Proteins are the building blocks of the human body and an essential part of our meals. Every nutritionist will suggest you consume as many grams of protein daily as you weigh. So cutting protein out of your diet isn’t even an option. If we ask somebody about what food item is their source of protein or what they consider protein-rich food, they will revert to meat and egg as their first answer. Though these food items are indeed protein-rich, there are several other alternative protein sources vegetarians and vegans can refer to.
Increased meat and animal product consumption has contributed majorly to environmental concerns and is also questioning animal welfare. For these concerns, alternative proteins have emerged as the future food trends in 2023. We now have two varieties of alternative protein sources: naturally occurring ones like legumes and on the other hand, we have lab-grown protein sources like plant-based meat.
Some prominent alternative protein sources are:
- Tofu: Made from Soybeans, tofu is a complete protein-rich food item. It is an alternative to cottage cheese, which is a direct animal product. Tofu tastes like cottage cheese and has additional nutritional content like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and vitamins K and B.
- Nutritional Yeast: Also known as nooch, nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast strain. It is available in powder and flake form and has a “cheesy” flavor and taste. Fortification is essential for these, and buyers must check for it before purchasing. Fortification of yeast is done with zinc, magnesium, and copper. Besides being an alternative, cheese nooch is also a great source of vitamin B12.
- Lab-grown Meat: This meat prevents animal slaughter and is 100% cruelty-free. Here professionals specially make a meat-like replica that tastes precisely like mean and has the same texture. It can also be customized to the consumers’ demand and is available as an alternative to every possible meat like fish, chicken, bacon, etc. Lab-grown meat is considered to be the future of alternative protein sources.
- Plant-based Protein: This is the age-old alternative to protein. These plant-based proteins include soybeans, legumes, oilseeds, green peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, etc. All of these can also be consumed raw and are said to have the same protein content as meat when consumed raw. Plant-based proteins have the proper fiber ratio and are low in saturated fats.
Apart from these, several other sources of alternative proteins can be referred to as mushrooms, spirulina, amaranth, hemp seed, Quinoa, oats, nuts, etc. One thing that stands clear is that there are numerous protein sources from meats and animal products for people out there. Now that question is why people should adopt these alternatives, what additional benefits do these alternative proteins provide, and what are the future food trends in 2023?
The Benefits of Alternative Protein Sources:
1- Regarding nutritional values, alternative proteins are an excellent source of good fat, amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals like zinc and iron. With all these properties, they are the perfect solution to your protein requirements.
2- The alternative proteins are not extracted from animals in any way. That is why they are entirely safe to consume when reared in suitable conditions. For lab-based meats, they are a minus of any food-borne diseases.
3- These sustainable food items require less livestock and even reduce greenhouse emissions. They are better for the environment and are also free of animal cruelty.
4- The plant-based proteins have equal to more protein content to meat and are also packed with additional nutrients.
Conclusion
The alternative protein sources are your best nutrition take and taste amazing. Moreover, you can consume them without the guilt of harming the environment and participating actively in animal slaughtering. These are also sustainable and stand for the future.
If you want to read more informative content like this keep visiting TECHPAIRS.
