FitSugar

3 Words to Know When You're Ordering Vegetarian

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Vegetarians pay particular attention to ensuring they're consuming enough protein because there's no meat centerpiece to take care of that important nutritional component. There are often choices like tempeh and seitan for building a veggie-friendly salad that goes beyond tofu, and quinoa is a go-to grain because it contains high levels of protein. When you're choosing a meatless meal out, don't skim over these selections because you're not sure how to pronounce them. Expand your vegetarian vocab by learning how to say these three words.

Tempeh: Pronounced tem-pay, 4 ounces of this soy-based meatless alternative contains 22 grams of protein.
Seitan: Made from wheat gluten, this veggie option is pronounced say-tan or see-tan. Just 3 ounces of it contains 19 grams of protein.
Quinoa: Often referred to as the mother grain, the options with this protein-rich grain are endless. Ask for keen-wa, and you'll get 6 grams of protein in just 1/4 cup.

Source

5 Things: Highest Sources of Vegan Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0700

Whether you are cutting back on meat and dairy products for health or moral reasons, it's good to remind ourselves that there are other forms of protein out there besides cheeseburgers, steak, and chicken satay. Check out these vegan sources.

Tempeh: 4 ounces gives you 22g of protein
Tofu: 1/2 cup serving equals 19.9g of protein.
Seitan: If you eat 3 ounces, you'll have consumed 19g of protein.
Plain soy milk: 1 cup of soymilk has 11g of protein.
Edamame: You'll get 10g of protein by eating 1/2 a cup of these beans.

Incorporating these foods into your meals will not only give you cholesterol and saturated fat free sources of protein, but since many of them contain fiber as well, they're even healthier.

Fit's Tips: Not sure how much protein you should be getting in a day? Then check out this chart.

Source

What's the Deal With Seitan?

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:00:00 -0800

There are so many meat alternatives out there, which is wonderful for vegetarians. There are tofu turkey, tempeh bacon, and seitan chicken nuggets. Tofu and tempeh are both made from soybeans, but seitan is actually made out of wheat gluten. It's sometimes referred to as the vegetarian wheat meat.

When cooked, seitan has more of a chewy texture than tofu or tempeh, making it a popular meat substitute. Many vegetarian restaurants use it to make mock steak strips, mock chicken in stir-frys, and I've even had mock eel made out of seitan.

Since people eat meat alternatives as a source of protein, I was curious to see how seitan compared to tofu and ground beef? To find out read more

	3 oz. Nasoya Chinese Spice Seasoned Firm Tofu	3 oz. LightLife Teriyaki Seitan	3 oz. 85 percent Fat-Free Ground Beef
Calories	90	110	181
Total Fat	5g	0g	12.6g
Saturated Fat	1g	0g	4.9g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	57mg
Sodium	220mg	380mg	55mg
Carbs	3g	6g	0g
Fiber	1g	1g	0g
Sugar	less than 1g	4g	0g
Protein	8g	19g	15.6g

Check out the difference in protein! I'm totally amazed that seitan has 19g and is only 110 calories. It even has more protein than ground beef. Very impressive. If you're looking for new ways to get your daily protein, give seitan a try. Since wheat gluten doesn't have a very strong flavor, you can flavor it any way you want. It'll give your dishes the chewy consistency you get from meat, but without all the cholesterol and saturated fat.

Mock Meat

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Beef is loved by many a person, maybe a little too much perhaps. Diets high in red meat have been linked to heart disease due to its high fat content.

A recent study found a link between eating high amounts of red meat and developing colon cancer. It can also increase the risk of heart disease in diabetics.

Anyway you slice it, eating a ton of beef just doesn't do a body good. Instead of simply switching to the other "white meat," why not try a meat alternative instead? Take a walk on the healthy side of life and check out some mock meats. Now don't get me wrong - they don't taste exactly like real beef, but they can be pretty tasty just the same.

Tofu, made from soaked and ground up soybeans, can be cubed and baked or stir-fried. It is also used to make Tofurky and Tofu Pups.

Tempeh is made with whole, fermented soybeans. It's great to marinate and bake. Fakin Bacon is made out of tempeh. Some people find it easier to digest than tofu.

The chewy consistency of Seitan (the vegetarian wheat meat), made from wheat gluten, is great in mock chicken nuggets, or mock steak strips for fajitas. You can make it yourself, or buy the pre-made ones at the store.

TVP (textured vegetable protein) can be used to make veggie burgers, or added to chili or other soups to replicate a meaty texture.

These meat alternatives taste fairly bland, making them perfect for marinades. Plus they're great alternative sources of protein.

Fits Tips: Many Asian restaurants offer dishes with these mock meats. If you're nervous about making them yourself, order them the next time you go out to eat. Their delicious taste and texture is not only satisfying but healthier for you than red meat.

Food Review: LightLife Smart Stuffers

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

As a meat eater, I'm not afraid to chow down on tofu and seitan. I usually don't opt for meat alternatives though, like meatless chicken patties or fakin' bacon, because I enjoy chicken patties and bacon. Normally, I wouldn't go out of my way and buy these Lightlife Smart Stuffers, but a vegetarian friend of mine raved about them, so I thought I would give them a try. Basically they're supposed to be like breaded stuffed chicken. To see how it tasted and how many calories are in one stuffer, read more.

Well, let's just say these weren't the most disgusting veggie product I've tried, but I'm not sure I'd ever buy these again. I have no idea what my friend was thinking. The consistency of the fake chicken inside wasn't bad; tender but a little dry. I liked the crunchiness and the herb flavor of the breaded outer layer, but it was the cheese and broccoli stuffing that were the downfall of these stuffers. The entire product smelled a little weird, and although the cheese was creamy, it tasted processed. Flavor-wise, this little stuffer really isn't worth 210 calories. And although I am impressed with the 20 grams of protein per serving, the sodium content is way too high for such a little amount of food. Maybe the other flavors are better. LightLife also makes a Turk'y With Cranberry Stuffing and a Chick'n Cordon Melt. If you've tried them, let me know what you think.

Serving Size	One stuffer
Calories	210
Total Fat	8 g
Saturated Fat	1 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	710 mg
Carbs	16 g
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	1 g
Protein	20 g

How Often Do You Eat Meat Alternatives?

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:30:00 -0800

I have been trying to eat lower on the food chain and have been cooking more meat free meals. There is a wide variety of meat alternatives out there to chose from, like tofu to veggie burgers, from seitan, to tofu pups. They're all great sources of protein and they're usually low in fat, calories and cholesterol free.

So I was wondering about you . . .

Bethenny Frankel: Natural Chef to the Stars

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0700

What do Paris Hilton, Alicia Silverstone and Mariska Hargitay (from TV's Law & Order) all have in common? The answer would be Bethenny Frankel a natural food chef of the stars.

Bethenny believes that a person's diet is like a "bank account." You want to eat a balanced diet, but you don't want to restrict yourself either. It's fine to try a bit of everything. It's when you eat all of everything that can get you into trouble. She healthily believes in moderation.

After watching this video clip, you will know that Bethenny is into healthy bodies and chocolate, but she doesn't have a great opinion of the ultra slim size zero body.

Celebrity Video, Bethenny Frankel Talks Lindsay And Nicole - Awesome video clips here

Want to know some healthy tips from celebs like Paris Hilton, Randy Jackson, and Alicia Silverstone? Then read more

Healthy Tip #1: Don't eat everything on your plate.

Paris and Nicky Hilton try to be as healthy as possible (Bethenny has known them since they were kids). What keeps them so slim is this little trick: they never finish all the food on their plate. Some would say this is wasteful, but overeating is a big problem with people. We often eat more food just because it's in front of us.

Healthy Tip #2: Load Up on Veggies.

Mariska Hargitay loves Mediterranean foods with lots of flavor. Vegetables offer a variety of different tastes and textures, and can be easily flavored with fresh herbs and spices. Veggies are just so healthy for you, you really can't go wrong with them.

Healthy Tip #3: Use Fresh Ingredients for Flavor.

Randy Jackson went through gastric bypass surgery in 2003. He dropped over 100 pounds, and had to change his eating habits to keep up with his new body. He's a huge fan of southern foods, so he uses fresh spices and ingredients to give those foods the flavor he craves.

Healthy Tip #4: Simply Substitute.

The Hogans are an all-American family, loving the types of food you get at fast food joints. In order to eat the high-fat foods they loved, Bethenny would just substitute healthier ingredients. She'd use olive oil instead of butter, and low-sugar maple syrup in place of real sugar. Your taste buds won't notice the difference much, but your body will.

Healthy Tip #5: Don't Be Afraid to Experiment.

Alicia Silverstone is a committed vegan, believing whole-heartedly in not consuming any animal products. When you don't eat meat, dairy products, or eggs, you've got to get a little creative in your meal-making. Alicia wasn't afraid to experiment with new ingredients like tofu, tempeh, and seitan to make mock-foods such as veggie "chicken" burgers.