Overall, the number of people who want to eat a vegan diet is increasing. This means that the range of purely plant-based products continues to grow, even in simple supermarkets.
With demand comes supply - which consists, for example, of numerous vegan substitute products . We will now clarify what exactly this is and whether these products are harmless.
What are vegan substitutes?
According to the Allensbach market and advertising media analysis from 2021, around 1.41 million vegans now live in Germany. The number has been growing steadily over the years, which means that the offering inevitably has to be expanded.
We remember: Anything that comes from animals in any way is taboo in veganism. So it doesn't necessarily have to be meat, but can also mean cow's milk, for example.
Still, food based solely on a plant-based foundation may be morally fulfilling for some people - but not necessarily personally. Therefore, substitute products exist that are intended to mimic the taste (and some other properties) of animal products.
These products give you what you would expect from the corresponding animal product - but without animal suffering.
If you have concerns about keeping chickens but still want to eat eggs, you can use a suitable substitute .
For a long time, these products were largely only available in specialized stores. However, with the spread of veganism as a lifestyle, an offer has become established in practically every decent supermarket.
As a result, reaching for vegan foods is no longer as difficult as it was many years ago. It is no longer a big effort to prepare vegan dishes in everyday life.
The prices of substitute products are also approaching the " established " selection, so that a bar of chocolate without milk is no longer significantly more expensive.
What is vegan - and what is not?
Many supposedly “ clean ” everyday products are not vegan, although you would probably suspect this at first:
- According to its name , plant-based margarine sounds 100% plant-based - but may contain whey or fish oil. When buying, it is important to pay attention to the list of ingredients or trustworthy seals.
- Fruit gum sweets often contain gelatin. It may also contain beeswax, milk powder and butter. Special vegan sweets are more suitable for this lifestyle.
- Alcoholic drinks often contain excipients such as milk, eggs or cream. Dyes can be found in mixed beer drinks. Due to the enormous number of different drinks, you should look carefully at the list of ingredients.
- Fruit juice comes from the fruit? True - but it may contain whey. Lemonade is often produced using gelatin, which obviously also comes from animals and is therefore not plant-based.
We would therefore advise you to look carefully at the list of ingredients when buying foods that you are previously unfamiliar with. Even things you would never expect often contain animal ingredients .
Honey - vegan or not?
Animals are not just mammals, reptiles and comparable beings that are relatively similar to us. Insects are also included, which is why honey should be on your red list.
It's still difficult to " imitate " honey, which is why this is one of the foods you need to avoid - at least for now.
Seal of quality as first aid
If you don't feel like constantly searching through lists of ingredients, certain quality seals can help. The best-known seal is probably the V-Label , which is found on numerous vegetarian and vegan products .
However, you have to look closely:
- The V-Label Vegetarian means that it may contain animal products - but no meat or fish.
- The V-Label Vegan means that there are really no animal ingredients at all, including no milk, eggs or similar ingredients.
By taking a quick look at the packaging and looking for the label, you will save a lot of time. The label is considered trustworthy and is widespread throughout the EU .
With other labels you should take a quick look to see what exactly they mean and whether they meet your quality requirements. Unfortunately, there are too many of them for us to address them separately here.
What are vegan substitutes used for?
People who want to live a plant-based lifestyle don't also hate the taste of animal products like meat or eggs. You don't have it for other reasons, but you still want to eat something that resembles scrambled eggs - or a steak.
This is why vegan substitute products exist : the welfare of the animals remains protected, but people can at least enjoy the taste of what the animals have to offer . At least that's the theory.
In practice, there are still differences in taste between purely vegan products and real meat. But: It tastes different, but not necessarily better or worse.
Anyone who has ever eaten real meatballs and vegetable meatballs knows, for example, that the taste of the two is not necessarily similar. But they are still delicious in their own way.
In other words : Vegan substitute products do not necessarily taste like their real counterpart. But they still offer you a tasty and balanced alternative.
It's also a question of variety. This eating style may have benefits , but no one likes eating only salads and fruits 24/7.
Occasionally you want to have something chewy in your mouth, like meat or fish substitute . The replacement products allow you to add variety to your diet without harming animals.
They also invite you to experiment. Many substitute products lack taste because the base (e.g. soy) is tasteless. So you have to get creative and season and refine what can produce interesting flavors.
You often find dishes that you have never eaten before, but which turn out to be extremely delicious.
Nutrient problems for vegan substitute products?
Vegan substitute products can easily imitate certain properties of their role models.
These include, for example:
- The consistency of real meat and meat based on tofu or seitan is comparable.
- The feeling of satiety is also similar. If two small real schnitzels are enough for you, two plant-based schnitzels are also enough.
- The taste comes close to the original thanks to spices and marinades.
However, there is a disadvantage when it comes to nutrients. These are difficult to imitate. A very good example of this is meat.
Meat contains a very high amount of iron, whereas tofu contains almost no iron at all.
Certain vitamins and other elements that we need in certain quantities for our bodies are rarely contained in comparable amounts in purely plant-based products . This can lead to deficiency symptoms.
At the same time, we give a little all-clear. If you want to eat a vegan diet and try it out for the first time, you don't have to worry. You won't notice any difference for a few weeks or even months.
However, with a long-term vegan diet it can happen that certain nutrients are no longer present in sufficient quantities in your body.
If in doubt, contact a doctor and/or nutritionist. If nutrients are missing, they can be replenished using replacement preparations .
You only run health risks with a purely vegan diet over a long period of time if you forego medical assistance or nutrients.
Deficiency symptoms in a vegan diet
We rarely notice deficiency symptoms ourselves. Since the process is very gradual, we usually don't notice that something has changed. If you feel exhausted, tired or have difficulty concentrating, it doesn't happen from one day to the next.
It may therefore be that you feel “ normal ”, but in reality your body has long been suffering from a nutrient deficiency.
You shouldn't take the risk - especially if you're making a radical change. If you currently enjoy large amounts of meat, eggs, milk, etc. and change this suddenly, you should be careful about making a long-term change. It can't hurt to consult a doctor.
You shouldn't rely on your gut feeling or half-baked advice from friends alone.
Vegan meat: What substitute products are there?
The first thing that vegans usually avoid is meat. It causes direct suffering to animals - unlike milk, for example - so this choice is logical.
Vegan substitute products that have proven themselves in practice include:
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Tofu:
This classic has a lot of protein and can be easily refined, as vegan tofu quickly absorbs spices and marinades, for example. It is made from soybeans , which are first liquefied and then solidified again. In addition to the high protein content, there is a lot of protein in tofu.
Tolerability is usually high and you shouldn't have any problems. After a short search, you will also find numerous delicious tofu recipes on the internet.
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Seitan
Seitan, made from wheat flour, comes from Japan. Rinse until the starch is dissolved and only wheat protein remains. The consistency is similar to meat, the taste is neutral. Spices are therefore essential.
In the supermarket, for example, you can find sausages made from seitan, cold cuts or even complete schnitzels. Seitan contains a lot of protein - but also a lot of gluten. If you have an intolerance (which only very few people have), Seitan is taboo for you.
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soy meat
In general, soy meat is commercially available, for example, as granules or as an addition to Bolognese sauces. Schnitzels based on soy meat exist as well as smaller medallions. You can use the dried soy that serves as the base in almost every dish.
Since the taste is neutral, you can create anything that comes to your mind, from sweet to sour. Just like tofu, Seitan takes spices etc. very quickly, so a variety of flavors can be implemented.
There are many other products available on the market that are a little less commonly known, but are still worth a try. These include tempeh, which comes from Indonesia and also consists of soy - or jackfruit .
This mulberry plant produces very large, heavy fruits with a chewy consistency. This is reminiscent of meat, but the taste is neutral. Therefore, you can season the jackfruit well and then grill or fry it.
Vegetable starch
When it comes to fish, tofu has also established itself as a good and reliable alternative to real fish. A good idea is to add seaweed to any dish. They bring a typical “ sea flavor ” to your creations.
Seaweed can also be easily processed into salad, which goes well with any dish. Products such as the aforementioned Seitan or jackfruit are also popular among fish substitutes .
Specially prepared mushrooms or tomatoes are also possible. The oyster mushroom, for example, is very fibrous and firm to the bite and is therefore reminiscent of a fish fillet.
Just like with real fish , the preparation makes the difference. Real fish is also often quite tasteless. Marinades and spices spice things up.
Vegan caviar, which is made from algae, is also interesting . The big advantage is the significantly lower cost, although the taste is quite close to the original.
Carrots are also an option if you cut them into thin strips and marinate them for a few hours. They then resemble the taste of salmon and contain significant amounts of provitamin A.
Pregnancy without meat and fish: advisable or not?
The choice of veganism comes with certain limitations . For example, fish and meat are excellent sources of iron, but iron is almost completely absent in vegetables and fruit.
Certain products can help : legumes, dried fruits in general or dark green vegetables provide iron. However, this does not mean that this amount of iron is sufficient, as iron from plant-based foods is harder to utilize.
If you are pregnant, you should find out early on - definitely with medical help - what your body needs and where there are deficiencies.
You may currently (and perhaps forever) only want to live on a plant-based basis.
But your child did not make this decision and you cannot make it for the child. Therefore, give your child the best possible start in life by preventing malnutrition during pregnancy.
Among other things, minerals and vitamins such as zinc, vitamin D and B12, iron, iodine and folic acid as well as DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) are typically missing. Withholding this from an unborn child can have serious consequences for its development.
We therefore encourage you to discuss with a doctor how deficiencies can be combated so that your child is born safely.
Conclusion: Vegan substitute products can be more than just a substitute!
The term " substitute " implies that something is not as good as the original. At this point we would rather say that the products described are different, but not better or worse.
Preparing vegan food can be a challenge, but in the end it bears very rewarding results - with no harm to wildlife.