It can be rather difficult to meet your nutritional requirements on a plant-based diet alone. There are macronutrients and micronutrients that vegans and vegetarians must be particularly mindful of, and these include protein, iron, zinc, B12 and calcium.
Now you may be thinking “how on earth do I get these nutrients if I can’t get them through plant foods?” Luckily for us, over the years there has been a great development in food products that are fortified with various nutrients. There is now an extensive range of meat-free, fortified products on the market which are easily accessible from your local shops e.g. Coles, Woolworths and IGA. This makes it a whole lot easier for us to reach our nutritional needs without supplementation!
However, it is recommended to have routine blood tests to ensure micronutrient levels are in range. If you cannot reach your requirements through food, supplements should be considered after consulting your GP.
Below are 5 great meat alternatives for vegans and vegetarians that provide a great source of protein and contain iron, zinc, B12 and calcium.
Vegie Delights – Vegie Sausages
2 sausages contain 19g of protein and equals 1 serve protein in our program.*
These are quick and easy to cook, and probably my favourite vegan sausages out there!
Vegie Delights have an extensive range and make a variety of sausages, patties, meatballs and mince.
Beyond Burger – Plant Based Patties
1 patty contains 20g of protein and equals 1 serve protein in our program.*
You may have heard of this patty before as it is a popular vegan burger alternative in various restaurants.
Quorn
100g contains 15g of protein and equals ½ serve protein in our program.*
Quorn is a mycoprotein meaning a protein derived from fungi. The mince contains egg however Quorn also produces products suitable for vegans. They make meat-free pieces, fillets, nuggets, meatballs, burgers and roast.
SOYCO – Malaysian Peanut Satay Tofu
100g contains 16g of protein and equals 1 serve protein in our program.*
Tofu is a soybean product made from curdling fresh soy milk.
SOYCO tofu is already cooked and ready to eat, making it a perfect option to throw into a salad or into rice paper rolls. Other flavours include: Japanese, Thai, smokey BBQ, sesame soy and ginger, sweet chilli, and Chinese honey soy.
Nutrisoy – Tempeh
100g contains 15g of protein and equals ½ serve protein in our program.*
Tempeh is also a soybean product but it is made from cooked and fermented soybeans.
Tempeh is versatile and you can basically add it to any meal – I particularly love throwing it into my curries! Nutrisoy also make “tasty” tempeh and a mildly spiced tempeh.
*Our protein serves are based on the calories AND the protein composition of the food to provide our members with a standardised set of portion sizes to help them make confident food choices while they achieve their goals. Read more about the Protein Module in our Signature Program.
