The Healthier "Meats"

Who doesn't love barbecue? Seeing that thick, juicy and caramelizing slab of meat on your grill already makes your mouth water, right? But before you eat too much of that baby back ribs, read this: According to the American Institute for Cancer Research's Guidelines for Cancer Prevention, once you go over the recommended max of 18 ounces of lean red meat per week, each additional 1.5 ounces increases your cancer risk by 15%. And those numbers are worse if you're chowing down on processed meats: For every 15 ounces eaten per day, your colorectal cancer risk increases by 21%. Scary isn't it?

Experts recommend transforming your diet so it consists mostly of plants, which not only lowers your cancer risk but also boosts intake of cancer-protective nutrients. I'm sure you're silently protesting cause that doesn't sound delicious, but if you learn to prepare some meat alternatives right, you'll satisfy your cravings for meat, minus the fat, calories, and potential health risks.

Here, meet some of the fakers that are guaranteed to satisfy your cravings.

1) TOFU - is crafted from coagulated soy milk curds that are then pressed into blocks. It is super absorbent, which means it will soak up any flavor, that makes the options for what you can do with it limitless.

2) TEMPEH - is made from whole fermented soybeans formed into cakes that have a nutty flavor and chewy texture. Like tofu, tempeh soaks up flavoring well so it can easily be used to recreate meat flavors.

3) SEITAN - is wheat gluten, or the protein part of wheat. It has a remarkably meat-like texture and is used most commonly in vegetarian Asian cuisine to make mock-meat dishes. It is fat-free and has almost twice as much protein as tofu.


4) TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (TVP) - Can you believe Bac-Os is tvp? Don't laugh but all the while I thought those were really dried up bacon bits. TVP is made from defatted soy flour (a by-product of making soybean oil) shaped into flakes or chunks. It makes a good ground beef or ground turkey substitute because of its meaty texture.