Fish is extremely healthy and tastes good, but modern fishing methods are not particularly sustainable. If you want to save them unnecessary suffering, fish substitute products can help.
These can now be found in large numbers in the markets and offer you an experience that is close to real fish . We'll show you what's important and why Fischersatz is important for our society.
What are fish substitute products?
As the name suggests, these are products designed to replace fish in your meals . Only plant-based ingredients are used to put together the “ substitute fish ”.
Fish substitute is ideal for people looking for a plant-based diet. But you still want to enjoy the taste of fresh fish. Fish substitute is also a good alternative for vegans and vegetarians .
It allows them to eat a balanced diet that contains all the necessary nutrients . However, the industry has not adapted to a single, specific standard. Instead, there are many different vegan substitute products .
This is an advantage for you because you have a lot of room to experiment : If you don't like a certain fish substitute product , you simply try another one. In the course of this short guide we will present you with a wide variety of variants.
Why is Fischersatz necessary?
A good 33% of the world's oceans are overfished and 60% of them have already been exploited to their maximum. So if we simply continued with our current procedures and didn't change anything, the seas would no longer contain any fish in the future. Obviously this is not acceptable.
Avoiding fish is also not always a good idea due to its many positive effects on our health .
We therefore need an idea that provides us with fish-like substances, but at the same time does not contribute to further overfishing. This is exactly where we use vegan fish alternatives .
Damage caused by overfishing
The severe overfishing mentioned is just one of the problems caused by our consumer behavior. In addition, we disrupt entire ecosystems : If we pull too many fish out of the sea, predatory fish may not find enough prey.
The population of predatory fish will reduce, which in turn can have new, unpleasant consequences. This creates a domino effect - and further difficulties threaten :
- The bycatch is not to be despised. This refers to fish that fishermen are not actually interested in, but which are also " accidentally " part of the catch when fishing. For example, the animals get caught in nets and are also pulled out of the ocean and are harmed. Current fishing methods make it difficult to stop bycatch and ensure high fishing efficiency.
- Some methods affect the underwater landscape as such. Heavy nets sink to the bottom of the sea and, for example, drag over coral reefs and damage them. This destroys further habitats, which has a negative impact on the fish population. The damage is intensified because these underwater worlds often take a long time to regrow.
Aquaculture: an alternative?
No, in most cases not. In aquaculture, fish are bred in artificial spaces. An attempt is made to create spaces that are as close to life as possible - often directly in the sea.
Because industries obey the laws of the free market, efficiency is rewarded : as many fish as possible in as small an area as possible . In addition, these fish are often fed food for faster growth, which has health consequences for the fish and us.
The idea behind aquaculture is initially laudable, but the implementation is hardly suitable for widespread use. Otherwise we would have finally solved the problem of overfishing.
In order to meet the fish needs of people on earth, alternatives are necessary . Vegetarian or vegan fish substitute products can provide these alternatives without affecting the world's oceans or causing ecosystems to become unbalanced.
Fish taste and how it is created
Most people who eat fish and meat are less interested in these products themselves than in their taste. The takeaway from this is that we “ just ” need to find something that mimics a fishy taste. This would be enough to make a certain number of people change their minds.
Fish themselves have a certain taste of their own, but this is acquired almost incidentally. The salt of the sea, for example, is responsible for this - as is algae. For this reason, various algae variants are used in many fishing substitute products .
This can be as simple as seaweed, but you can also try products like nori or wakame. They immediately exude a salty, sea-like, spicy taste in every dish.
The advantage of algae is that it contains components that are found in real fish and that are healthy for us. Vitamin B12 and vitamin D, for example, but also many minerals .
Since algae is usually not part of our daily menu, you may want to be careful. They are extremely high in iodine, which might surprise your body. Consultation with a doctor is therefore recommended in difficult cases.
What nutrients are in fish substitute?
As already mentioned, there are some vitamins and trace elements such as the aforementioned iodine. In addition, fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and many other nutrients .
In the long term, these protect against various, sometimes serious, ailments. They prevent strokes and can prevent heart attacks. In general, your cardiovascular system will do better if your body is regularly supplied with omega-3 fatty acids.
In addition, these fatty acids promote brain activity, which can be an advantage, especially in old age. Eating fish can also have a positive effect on inflammation such as arthritis.
Arthritis is one of the most common causes of pain in the joints and upper, middle and lower back. You can partially avoid this threat just by eating fish.
The many positive effects of fish on the menu are why its consumption is recommended by many nutritionists .
When using fish substitutes , care is taken to retain as many of these nutrients as possible. This means that your fish substitute dish will not only taste good, but will also be a great benefit for your body.
Which foods are suitable as fish substitutes? 6 tips
Many different types of vegetables and fruits are possible. We list some products here. If you search on the Internet, you will find many moreinteresting recipe ideas .
1. Yams
Yams are a bit exotic, but they are great for replicating the taste of various seafood. These primarily include shrimps, crabs and similar small animals.
The yams themselves are almost tasteless and yet firm to the bite, just like their animal counterparts. This means : Only with the right marinade can you bring the typical sea flavor into your food. You can serve them as a side dish to salads or pasta.
2. Jackfruit
Jackfruit has firmly established itself on the menu of many vegans - even apart from fish. Their consistency is quite tough and fibrous and therefore corresponds to many types of meat and fish .
The same applies here : the jackfruit is tasteless. If you bite into it, you will hardly taste anything. So refine them with the right marinades and you can, for example, prepare delicious fish fillets from them.
3. Seitan and tofu
Seitan and the all-purpose weapon tofu fit into a similar niche. The tough consistency is also an advantage of these products. They are easy to chew and mimic real fish. As with jackfruit , the spice is everything. If you do it right, you can quickly prepare fish fillets or fish fingers.
4. Tomatoes
You could make tuna from tomatoes. You can achieve their unmistakable taste by peeling the tomato and removing the seeds. The vegetables are then dried a little and finally marinated properly. These tomato pieces are less suitable as fish fillets, but you can use them as a side dish - for example in salad or on bread.
5. Beetroot
Another healthy vegetable that is a fish substitute is beetroot. Their bite gives them the necessary consistency to cut into salad. At this point, pickled cucumbers and soy yogurt harmonize wonderfully with salads of this type.
6. Nori
Nori is a seaweed variety that is great for slicing into any salad. It has an extremely intense sea flavor, which makes your salads reminiscent of maritime dishes even without fish .
However, you need a little practice : too much nori is literally too much of a good thing. Willingness to experiment is rewarded. If you enjoy having fun in the kitchen, these tips will keep you busy. Eggplants are also suitable for most dishes.
At the risk of repeating ourselves here : the marinade makes the difference. Most of the alternatives we mentioned have little taste, which is why you can't avoid using the right seasoning.
Don't forget: nutrients!
As already mentioned, fish provide certain nutrients that simply cannot be compensated for with plant-based products. You should therefore definitely consider a certain nutritional supplement . This is especially true in the case of a very abrupt change.
Until yesterday there was fast food, fish, meat and cola and today everything should be vegan? A conversation with a nutritionist or doctor can't be a bad idea. Although our bodies are robust, they are not invulnerable. Find out in advance before you deprive your body of important nutrients and end up harming yourself.
Fischeratz conclusion: vegan substitute products protect our sea
Similar to egg substitutes, fish substitutes can be excellent for replacing animal-based meals. With our tips you can take the first step - we'll leave the rest to your experimental skills in the kitchen.
However, you should take care of missing nutrients and use vegan protein sources . Helping the environment is a noble plan, but it shouldn't put your health at risk.
