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ARE MEAT ALTERNATIVES HEALTHY FOR YOU? THERE’S NOW A SMORGASBORD OF MEAT ALTERNATIVES TO CHOOSE FROM AT THE SUPERMARKET, PROVIDING A TASTY CHOICE FOR YOUR FAMILY FAVOURITE RECIPES. BY SANITARIUM HEALTH FOOD COMPANY
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eat alternatives are usually made from a variety of plant proteins including soy, lentils, beans, chickpeas, grains, nuts and seeds. While some are literally an alternative to meat, other varieties are created to mimic meat right down to the look, texture and taste. These often come in the form of mince, burgers, sausages or schnitzels. There’s now even products that taste like chicken and fish on the meat alternative menu. ARE MEAT ALTERNATIVES HEALTHY? Meat alternatives tend to be lower in kilojoules and saturated fat compared to animal meat sausages or burgers. As they are plant-based, many products also provide fibre. When shopping for a meat alternative,
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dietitians recommend choosing products fortified with zinc, iron and vitamin B12 —essential nutrients often found in animal foods. CAN THEY PROVIDE THE PROTEIN I NEED? Most meat alternatives have higher or comparable protein to their meat counterparts. A Food Frontier report recently checked out meat alternative products in Australia and New Zealand supermarkets. It found 82 per
