(Newswire.net — February 21, 2020) — Reducing your meat consumption can do wonders for both your personal health and for the planet which we live on. The animal industry has put an enormous amount of pressure on the environment and this is why more and more people are looking to go vegan, and millions more are looking to work hard on really reducing their meat or animal product consumption.
In light of the rise in demand we are seeing global restaurants and fast food outlets adding plant-based goods to their menus, and these have been received very well indeed. If this is something that you are keen to try for a day or two per week, or perhaps for even more time, we have some top tips from food expert Stacey Tokunaga, which can help you to find replacements for meat.
Plant-Based Substitutes
We are very much living in a golden age at the moment as there are so many companies who are producing plant-based meat substitutes which taste just like the real thing. In supermarkets now, general stores that are, not speciality markets, you can find sausages, burgers, chicken pieces and beef strips, as well as cold ‘meat’ options, which taste so incredibly close to the real thing. This is the easiest way for you to replace meat in your diet and much of the nutrition that is involved is similar to the real meat version.
Soy
Soy has long been a great replacement that vegans have looked to for meat, and the three main offerings are tofu and tempeh. Tofu is a product which is made by biting soybeans and then processing them in such a way that they curdle, and that is what is used to make tofu. When it comes to tempeh, this is a product which is made by fermenting soybeans. Both of these products are so popular because of the way that they absorb flavors that are added to them. They have tastes which aren’t overpowering and that is why they are a great option for a meal which calls for lots of herbs and spices.
Another option here is seitan which is made using gluten, it creates a meatloaf-style product which has a rich and deep flavor and can be used to replace meat.
Other Choices
Cereals and legumes are also a solid choice here because of their nutritional value and the fact that they serve as a good option to get protein, which is what you may lack when you are not eating meat. Chickpeas for example can be used to make falafel which can then be served in balls or as a burger. Portobello mushrooms are also a good choice for burger replacement because they are meaty in texture and they can be very filling.
The key is to get creative and do as much research online to find exciting recipes which you can use on the days that you don’t eat meat.