More and more people are trying a plant-based diet, but not everyone can completely give up some foods. Many people cannot imagine dinner without their favorite steak or lasagna. Then vegan meat alternatives come to the rescue. But are they really as useful as they seem?
Lidiya Kvashnina
somnologist
Talks about the pros and cons of vegan meat.
We will discuss not only those products that are called “vegan meat”, but also various variations: vegan minced meat, cutlets, etc. Most often, such products are based on soy protein, less often - wheat and pea isolate, there are also options based on wheat and corn flour . Various types of fiber from cereals and vegetables, vegetable oils and seeds are also added to the composition.
Checklist: going on a picnic
What are the benefits of soy for weight loss?
An annual herbaceous plant - soybean - belongs to the legume family, contains protein (essential and essential amino acids), minerals (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, manganese, iron), vitamins E and B. thiamine. Soybeans are grown in Asia, on the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, in Southern Europe and America. Products prepared on its basis (milk, meat, tofu (cheese), sauce) are low-calorie, easily digestible, and contain a high content of complete protein and biologically active substances (lecithin, phytoestrogen).
The beneficial components of soy lower cholesterol levels, improve metabolism, and, in combination with physical activity, help burn fat without losing muscle mass. Thanks to the existence of various options for creating a daily menu, the soy diet helps not only to get rid of excess weight, but also to tighten muscles, overcome cellulite, swelling , gain a beautiful body and improve the health of the body.
About weight loss
If you look at the numbers, soy products are not much less caloric than their “prototypes”. For clarity: low-calorie soy mayonnaise contains 140-150 kcal, the lightest traditional mayonnaise can contain from 110 to 170. Tofu contains about 90 kcal (regular low-fat cottage cheese - 70-100). Only the nutritional value of meat differs significantly: in soy - about 50-70 kcal per serving, in regular - from 100 to 500, depending on the cooking method). But the taste, as we remember, is significantly inferior.
And pay attention! Not everything made from soy is low in calories. Mayonnaise, curds and soybean pastes are made with zero, 16 percent, and 23 percent fat content. And here there was no smell of “diet” anymore.
But. A significant dietary advantage of soy products is that they contain a lot of protein. One can argue endlessly about the benefits and harms of protein diets, but here is what I learned from my own experience. Protein makes you full quickly, and then you don’t want to eat for a very long time. Protein doesn’t make you want to snack on chocolates and other “bad things.” And finally, protein does not cause a loss of strength, as on diets based only on cabbage or other not very food products. True, I didn’t keep track of weight fluctuations, but the fact that I began to eat less sweets and starchy foods is a fact. And they, as you know, are the main enemies of anyone losing weight.
Requirements and principles of the soy diet
There are several common types of effective soy diets. This is the so-called analogue diet, in which you eat as usual, replacing dairy products, meat and cheese with soy analogues; seven-day soy milk diet; five-day diet on soybeans (the daily diet consists of only 500 g of boiled soybeans without salt and seasonings); diet based on meat or using soy sauce. When following any option, the following principles must be adhered to:
- Small frequent meals (at least 4-5 times a day, for example every four hours) in small portions (200-250 g).
- In addition to plain water, it is allowed to drink green tea without sugar; the drinking regime is standard - at least 1.5-2 liters of liquid per day.
- When preparing dishes, you must avoid adding vegetable or animal fats and sauces based on them. Vegetable salads can be seasoned with soy sauce, lemon juice or olive oil.
- Salt is on the list of prohibited foods; in some recipes it can be replaced with soy sauce.
- The foods you eat should contain as little fat as possible. The percentage of fat in soy meat, drinks, mayonnaise or desserts should not exceed 1%.
- During the diet, frying of foods is excluded; it is better to steam or bake dishes in the oven or slow cooker.
- Exit from the diet is carried out gradually, especially if the weight loss was long-term. A sharp jump in the amount of fats and carbohydrates consumed daily can quickly “negate” the achieved results and become a dangerous overload for the body.
By creating a varied, balanced diet, you can stick to a soy-based diet for a long time, from two to four weeks. You can lose up to 15 kg of excess weight, while the body will experience minimal stress. However, before you start losing weight, you need to consult with a specialist, develop a daily menu, diet duration, and a plan for introducing animal products into your diet at the stage of exiting this diet.
What foods should you include in your diet?
The basis of the daily menu during a diet on soy products is soy meat, beans, milk, and tofu. In addition to them, especially with long-term adherence to such dietary rules, at the stage of completing the diet, it is allowed to add lean meat or fish (pollock, pike, hake), fermented milk products (kefir, natural unsweetened yogurt, cottage cheese). Snacks between main meals, consisting of fruits and dried fruits, are acceptable. In addition to protein products, the menu includes:
- vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, potatoes, white cabbage, bell peppers);
- fruits and natural juices from them (apples, kiwi, plums, citrus fruits);
- dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots);
- cereals (brown rice, oatmeal, buckwheat);
- legumes (peas, green beans);
- mushrooms;
- honey (1 tablespoon per day);
- rye or bran cereal bread, whole grain bread (limited)
List of prohibited products
It is prohibited to include sweet confectionery, chocolate and cocoa, baked goods, fatty fish and meats, pasta and white rice in the daily menu. It is necessary to completely abandon sugar and salt, exclude carbonated and alcoholic drinks, natural and instant coffee. It is better to steam or bake dishes, avoiding frying. Smoked meats, pickles and marinades, semi-finished products and fast food are excluded.
Soy milk diet menu for 7 days
Soy milk contains a large amount of fiber, which helps cleanse the intestines and remove accumulated toxins and waste from the body. The protein component works to preserve and strengthen muscle mass, while the vitamins and microelements included in the product are sufficient to maintain the overall tone of the body. You can lose 4-5 kg by following the following diet for 7 days:
| Days of the week | Breakfast | Dinner | Afternoon snack | Dinner |
| Monday Thursday | A glass of soy milk, 80 g of dried rye bread | Mashed potatoes with soy milk, baked apple with honey | Dried apricots (20 g) | Low-fat fish baked with vegetables, tofu (20 g), a glass of apple juice |
| Tuesday Friday | Oatmeal with soy milk, whole grain bread with a piece of tofu | Boiled green beans, milk, diet cracker | Carrot-apple puree | Pea porridge, white cabbage salad with apple and carrots with vinegar dressing, plum compote |
| Wednesday Saturday | Tofu (40 g), bran toast, milk | Baked beef with carrot salad with soy mayonnaise, juice | Milk, prunes (15 g), kiwi | Bell pepper stuffed with lean beef, green beans, orange juice |
| Resurrection | Buckwheat porridge, a glass of soy milk, whole grain bread | Vegetable broth with low-fat sour cream, tofu (15 g) | Milk, apple, dried apricots (10 g) | Low-fat fish baked with potatoes, cucumber and white cabbage salad, tomato or apple juice |
Soy sauce while dieting
Natural soybean sauce will give bland dishes a piquant, slightly salty taste without increasing their calorie content. Its presence in the diet activates digestive processes and speeds up metabolism. During the diet, the daily intake of this product is two tablespoons; it can be added to salads, meat or fish dishes, porridges, and used for marinating poultry before baking. The duration of the soy sauce diet should not exceed one week .
Who shouldn't eat vegan meat?
I have already mentioned that vegan meat is most often produced from soy, which is considered the champion in estrogen content among plants. There are 100,000 mcg of estrogen per 100 g of product. Phytoestrogens (that is, natural ones) are considered less dangerous than artificial ones. But their exchange requires healthy digestion, liver and intestinal microflora. And not everyone can boast of this.
Research suggests that when natural estrogens interact with herbicides used in soybean cultivation, their effect is greatly enhanced.
Photo: unsplash.com/@enginakyurt
In general, you should not abuse soy meat. Since excessive amounts of soy in the diet can disrupt the balance of estrogen and progesterone in the body, which can lead to infertility, miscarriages, osteoporosis, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, cervical dysplasia, autoimmune diseases, breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer.
Cooking recipes
The soy diet requires a varied daily menu; the diet should not be skimpy. Based on soy products, you can prepare familiar dishes or an unusual oriental salad with nori leaves and tofu. Instead of salt during cooking, soy sauce is used (not exceeding the daily norm of 2 tablespoons) , the frying process in oil is replaced by baking in the oven or stewing.
Vegetable salad with tofu cheese and croutons
- Cooking time: 30 minutes.
- Quantity: 4 persons.
- Calorie content: 60 kcal/100 g.
Tofu cheese is great for adding to vegetable salads, making them tastier and more nutritious. Ingredients of traditional oriental recipes (nori leaves, sesame oil) can be replaced. When preparing the dressing, use lemon or grapefruit juice instead of oils. If desired, you can add fresh cucumber, bell pepper and other vegetables to your salad to your taste.
Ingredients:
- lettuce leaves of two or three varieties - 150 g;
- red cherry tomatoes – 12 pcs;
- tofu – 150 g;
- sesame – 1 tsp;
- bran bread – 30 g;
- olive oil – 1 tsp;
- sesame oil – 2 tsp;
- soy sauce – 1 tsp;
- nori sheet – 1 pc.;
- ginger root – 10 g.
Cooking method:
- Dry the crackers. Cut the bread into small cubes, place on a baking sheet and leave in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
- Wash the tomatoes and lettuce. Cut the tomatoes in half and place the salad in serving bowls.
- Cut the tofu cheese into medium-sized cubes, roll in sesame seeds, and add to the tomatoes.
- Make the dressing - chop the ginger, add oil, soy sauce, mix thoroughly.
- Cut the nori sheet into thin strips, add to the salad along with the prepared croutons, and season.
Soy meat goulash
- Cooking time: 40 minutes.
- Quantity: 4 persons.
- Calorie content: 80 kcal/100 g.
There are several options for preparing soy meat goulash. You can add seasonal vegetables to the dish, such as zucchini or eggplant, bell peppers or green beans. In the proposed recipe, tomato paste is replaced with fresh tomatoes; if desired, use any favorite spices, sprinkle the finished dish with fresh herbs. It is better to serve meat with rice or stewed potatoes.
Ingredients:
- goulash – 300 g;
- large carrots – 1 pc.;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- large tomatoes – 2 pcs.;
- paprika – 1 tsp;
- mixture of peppers - to taste;
- soy sauce – 1 tbsp.
Cooking method:
- Soak the meat for 10-15 minutes in hot water, drain, and squeeze a little.
- Set the multicooker to “stew” mode, place the goulash in a bowl, add water, and simmer with the lid open for 10-20 minutes.
- Grate the carrots on a coarse grater, finely chop the onion, add to the meat, sprinkle with paprika, simmer for 10 minutes.
- Peel the tomatoes after scalding with boiling water, mash with a fork or blender, and add to the meat. Pour over the sauce, season with a mixture of peppers and simmer covered for another 10 minutes.
Buckwheat porridge with milk
- Cooking time: 30 minutes.
- Quantity: 2 persons.
- Calorie content: 70 kcal/100 g.
Buckwheat porridge with milk is perfect for a hearty breakfast that will give you a boost of energy for the whole coming day. In the proposed recipe, sweet porridge is prepared with honey and cinnamon; if desired, you can prepare a savory dish or add a little salt. Before cooking, buckwheat can be soaked in water for 20-30 minutes for better boiling. There is no need to add oil during the diet.
Ingredients:
- buckwheat – 0.5 cups;
- water – 250 ml;
- soy milk – 200 ml;
- cinnamon – 0.5 tsp;
- honey – 1 tsp.
Cooking method:
- Prepare the buckwheat - sort it (if necessary), rinse thoroughly.
- Pour cold water over the cereal, put it on the fire, bring to a boil, cook under the lid over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Add milk, bring to a boil, cook for another 5-7 minutes. Remove any foam that appears.
- 2 minutes before readiness, add cinnamon and stir. Before serving, add honey to the finished dish.
Stuffed Pepper Recipe
Replace regular minced meat with soy for stuffing peppers, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the end result. The low calorie content of the dish and its delicious taste will not leave anyone indifferent; you will immediately love it and will cook it constantly.
Compound:
- bell pepper – 10 pcs.;
- large carrot;
- 100 g minced soy;
- a bunch of fresh herbs;
- tbsp tomato paste;
- spices, salt to taste.
How to cook:
Wash the fruits, remove the stalks, remove the seeds. Add spices to the prepared soy mince. It tastes best with curry, ground coriander, turmeric, ground black pepper and dried garlic. Add a little salt to taste and stir. Wash the greens, chop with a knife, mix with minced meat. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater, fry a little in a non-stick frying pan without adding oil and place in a cup with the stuffing mixture.
Stuff the peppers with minced meat with spices and carrots, pressing the filling tightly inside. Place the stuffed fruits in a baking dish. Add tomato paste to a glass of warm water, stir and pour the dressing over the peppers, salt, and you can add seasonings.
Bake the peppers in the oven at 180-200 degrees for at least 50 minutes. Check readiness as follows: use a fork to pierce the skin of the vegetable. If the cloves fit in without effort, the stuffed peppers are ready. remove them from the oven and place them on plates. You can serve without a side dish, do not forget to pour tomato sauce on top. Bon appetit!
On a note!
If you want to make the dish more filling, add ½ cup of already cooked rice to the stuffing filling.
Advantages and disadvantages
The soy diet has a number of advantages over other types of diets, as well as some disadvantages. Soy products have a specific taste and can cause flatulence (gas formation in the intestines), bloating, individual allergic reactions and other side effects. Not everyone likes the taste of tofu or sauce, in which case it is better not to torture yourself and choose another option for losing weight.
Some methods of losing weight on soy (for example, a five-day diet on soybeans) involve strict restriction of caloric intake and can cause weakness, a feeling of tiredness, and increased fatigue, so it is better to modify such a soy diet into one fasting day.
The undoubted advantages of the weight loss method include:
- The ability to lose excess weight without a constant strong feeling of hunger, while maintaining physical and mental activity.
- A high protein content and a low amount of carbohydrates in the diet helps to maintain muscle relief during the diet, provided that there are regular (at least 3 times a week) full-fledged (lasting at least an hour) workouts.
- The variety allows you to choose the option that best suits your individual daily routine and taste preferences.
- Thanks to their unique composition, the products have a beneficial effect on overall well-being, slow down the aging process, and normalize hormonal levels and the functioning of the endocrine system. Their regular consumption helps normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and the isoflavonoids included in the composition reduce the likelihood of developing oncological processes. The risks of diabetes, liver and kidney diseases are minimized.
