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Vegetarian cuisine is based on food that meets vegetarian standards by not including meat and animal tissue products (such as gelatin or animal-derived rennet). [1]
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2014) |
Vegetarian cuisine is based on food that meets vegetarian standards by not including meat and animal tissue products (such as gelatin or animal-derived rennet). [1]
Vegetarian cuisine includes consumption of foods containing vegetable protein, vitamin B12, and other nutrients. [2] [3] Food regarded as suitable for all vegetarians (including vegans) typically includes:
Foods not suitable for vegans, but acceptable for some other types of vegetarians:
Vegetarians by definition cannot consume meat or animal tissue products, with no other universally adopted change in their diet. However, in practice, compared to non-vegetarians, vegetarians on average have an increased consumption of:
In comparison to non-vegetarians, practicing vegetarians on average have a decreased consumption of:
This difference is observed, but is not required to be vegetarian. Nevertheless, it is relevant when considering research into the health effects of adopting a vegetarian diet. A diet consisting only of sugar candies, for example, while technically also vegetarian, would be expected to have a much different outcome for health compared to what is called "a vegetarian diet" culturally and what is most commonly adopted by vegetarians. [4] It is also important to note that overeating occurs because of a misconception of hunger. By changing your perspective on calories verses nutrients, it becomes much easier to adapt to the healthier lifestyle of vegetarianism. [5]
These are some of the most common dishes that vegetarians eat without substitution of ingredients. Such dishes include, from breakfasts to dinnertime desserts:
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Most desserts, including pies, cobblers, cakes, brownies, cookies, truffles, Rice Krispie treats (from gelatin-free marshmallows or marshmallow fluff), peanut butter treats, pudding, rice pudding, ice cream, crème brulée, etc., are free of meat and fish and are suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians. Eastern confectionery and desserts, such as halva and Turkish delight, are mostly vegan, while others such as baklava (which often contains butter) are lacto vegetarian. Indian desserts and sweets are mostly vegetarian like peda, barfi, gulab jamun, shrikhand, basundi, kaju katri, rasgulla, cham cham, rajbhog, etc. Indian sweets are mostly made from milk products and are thus lacto vegetarian; dry fruit-based sweets are vegan.
A meat alternative or meat substitute (also called plant-based meat, mock meat, or alternative protein), [7] is a food product made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients, eaten as a replacement for meat. Meat alternatives typically aim to replicate qualities of whatever type of meat they replace, such as mouthfeel, flavor, and appearance. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Plant- and fungus-based substitutes are frequently made with soy (e.g. tofu, tempeh, and textured vegetable protein), but may also be made from wheat gluten as in seitan, pea protein as in the Beyond Burger, or mycoprotein as in Quorn. [14] Alternative protein foods can also be made by precision fermentation, where single cell organisms such as yeast produce specific proteins using a carbon source; or can be grown by culturing animal cells outside an animal, based on tissue engineering techniques. [15] The ingredients of meat alternative include 50–80% water, 10–25% textured vegetable proteins, 4–20% non-textured proteins, 0–15% fat and oil, 3-10% flavors/spices, 1–5% binding agents and 0–0.5% coloring agents. [16]
Meatless tissue engineering involves the cultivation of stem cells on natural or synthetic scaffolds to create meat-like products. [17] Scaffolds can be made from various materials, including plant-derived biomaterials, synthetic polymers, animal-based proteins, and self-assembling polypeptides. [18] It is these 3D scaffold-based methods provide a specialized structural environment for cellular growth. [19] [20] Alternatively, scaffold-free methods promote cell aggregation, allowing cells to self-organize into tissue-like structures. [21]
Meat alternatives are typically consumed as a source of dietary protein by vegetarians, vegans, and people following religious and cultural dietary laws. However, global demand for sustainable diets has also increased their popularity among non-vegetarians and flexitarians seeking to reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture.
Meat substitution has a long history. Tofu was invented in China as early as 200 BCE, [22] and in the Middle Ages, chopped nuts and grapes were used as a substitute for mincemeat during Lent. [23] Since the 2010s, startup companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have popularized pre-made plant-based substitutes for ground beef, burger patties, and chicken nuggets as commercial products.
Commercial products marketed towards vegetarians are available in most countries, though their quantity and variety can vary. For example, in Australia, a wide range of vegetarian products are available in most supermarkets. Furthermore, a vegetarian shopping guide is provided by Vegetarian/Vegan Society of Queensland. [24] The largest market for vegetarian foods is India, with official governmental laws regulating the "vegetarian" and "non vegetarian" labels.
Vegetarian diets are under preliminary research for their possible effects on long-term health. Dietary patterns were evaluated along with their relationship with metabolic risk factors and metabolic syndrome. [25] A cross-sectional analysis of 773 subjects including 35% vegetarians, 16% semi-vegetarians, and 49% non-vegetarians found that a vegetarian dietary pattern is associated significantly with lower means for all metabolic risk factors except HDL, and a lower risk of metabolic syndromes when compared to non-vegetarian diets. Metabolic risk factors include HDL, triglycerides, glucose, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and body mass index. Adventist Study 2 (AHS-2) compared mean consumption of each food group for vegetarian patterns compared to non-vegetarian patterns. [4]
