumes), or products that are derived from plants (such as olive oil and tofu).

Numerous studies have shown that vegans consume insufficient calcium and vitamin D, not only owing to the absence of dairy products but also due to calcium bioavailability problems in plant-based diets [28]. Vitamin D insufficiency exacerbates calcium shortage further owing to impaired intestinal absorption.

Yes. A plant-based diet is considered to be nutrient-dense and packed with fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. It is a very healthy way of eating and can meet all of your nutrient needs.

The truth is, just because something is vegan, doesn't mean it's healthy. There are plenty of nutritious vegan foods out there (find out more about those by following our guide to a whole foods, plant-based diet), but French fries and nuggets usually aren't among them.

Plant-based meat substitutes have on average 50% lower environmental impact.

This is not only because a vegan diet removes some of the foods that are most nutritionally dense - namely meat, dairy, and eggs - but because it usually replaces them with grains and vegetable oils - which provide cheap, nutritionally-empty calories, and invariably create a lot of inflammation and health problems.

The biggest difference seen in the study was for emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas produced by cattle and sheep, which were 93% lower for vegan diets compared with high-meat diets.