Is plant based the same as vegan?
You may see ‘plant based’ on meat free food labels, but what does it mean and why do brands use it instead of ‘vegan’?
Most people assume that the term ‘plant based’ means that the product is vegan, and often it is, but according to regulations, up to 5% of plant based ingredients are allowed to be egg or milk. A 'plant based' product is based on plants, in that the majority of the ingredients are from plants. So if you are vegan, check the full ingredients list for products that are labelled ‘plant based’ in case there are some non-vegan elements.
Some brands may think that the word vegan has negative connotations which could put some of their target audience off from buying their products. Plant based generally is only applied to food, so someone may say they are plant based, meaning they eat a mainly vegan diet (but may also include dairy, meat and fish), and may not exclude animal products in cosmetics, clothing etc.
What are meat free alternatives and vegan burgers made of?
A lot of meat free products made of soya, but there are a growing number made from jackfruit, pea protein and wheat. We look at some of the common main ingredients for meat free burgers and sausages.
Soya beans
Soya has long been a staple of Asian and vegetarian/ vegan diets and it is the main ingredient in many of the products rated here. But soya bean cultivation remains linked to deforestation in South America. We look at how sustainable soya-based alternatives are in more detail below.
Soya sausages were invented in Germany during the first world war to deal with meat shortages.
Tempeh
Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food, made of fermented soya beans – although other beans can be used – and a fungus called Rhizopus. Unlike tofu, the beans remain whole giving it a chunky, chewy texture. It is less processed than tofu and has more fibre but, like tofu, it is high in protein, equivalent to meat, milk and eggs.
Tofu
Tofu, or bean curd, is made from coagulated soya milk. It can come in firm, soft or silken format, in blocks, cubes or be using in products like burgers.
Seitan
Seitan, which means “is gluten” in Japanese, is made from gluten by washing wheat flour dough with water until all the starch granules have been removed, leaving just the protein.
Lupin beans
Lupin or lupine beans are sometimes called the ‘soya bean of the north’. Unlike soya they grow in cool climates.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is the current big thing in meat substitutes. They are enormous fruit that grow on trees in India and surrounding regions. When they are unripe they have a chewy texture that is somewhat like pulled pork, and they absorb flavour very well.
Mycoprotein
Mycoprotein means ‘protein from fungi’. It is the basis of Quorn, which is a type of soil mould that is grown in fermentation vats. It was invented deliberately in a drive to find new proteins to feed the world’s growing population in the mid 1980s. Although the patent on it has now expired, Quorn Foods is still the only company that makes it.
Pea protein
Many of the meat alternatives are made from pea protein which is extracted from yellow and green split peas. It can be processed to create products with a chewy, meaty texture. It can be very realistic, ideal if a household has people with different diets.
Beans, vegetables and nuts
Some meat free products are less processed and are based on beans, vegetables and nuts. As well as chilled and frozen versions, they are often found in dried packs which you add water to and shape yourself.