The world of Tzu Chi May 2020 (Vol.122)

2020 • 05 58 ellness Turning the Spotlight on Plant-based Meat Many studies have reported that plant-based foods are beneficial to our health, but is it feasible to extend this finding to infer that plant-based meat is equally nutritious, albeit its highly-processed nature? Translated by Lim Wen Xin M y husband and I share a common attitude towards food: we eat only enough to satisfy our hunger. When we dine in restaurants, even the appealing illustrations of mouthwatering dishes on the menu are unlikely to entice us into consuming more than necessary. Recently, my husband sent me a photo by a Western food joint advertising a new burger variant. Initially, I was perplexed, wondering, “Why did my husband send me a photo of yet another ordinary burger set?” Upon closer scrutiny, I noticed that a plant-based meat patty was sandwiched between the burger buns instead of a real beef patty. Our family of three decided to try the burger for ourselves – an eye-opener for my daughter Rui Jia, who has been accustomed to burgers layered with fresh mushrooms, dried tofu chunks or homemade chickpea patties since young. When the burger was served, Rui Jia cast a wary glance my way. “Mom, the patty is similar to the ones my classmates usually eat. Is it made of meat? Should we check with the waiter?” I offered Rui Jia a morsel of the patty, but she shook her head and refused. “It looks suspiciously like meat. I feel uneasy eating it.” Later, I shared my experience of plant- based meat with several of my friends, all of whom asked out of curiosity: “How was it? Did it have the same texture and taste as real beef?” “How would I know?” I chuckled. My family abstains from beef, hence beef has never been a part of my diet, even after I left home. Perhaps the absence of any memory of tasting beef growing up naturally dulled any desire for meat. Interestingly, a non-vegetarian friend once remarked, “Why would anyone choose processed imitation meat products over actual meat? Who knows what kinds of additives went into producing imitation beef?” Meanwhile, a vegetarian friend was intrigued by the novel invention and seemed eager for a taste of it. I was fascinated by their respective reactions to plant-based meat. High in additives, low on nutrients? To my knowledge, the plant-based meat patty is made from soybeans and other plant- based ingredients. Yet, I failed to detect any trace of the natural soy aroma that I had anticipated. I was also disappointed to note that the flavour was too potent for my liking. Many studies have reported that plant- based foods are beneficial to our health, but is it feasible to extend this finding to infer that