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

Meat 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, 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

cent of meat alternatives were a good source of protein, providing at least 10g of protein per serve.

Plant-based were found to have more protein than meat varieties. Burgers were on a par, while plant-based mince is the only meat alternative category with less protein than the animal meat version.

On average women need around 46g protein a day, while men require around 64g. Meat alternatives can certainly help hit the mark. A plant-based patty on a wholegrain bun with salad can provide as much as 30g protein in one meal. IS THE PROTEIN QUALITY THE SAME?

There are nine "essential" amino acids that we need to get from the protein we eat. If a food contains all nine of the essential amino acids, it is called a complete protein.

It’s often argued animal proteins are better because they contain all nine essential amino acids. However, there are also plant foods that are commonly thought of as complete proteins or highquality proteins.These includesoy bean, quinoa, amaranth andpistachio nuts.

Regardless, having a variety of different plant proteins as part of a healthy balanced diet each day will provide the essential amino acids you need.

Looking for more ways to add plantbased proteins to your diet? Check out our meat alternative recipes at <sanitarium.com.au> or <sanitarium.co.nz> for some great recipe inspiration.

Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com. au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Recipe of the Week for weekly recipe inspiration in your email inbox.