4 ms·

The big issue is that fake meat is more expensive, maybe less healthy and not as tasty as real meat. It's just much better to just find a tasty vegetarian alter

The big issue is that fake meat is more expensive, maybe less healthy and not as tasty as real meat. It's just much better to just find a tasty vegetarian alternatives. It turns out that after you stop eating meat most people stop craving it after a while. If you're going to go vegetarian, there's no reason to deal with fake meats.

mattl 3y ago
For the most part, yes... but a vegetarian sausage or burger at a BBQ is decent if you're around meat eaters.
- RetroTechie 3y ago
  That's about it: meat 'substitutes' are about filling that space on your plate where hamburger or sausage used to be. Mostly to let people who want to reduce their meat intake, get their feet wet. NOT to replace meat nutrition-wise. For example: protein content is often not that great, and relatively expensive per gram of protein, compared to say, dairy, nuts or legumes. NOT to replace meat taste-wise. Maybe manufacturer meant to. But meat taste+texture is hard to imitate. Just appreciate these products for their taste, not as meat drop-in. Same applies to plant based cheese substitutes. I happen to have a packet here: Main ingredients: water, coconut oil, various starches & some colorant + "aroma's". Doesn't taste like cheese, almost 0 protein, salt (2g/100g) on the high side, no vitamins. Yet similarly priced as real cheese. I'm happy to see these products & try 'm all. But most leave me unimpressed. And too expensive. If I want pea protein, I'll buy a bag of dry split peas, not highly processed product containing it. I suspect most vegetarians & vegans are like that - they've moved on. Meat eaters either won't try these products, period, or they did once & weren't impressed. If you want a hamburger that didn't involve an animal, or top your pizza with some 'fake cheese': sure why not. But that's about it. I am looking forward to some other stuffs: Solein: https://solarfoods.com https://solarfoods.com Although more protein supplement than "food", imho. But very interesting nutritional profile. Some US company is doing similar thing. And so-called "precision dairy": (iirc) yeast cells that produce protein which is chemically & structural very similar (if not the same) as those in cow milk. Feed into existing dairy process, and voila: cheese, yoghurt, etc, etc, without a cow (or even grass!) in the loop. Neither of these are approved / available in EU... yet. But will be, I think - these are not GMO's but naturally occuring organisms. Kind of like brewing beer.
WallyFunk 3y ago
> and not as tasty as real meat Exactly this. Fake meat is a frankenfood and you have to beat millions of years of evolution signaling to humans that meat tastes good.

mattl 3y ago

For the most part, yes... but a vegetarian sausage or burger at a BBQ is decent if you're around meat eaters.

RetroTechie 3y ago
That's about it: meat 'substitutes' are about filling that space on your plate where hamburger or sausage used to be. Mostly to let people who want to reduce their meat intake, get their feet wet. NOT to replace meat nutrition-wise. For example: protein content is often not that great, and relatively expensive per gram of protein, compared to say, dairy, nuts or legumes. NOT to replace meat taste-wise. Maybe manufacturer meant to. But meat taste+texture is hard to imitate. Just appreciate these products for their taste, not as meat drop-in. Same applies to plant based cheese substitutes. I happen to have a packet here: Main ingredients: water, coconut oil, various starches & some colorant + "aroma's". Doesn't taste like cheese, almost 0 protein, salt (2g/100g) on the high side, no vitamins. Yet similarly priced as real cheese. I'm happy to see these products & try 'm all. But most leave me unimpressed. And too expensive. If I want pea protein, I'll buy a bag of dry split peas, not highly processed product containing it. I suspect most vegetarians & vegans are like that - they've moved on. Meat eaters either won't try these products, period, or they did once & weren't impressed. If you want a hamburger that didn't involve an animal, or top your pizza with some 'fake cheese': sure why not. But that's about it. I am looking forward to some other stuffs: Solein: https://solarfoods.com https://solarfoods.com Although more protein supplement than "food", imho. But very interesting nutritional profile. Some US company is doing similar thing. And so-called "precision dairy": (iirc) yeast cells that produce protein which is chemically & structural very similar (if not the same) as those in cow milk. Feed into existing dairy process, and voila: cheese, yoghurt, etc, etc, without a cow (or even grass!) in the loop. Neither of these are approved / available in EU... yet. But will be, I think - these are not GMO's but naturally occuring organisms. Kind of like brewing beer.

WallyFunk 3y ago

> and not as tasty as real meat Exactly this. Fake meat is a frankenfood and you have to beat millions of years of evolution signaling to humans that meat tastes good.