Is soy, and "fake meats" good for you?

Question

I've been a vegetarian for a while now, but i'm a very picky eater. For me, without meat it's hard to get a good nutrition. What else can i eat besides salads, and other vegetables?

Answer 1

I have been a vegetarian for almost 12 years and there are so many options out there now! The veggie burgers, boca, morning star product lines now offer such a variety of foods. Some of my favorites are the breakfast sausages, corn dogs, lasagna, and costco carries these nuggets called bistro bites, made with spinach or broccoli! They are really good, and all of these are good for you. Most of these products are less in fat, cholesterol and calories! Trader Joes offers these products and they are a lot cheaper then even Safeway and Albertsons! Good luck, the key is to experiment with different things, spices, cooking techniques and you will figure out what you like!

Answer 2

The key is too get the B vitamins and the 14 amino acids that meat provides. It is nearly impossible and no one food fills the void completely.

The key is variety.

Nuts and beans will fill most of the void. Avacados , walnuts, peanuts, red beand, soy beans and lima beans should all be staples in your diet if you are going meatless.

The fake meats are usually decent, although some of them are loaded with preservatives so make of that what you will.

Good luck. Remember variety is key. You should aim to eat 10 different things a day.

Herbs do not count

Answer 3

The soy in "fake meats" is great for you. Especially great for women. But, the weird thing is that many women are allergic to soy, so if you start having skin problems cut it out of your diet.
There are lots of ways to "hide" proteins in your food. Nuts ground and put into sweet breads. Lentils made into dips...like chick peas into hummus.
Do you eat eggs? Tofu (get the silk tofu and hide it in your soup or other things if you don't like it.) Be careful you are not eating only things that are too easy to digest or you run the risk of your body cutting down on the stomachs digestive acids so much that you can have horrible problems in the future.

Answer 4

There have been reports lately that suggest soy isn't as good for ppl as they once thought, especially soy milk. Tofu is another story b/c it's been processed and the chemicals removed. Fake meats are usually enriched with vitamins vegetarians need and are generally nutritious. I think as long as you keep your soy intake to a minimum, they're a great thing to add to your diet. Chickpeas, peas, any type of beans are excellent also. Try getting into Indian or Middle Eastern cooking to incorporate them more into your diet. For example, a curry sauce tastes excellent with chickpeas or beans. Peanutbutter is another good source of protein.

Answer 5

Soy is very good for you, full of protein, which is good for keeping your energy. Soy based meats are good also if you buy them from the natural and organic food section of your local market. Some products have preservatives that aren't good. Most of those have too much sodium. Doing online research will help you decide what natural and organic foods you'll want to eat.

Answer 6

Mya has some good info. Most of the veggie patties you find will be highly processed and have weird ingredients you can't pronounce. Amy's brand are very good, high in protein and have no weird ingredients. You can also use TVP (textured vegetable protein) in various dishes in place of meat. I have used it successfully in a homemade pizza. It picks up the flavor of everything else. You can find TVP in health food stores or natural foods department of a well stocked grocery store. The TVP can also be used to make your own veggie patties if you see a recipe you like.

Answer 7

Not only are soy products good for you, but they can also taste great. I eat almost all of the Boca and Morningstar products.You can easily replace the meat in your recipes with the soy replacement and if your food is properly and adequately seasoned then it will taste great! Try the Boca ground "beef" in a place of beef in tacos. It's really easy.
Good Eats!!!

Answer 8

Drinking fortified soy milk is REALLY good for you (it's yummy too, but u just need to find the brand right for u and it might take a little while to get used to the taste). I enjoy fake meats. : ) Also I eat Smart Start cereal, REALLY good stuff!

Answer 9

If you only eat salad and vegetables, you are missing out and tons of nutrients. You need to add whole grains, beans, nuts, fruit etc. I dont eat as much soy as I used to because I found Quorn products and they are fantastic.

Answer 10

eh. There not the best. it's no T-Bone that's for sure but it's still not your best bet. Keep trying to eat more fruits and veggies most people will experience changes in their tase buds within 2 weeks to a month.