What Is Plant Based Meat & Is It Actually Healthier?
Plant-based meat is all the craze right now. There is a plant-based alternative for almost every kind of meat, and they just keep getting better and better.
Whether you are already a vegan or vegetarian, or you’re considering making the switch, we can be your one-stop-shop for all info on plant-based meat alternatives. We will answer all of your plant-based questions like, What is plant-based meat? Is it grown in a lab? Is plant-based meat healthier? If it’s not made out of animals, what the heck is it made out of?
What Is Plant-Based Meat?
Plant-based meats are meat-like products that are made out of plants. At a glance, it is that simple. Scientists have gone into the lab and come up with a way to transform plant ingredients like soy protein and pea protein into plant-based meat products that look, smell, and taste just like regular meat but without the animal.
If you have ever felt a twinge of guilt while eating a cheeseburger, then you should try a plant-based burger. With some types of plant burgers, you may not even be able to tell the difference—they are that good!
Plant-based meats have become so popular in recent years that you can find them almost anywhere from local grocery stores to your favorite fast-food restaurant.
There are plant-based sausages, hot dogs, burgers, deli meats, corn dogs, chicken nuggets, and so much more. Plus, this trend is not only better for you than traditional meats, but they are also better for the environment.
How Long Has Plant Based Meat Been Around?
The very first idea of plant-based meat was introduced in the 1970s when people first started trying to find a solution to the rapidly growing population and lack of fresh foods. Because it takes a ton of water and food to feed and raise animals, scientists started looking for a way to take animals out of the equation. If they could figure out a way to make meat that was just as delicious as traditional meat, then we could eliminate the need for big factory farm operations.
Now, only 50 years later, scientists have done it! Plant-based meat alternatives used to be made out of grains and vegetables, and while they were intended to replace meat, you would have a hard time convincing any carnivore to eat it.
With modern-day solutions, they have created plant-based alternatives that are so convincingly similar that anyone would have a hard time telling the difference—no cap!
What Is A Vegan Diet And How Is It Different From A Vegetarian Diet?
Are you completely new to the concept of a plant-based diet? No worries, we gotchu! You have probably heard of vegetarians. These people do not eat meat—yes, even chicken and fish. Vegetarians don’t eat any meat or meat products but will eat cheese, dairy, honey, and other animal products as long as no animals were killed in the process.
Vegans, on the other hand, do not eat any animal products. They only eat plant-based products. So, if it came from an animal, vegans will not eat it.
This even means no honey since it was made by the bees. It can be challenging to keep a vegan diet, but thanks to the advances in plant-based alternatives, vegans have a replacement for almost everything. There are plant-based meats and cheeses, nut milks, ice creams, and so much more.
Different Types Of Plant-Based Meat
There are a lot of different types of plant-based meats to choose from. Like we said before, you can now enjoy a tasty plant-based breakfast sausage, juicy hamburger patty, smokey deli slices, crispy bacon, a carnival corn dog, and just about any other type of meat you could possibly want.
All of these plant-based alternatives are made out of different ingredients, but here are some common ones:
- Vegetable Protein-such as pea protein
- Vital Wheat Gluten- A.K.A. Seitan
- Coconut Oil
- Beans
- Soy
- Rice
Is Plant-Based Meat Healthier?
Short answer, yes! Dieticians agree that plant-based meats are a healthier alternative to traditional meats when eaten as part of a balanced diet. Of course, just like with regular meats, you shouldn’t only eat burgers. Your body needs more nutrients than a burger can deliver solo. However, plant-based meats are a great healthier alternative to regular meat.
When you compare a plant-based burger to a regular ground beef burger, the plant-based burger is lower in calories, higher in protein, with a fraction of the saturated fats, twice as much iron, and has no cholesterol. Take that regular meat!
The only downside to plant-based meats is that they can be higher in sodium. But as long as you enjoy them in moderation, they are a fantastic alternative. Why eat a giant fatty beef burger when you can have something healthier with the same great taste you love? Plant-based meats are for sure the way to go.
The Best Plant Based Snacks
Okay, so now you know the inside scoop on adding plant-based meats to your diet, but what about snack foods? Some of our favorite crispy junk foods include pork rinds and cheesy chip puffs, but they aren’t vegan, vegetarian, or very healthy.
Luckily, here at Outstanding Foods, we have come up with some plant-based snack options that are so good, you won’t miss the animals at all.
Pigless Pork Rinds
Missing your crispy pork rinds on your new plant-based diet, or are you just looking for a healthier alternative to your favorite snack? Well, look no further with our super crunchy Pigless Pork Rinds. You won’t miss your old pig-filled chips one bit.
Our crispy pig-free rinds are all the crunch without the side of guilt. Plus, each bag has 21 grams of plant-based protein, so you can eat the whole bag in one sitting without compromising your post-pandemic diet.
They come in a bunch of different flavors, each one more delicious than the last. If you want spicy snacks, then you’ve got to try our Hella Hot Pigless Pork Rinds.These meatless pork rinds will knock your socks off and send smoke flying out of your ears. You won’t be able to put down these addictive spicy bites.
If you are more of a salty fan, then try the Salt & Vinegar Pigless Pork Rinds. These crispy bits will pucker your taste buds and keep you reaching for more and more until you are in full “can’t feel your tongue” bliss!
Are you trying to replace your favorite cheesy snack? Then check out the Nacho Cheese Pigless Pork Rinds. These cheesy little bites of absolute deliciousness will transport you to the moon made of cheese. Eat your way through this whole bag; they are cheesier than your dad’s bad jokes.
For the perfect sandwich sidekick, try the Texas BBQ Porkless Rinds for sweet and smokey crisp-tastic crunch. These crispy pigless snackies will take you back to the old town road and make you yee-haw!
If you like to keep things classic, then you can never go wrong with our Classic Pigless Pork Rinds. They are the perfect replacement for regular ol’ pork rinds with a new and improved plant-based healthy twist. No matter which flavor you choose, order extra; you won’t regret it!
Take Out Meal In A Bag Puff Snacks
If you aren’t a pork rind freak, try the Outstanding Puffs. They come in four different flavors that will replace your favorite junk puffs, no problemo.
You can choose from Pizza Partay, White Chedda, Hella Hot, or Chill Ranch. These plant-based crispy puffs have 21 grams of protein in a bag, so you can make a meal of them. Go ahead, eat the whole bag; there is nothing stopping you!
Wrap Up
Now you’re a plant-based diet expert! If you didn’t skip straight to the wrap-up, then you’ve learned about what plant-based protein is, what it’s made of, and just how healthy it actually is.
Don’t worry, we’re not gonna quiz you, but we are gonna insist that you treat yourself to some tasty, protein-packed snack foods from Outstanding Foods. It’s so good you won’t even be able to tell it’s not meat.
With so many amazing plant-based options, why not commit to living a healthier lifestyle that is also more eco-friendly with a vegan diet. After all, why eat a cute little piggy when you can pig out on Pigless Pork Rinds guilt-free?
Trust us; once you try these delectable tasty snacks, you will yeet your old crappy snacks straight into the garbage. So, get rid of your unhealthy habits without ditching tasty snacks with crispy chips from Outstanding Foods. Outstanding, it’s in the name!
Sources:
Plant-Based Meat Has Roots in the 1970s—New York Times
