Amid South Africa’s unexpected egg shortage due to bird flu (avian influenza), perhaps it is the perfect excuse to go vegan. On this World Vegan Day, health experts are once again highlighting the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and the importance of diversifying our protein sources to meet our dietary needs.
You might wonder, are there even poultry alternatives with the same benefits as poultry? Well, the answer is yes.
Registered dietitian Xoli Dube from Johannesburg suggests some protein-rich alternatives to poultry that people can incorporate into their diet that may have similar health benefits.
Beans
Beans are a good source of plant-based protein, making them an excellent choice for vegetarians, vegans, or anyone looking to reduce their reliance on animal products. They provide essential amino acids necessary for muscle repair and growth.
They are also a good source of various essential nutrients including folate, potassium, iron, and magnesium. These nutrients play crucial roles in overall health, including red blood cell formation, muscle function, and nerve function.
Additionally, canned beans can be used in a wide variety of dishes are generally affordable and can be a cost-effective way to incorporate quality protein into your diet.
Tofu
Tofu is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce independently. This makes it a valuable protein source for maintaining muscle health and supporting various bodily functions.
When replacing poultry with alternatives, Dube advises ensuring that the alternative chosen provides an adequate amount of protein to meet your dietary needs. She says canned fish, legumes, tofu, tempeh, mushrooms, and meat substitutes are good options.
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A vegan’s perspective
As vegans are not poultry consumers, many people may adopt poultry alternatives from them.
Johannesburg-based nutritionist Lindi Struwig is vegan and passionate about plant-based nutrition. She highlights that vegans use a variety of plant-based substitutes for poultry, including:
- Tofu: Tofu, made from soybeans, is a versatile protein source that can be used in place of poultry in stir-fries, sandwiches, and more. It is easy to flavour and can create delicious protein-rich meals.
- Tempeh: Tempeh is another soy-based product that can be marinated and grilled or used in dishes that traditionally contain poultry.
- Seitan: Seitan, also known as wheat gluten, has a meaty texture and is often used to create vegan versions of poultry dishes like chicken-style nuggets.
- Textured vegetable protein (TVP): TVP is a soy product that can be rehydrated and used as a ground meat substitute.
- Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are rich in protein and can be used in various dishes like veggie burgers, stews, and curries to replace poultry products.
- Meatless products/meat substitutes: Many companies produce meatless alternatives like plant-based burgers, sausages, and nuggets that are designed to taste and feel like poultry.
- Vegetables: Some vegetables, like eggplant, mushrooms, or zucchini, can be sliced and grilled, baked, or sautéed to create meat-like textures in dishes.
The right mix
“Tofu, Tempe, seitan and meat substitutes contain a lot of protein but some may not be complete proteins lacking some essential amino acids. Vegans, therefore, use a combination of protein and protein-rich carbohydrate sources to create complete, balanced meals,” she says.
“Your diet can contain adequate amounts of protein when opting for these plant-based alternatives, even when the composition is slightly different from that of chicken and eggs, with the added health benefit that these alternatives do not contain cholesterol.”
Struwig mentions that her budget-friendly favourites remain beans and lentils because they are affordable and contain a good amount of protein and fibre.
“Tofu can also be affordable when bought at Asian markets; it can be eaten raw in bowls, crumbled, seasoned, and cooked to make “scrambled eggs” or baked. Seitan can be another popular choice; you can buy it seasoned and ready to cook with a very similar texture and taste to meat.”
Striking the right balance
To ensure that people continue to sustain a balanced and nutritious diet when substituting poultry products, Struwig advises to always aim for a balanced plate with ½ of your plate consisting of salads and vegetables, ¼ of your plate should be carbohydrates like pumpkin, rice, quinoa, and corn, and the remaining ¼ should be protein.
This can be plant- or animal-based proteins like beans, tofu, a protein substitute, or animal-derived protein.
She also recommends that individuals using a mostly plant-based or vegan lifestyle aim for at least one protein component at each meal. This will ensure that you have a balanced plate and that you are consuming a variety of food groups with each meal.
“As South Africans, we have always used plant-based proteins in our traditional meals. We include legumes in dishes like stews, soups, samps, beans, and boboties. These natural protein sources should not be seen as foreign ingredients but should be used often. They have many health benefits, from reducing cholesterol and improving cardiovascular health to assisting with constipation. Start today and give your plant-based proteins a try,” she concludes.
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