If you don't eat meat analogs -- why? (soy, Whole Foods, cuisine)

[Green Irish Eyes]

I know that many vegetarians/vegans will not eat meat analogs (e.g. "fake meat") products, and I'm curious as to why that is. Personally, I enjoy them and willingly admit that using them makes it a lot easier for me to be a long-term vegetarian.

Any thoughts or comments?

[JJingle]

I have ate them from time to time. I really don't consider them a meat substitute rather a different form of food. However, they are highly processed and most do not use organic soy. So, I tend to eat them in moderation. I aim for most of my diet to consist of whole foods with a few processed foods here and there for variety.

[whatnow]

For me, it is the sodium content. Many of these products are high in sodium just like other processed foods such as soups. It is an oxymoron of sorts. Most people eat four to five times more sodium each day than recommended. One vegi item I like and you can buy it bulk or prepackaged is TVP (Textured Vegi Protein). Once hydrated use it in place of ground beef - like when you want a taco. Sometimes I just want that hamburger feeling while eating chili or speghetti.

[Green Irish Eyes]

Ahhhh -- good reasons, both, and ones I hadn't considered. Does anyone have any, for lack of a better word, "moral" reasons for not eating meat analogs? Some people can get extremely testy about them, and I'm just curious as to why that is ... ???

[Fat Freddy]

A vegan eating fake meat is like a pacifist playing violent video games.

[Damage Control Freak]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

A vegan eating fake meat is like a pacifist playing violent video games.

Yeah, both is equally fine with me.

The main reason why I only rarely eat "fake meats" is that it's basically junk food. Its' expensive, highly processed, artifically flavored, often high in sodium, fat yadda yadda yadda.
Another reason why I don't really like all this talk about meat substitutes is that it always focusses on the lack of meat, defining vegetarianism as a diet of deficit, deprivation, scarcity. Even vegetarians often do that by insisting that this or that substitute tastes totally like meat. In reality it never does and it doesn't have to.
To me vegetarianism is not only about a lack of meat, it's also a distinct style of cuisine that focusses on all the great things there are besides meat. And that's not only veggies. I.e. Indian cusine focusess mainly on seasoning, mixing spices, perfectioning aromas... and it's not that much different if you try to make a good marinara from scratch.
it's just great what you can explore once you overcome that boring old meat discussion.

[plaidmom]

I guess I'm a weirdo, because when I gave up meat, I never really missed it.

I do use the faux-meat patties now from time to time in social situations. My SO makes a great TVP chili.

But other, than that, we are faux-meat free.

[Lilybeans]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

A vegan eating fake meat is like a pacifist playing violent video games.

What's wrong with that?

[Green Irish Eyes]

Originally Posted by Damage Control Freak

Another reason why I don't really like all this talk about meat substitutes is that it always focusses on the lack of meat, defining vegetarianism as a diet of deficit, deprivation, scarcity. Even vegetarians often do that by insisting that this or that substitute tastes totally like meat. In reality it never does and it doesn't have to.
To me vegetarianism is not only about a lack of meat, it's also a distinct style of cuisine that focusses on all the great things there are besides meat. And that's not only veggies. I.e. Indian cusine focusess mainly on seasoning, mixing spices, perfectioning aromas... and it's not that much different if you try to make a good marinara from scratch.
it's just great what you can explore once you overcome that boring old meat discussion.

Great insights and explanation -- thanks!

[Cliffie]

I don't eat most of them because they tend to be squishy, tasteless and overpriced on top of that. I saw where one poster on a different forum was warned not to eat them by a friend because they resemble meat too much, whatever THAT means.