As we enter 2021 and round out a full year of a pandemic we’re all thinking about the best ways to stay healthy, naturally, that includes what we put in our bodies. While some leaned into the enjoyment of comfort foods of the past a lot of food lovers jumped on the growing trend of replacing their normal routine with a plant-based diet but is that shit for everyone? A few years back this was a slow-moving option for the vegans and vegetarians out there but now most food predictions for the rest of the year include the rise in more plant-based products on menus everywhere. It’s not really a surprise, celebrities ranging from Beyonce and Serena Williams to Zak Efron and Jason Mraz have all made the move to a plant-based diet and took the majority of their followers with them but the verdict is still out on if their stans are on to something or playing follow the leader. While there are many benefits to having “green thangs” on your plate it does pose the question is doing away with meat the vibe?
Don’t get me wrong, this is not my opinion. I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy, but I have to admit over the past few years I’ve added more and more locally sourced vegetables to my plate and noticed a change in my body and overall performance. I’ve even tested a few of the popular plant-based meat protein products on the market and some are pretty damn tasty. Nutritionally, calories and fat tend to be the same between plant-based products and meat but the alternatives can be higher in carbs and sodium since there is a lot of processing that goes into making them and of course trying to make them taste better. It’s a decent trade-off but does it all balance in the end? The largest factor for most foodies looking to make the switch is flavor and luckily there are a few brands out there that provide a good alternative such as Beyond Meat, Field Roast, and Gardein. All of each with specific items that taste better than others.
Overall, the trend can’t be denied, and when you think about our need to have sustainable food for the future the plant-based meal option is a strong contender. How that will affect the 52 billion+ pounds of meat produced in the industry yearly is a mystery at this point but I don’t foresee it completely going away.
If you’re trying to check out some new recipes and maybe test out the non-meat life any of my recipes can be created with a protein substitute and can be found at my site Ginroecooks.com. You can also check out some here.