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Meat alternatives

There is a lot of misinformation going around about meat alternatives. A lot of people don't know how they are produced and think that they might be bad for our health or even for the environment. We aim to debunk all the myths on this page, together with dieticians, researchers and producers of meat alternatives!

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What are they made of?

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Protein source

Just like the meat they are replacing, meat alternatives are mainly a protein source. This can be soy, wheat, peas... Tofu, for example, is mainly made of soy protein, obtained by fermenting soy beans. Isn't that cool? Basically, the main things they do are mixing, sieving and drying. Seems like something you can do at home right?

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2

Oil or fat

Which is used for the juicy feeling of meat alternatives! In general unsaturated fats like sunflower oil or olive oil are used, which can have a positive impact on our health!

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3

Starch

Starches are used to improve the consistency of our meat alternatives and bind the ingredients, just like they would do in a sauce! They are a source of carbohydrates and definitely not harmful. A commonly used ingredient is methylcellulose (which originates from wood). This component has a similar effect on our bodies as fibers, which is a nutrient that Belgians are in general definitely lacking!

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4

Spices

Taste is added using spices, just as you would season meat or other dishes! Salt is often appointed to the 'bad' name of meat replacements, but these amounts are often small compared what we generally add to our food. A vegetarian alternative contains about 1,3 grams of salt, which is a sixth of a teaspoon. 

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5

Colour

Colour is often added to meat alternatives to make it look more appealing! In general, very innocent types of colouring agents are used, such as beetroot juice or tomato puree. 

Conclusion for our health

So while it is good that we are very critical about what we are eating, we have to stick to the facts when it comes to meat alternatives. Although an unprocessed, plant-based diet will always result in the largest amount of health benefits, meat alternatives are a good way to replace meat in our diet when we are making the transition. 

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In general, eating these replacements will improve your health, as you reduce the risk of heart- and coronary diseases, as well as cancer, when switching to plant-based meat alternatives. Because these replacements contain fibers, they might even have a positive impact on your health. 

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And of course, our planet!

"Meat replacements, even when they are very processed, will have a lower impact on our planet than meat itself"

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By switching to a more plant-based diet, you will be able to reduce your impact on global warming 54% to even 87%.

This article was written in collaboration with dietician Evelien Mertens. You can always ask questions in the comment sections of the blog post and we will get back to you with an answer!

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