FitSugar

What's the Deal With Seitan?

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:00:00 PST

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

	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.

Foodie Friday Link Time: Low-Calorie Grilled Veggie Wrap Recipe

Michele Foley — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:23:34 PDT

Relax on a hot day with this cooling vegetarian wrap - Vegetarian Times
Cheers! Here are four skinny cocktails to start your Friday the right way - Self
The weird stuff lurking in your milk, olive oil, and other "good-for-you" foods - Prevention
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Are you getting these eight essential nutrients in your diet on the daily? - Shape
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A firsthand account of the brand-new Larabar line; yummy or not? - The Fitnessista
Skip the store: five reasons to make your own popsicles - Blisstree

Healthy Dose Link Time: Miranda Lambert Shares What She Really Thinks of Skinny Actresses

Michele Foley — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:51:17 PDT

Miranda Lambert wants women to rock their curves - Self
Prepare to be inspired by this 93-year-old yoga teacher - Shape
1 in 4 Americans eats fast food every day, and more sad food stats - Hungry Runner
Another argument for going gluten-free, and it's not weight loss - Mind Body Green
The countdown to Summer is on; your 30-day shape-up plan - HuffPost Living
Skip the chemicals and make your own all-natural insect repellent - Blisstree
Belly blues? Use Ayurveda yoga to calm your tummy troubles - Yoga Journal
5 vegetarian-friendly gifts for your foodie dad on Father's Day - Vegetarian Times

Office Weight-Loss Tip: Set Up an Eating Schedule

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:21:07 PDT

Busy nine-to-fivers have schedules that don't leave much wiggle room for anything but work. Getting wrapped up in a project often leads to skipped snacks and meals. A growling stomach, headache, and fuzzy brain make you realize you should have eaten lunch an hour ago, and since you're famished, you reach for the first (and probably not-so-healthy) food you can get your hungry hands on. Prevent work weight gain and keep your productivity levels high by setting up a schedule for snacks and meals. After having breakfast at home, here's a basic schedule you can follow once you reach the office.

9:30: Morning snack
12:00: Lunch
3:30: Afternoon snack

Be sure to eat breakfast a couple hours before your morning snack and dinner a couple hours after your afternoon snack. Adjust the schedule to meet your needs and stick to it. (It may help to set up reminders on your computer or phone so you don't forget.) Before heading to work, prepare healthy snacks - like these 150-calorie DIY snack packs - and lunches -here are some tasty vegetarian sandwiches - so you can avoid grabbing greasy fast food or that homemade brownie your co-worker brought in. An eating schedule may seem a little too rigid (or like you're back in elementary school), but planning ahead is the best way to keep you on the healthy eating path.

Source: Flickr User SweetOnVeg

Foodie Friday Link Time: Turn Your Pita Into a Healthy Quesadilla

Susi May — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:11:54 PDT

Turn your pita into a healthy quesadilla - Vegetarian Times
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Snack smart and try these low-calorie yet filling foods - Shape
Too much salt! What it takes to redefine a low-sodium diet - HuffPost Healthy Living
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A healthy treat: baked banana oatmeal cups - Eating Bird Food
Quit counting calories and still lose weight with these tips! - Real Simple

Filling Veggie Meals That'll (Bonus!) Boost Your Metabolism

Leta Shy — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:25:10 PDT

If you want to help give your metabolism a little boost, there are many types of foods you can try. And the good news? These foods are also delicious and versatile to cook with. Read on for five recipes that will not only keep you feeling full, but will also increase your calorie burn.

Healthy Dose Link Time: A Hip-Opening Sequence From Power Yoga Star Baron Baptiste

Michele Foley — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:57:09 PDT

Power Yoga innovator Baron Baptiste leads a series of standing hip openers - Yoga Journal
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Satisfy a protein fix with this Sloppy Joe meat and veggie bowl - Peanut Butter Fingers
Why buy bagged salad when you can grow your own? - Vegetarian Times

How Glee's Dianna Agron Keeps Healthy and Fit

Michele Foley — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:46:34 PDT

Happy birthday, Dianna Agron! The Glee star turns 26 today, and to celebrate we're taking a look at how the dancing beauty keeps things fit and healthy.

She's a ballet beauty: Like many of her fellow Glee cast members, Dianna has been dancing since an early age - 3 years old, to be exact. Focusing on ballet and jazz, Dianna even taught dance classes as a teen while also appearing in local musical theater productions.

She keeps foods fresh and natural: A vegetarian, Dianna keeps things healthy by cooking most of her own meals. She told Teen Vogue that her healthy diet gives her much-needed stamina to handle the demands of her career. Around town, she's a staple at Whole Foods and her local juice bar - and always with a reusable grocery bag in hand!

She makes fitness part of her everyday routine: With two dogs in her household, you won't find Dianna spending too much time on the couch. Instead, she loves heading outdoors with them for long walks and hikes. She'll also get moving in the name of charity; last year, Dianna participated in a charity race benefiting the Red Cross Japan disaster relief fund.

Photo sources: Vanity Fair, Getty Images, Wenn

What's the Better Option? Meat vs. the Veggie Alternative

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:17:51 PDT

I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, so I've tried just about every vegetarian alternative to meat out there. Veggie burgers, fake bacon, and even mock eel (seitan) have crossed my lips.

If you're wondering how these vegetarian foods compare to the meat versions they represent, then take this quiz.

Take the Quiz

Foodie Friday Link Time: No-Fast Weekend Detox

Susi May — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:09:56 PDT

Eat your way clean with this weekend detox. No fasting required - Vegetarian Times
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Cool down with a coconut water strawberry slushie - Healthy Happy Life
Is there really a connection between eating red meat and cancer - Daily Spark