Meat is often cited as the most missed thing from a meal when someone starts a meatless diet. It can be hard for many to stick to a meatless eating plan, and a meat substitute is a great solution to help someone stick with the diet and still be able to enjoy their favorite meals. There are many kinds of meat substitutes, many of which are textured soy proteins that come from soybeans.
When manufacturers remove the oil from the soybeans, there is a flour that is left over that has a high protein content but is low fat. Soy oil producers wanted to be able to use more of the bean, and they researched techniques for turning the low-fat soy flour into different foods. What they found was that it could be shaped to look like meat and still retain all the nutritional value of the whole bean.
Unflavored textured soy will work well in many of your favorite dishes; since the only ingredient is soy flour, it will take on the flavors of other foods it’s cooked with. Flavored textured soy proteins will provide the taste of meat, such as beef, poultry, or the more complex flavors of fish, without using any animal products at all. This allows you to recreate many of your favorite recipes without having to forgo meatless eating.
The first textured soy proteins on the market were granules. They’re about the size and shape of granola and are used to create foods that are bound together, like meatless loaf and burgers. Anything that ground beef can be used for would be a good candidate for this size of textured soy.
Larger sizes of textured soy that are shaped to emulate chunks of meat for stews, or chicken breasts, are also available. Typically, these are used for dishes that need larger pieces for use in kabobs, chili, or casseroles. If you enjoy fajitas and stir frys, textured soy slices are a great choice for replacing meat in these dishes.
With many textured soy products to choose from, you can enjoy a meat-free diet, but still have foods similar to those you love, such as hot wings and bacon. You can also buy textured soy concentrates, which some people find easier to digest because they contain fewer natural sugars than regular textured soy. Organic products are also available, and are just slightly higher in fat than other textured soy proteins.
Textured soy products have a long shelf life. Those that are flavored can remain on the shelf for a year and a half, requiring no refrigeration. For those that have no added flavors, you can store these for many years, although you should always follow the use by date on the packages.
Due to the low fat and high fiber content of textured soy proteins, they are a good choice for those who want to lose weight. Those watching their blood sugar can also benefit from using textured soy, as the high fiber content can help regulate the absorption of blood glucose.
Cynthia Holzapfel is owner of Healthy-Eating.com, the country’s leading source for tvp, textured soy and other meat alternatives for more than 25 years. As a vegan for almost 40 years, Cynthia and her partners are experts on how to make the transition to meatless eating. Get their recommendations for how to use the dozens of textured soy protein products available for delivery to your door.