You know the feeling. Some tidbit appears in the news that an intact medieval cookbook has been discovered, or some ancient Roman dish has been unearthed. You click further into the story, hoping to see a recipe, already imagining how you’re going to make a splash as a tenth century noble at your next dinner party. You find the recipe, you scroll down, and yuck! Nothing sounds palatable or even familiar. We shouldn’t be surprised, however. Our human preferences for flavors, textures, even methods of eating are always evolving, right along with language, clothing, ideology, and everything in between. I remember the enthusiasm with which I purchased an incredible book, Food and Drink in Medieval Poland,[1] and while I have prepared several of the dishes with delicious results, I will never in my lifetime attempt the ‘Stewed Pig Tails.’
You shrug and think, ‘Well of course we don’t eat the same as ancient or medieval people. They had limited ingredients and simpler dietary needs.’ But their options were not as restrictive as you might think. They traded across several continents, enjoyed new flavors, and experimented with foreign cuisines. Nevertheless, tastes change over time. Even within a single time period, tastes vary by geography. Many Europeans can’t tolerate the spice of Indian food, while many Indians find European food too bland. Our preference for flavor, whether across time or location, is the point where nutrition and resources collide. It’s common knowledge now, for example, that Indian food historically included many spices because they act as a preservative in the hot climate.[2] Traditional diets in northern climates were high in fat to help people survive harsh winters. Spices have always been rarer and more expensive the farther they traveled. Now, in our globally-accessible world, our tastes are not bound by local requirements. We can therefore intentionally adapt our taste preferences for long-term survival of the species, in other words, for sustainability.
We are not mandated to enjoy the taste of meat. Animal muscles contains nutrients our body needs: primarily protein, plus iron and vitamin B12. Humans have historically enjoyed the taste of meat because it provides these nutrients. Yet if we can get these nutrients from a meat-alternative, then that product does not have to, in fact it should not taste like meat. It can be delicious in its own right, and thereby train us to stop craving meat flavors and textures.
My preferred meat-alternative is pea protein, which comes from dry yellow peas. The shells are removed, and the protein isolate is separated from fibers and starches.[3] Pea protein is generally good for health; besides protein, it contains multiple micronutrients. It is also a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine amino acids, although one is only present in minimal levels.[4] The benefit of this is that a vegan does not need to seek a huge variety of proteins throughout the day. Further, non-meat proteins protect one’s body from the negative aspects of meat, especially the link between red meat and cancer, heart disease, and an overall shorter life.[5]
Pea protein is considered quite sustainable. Plants in general are more sustainable than livestock—they allow for more efficient land use, don’t consume food, and use less water. Plus, many animals produce high carbon emissions. The carbon footprint of 100 grams of beef is, on average, 35 kg of CO2 equivalent. By contrast, 100 grams of peas create a footprint of only 0.4 kg CO2 equivalent.[6] Many scholars argue that peas are also more sustainable than other meat-substitute plants. They require less water and fertilizer, for example.[7]
Since pea protein is nutritious and sustainable, all that remains is for people to enjoy eating it. Meat-alternative products come in many of the formats of known meat products—nuggets, burgers, sausages. My current favorite is pea protein product in the ‘ground meat’ format. These meat-like preparations are useful because they allow people to incorporate them into familiar recipes and cooking methods. That does not mean, however, that these products need to taste and feel so much like meat that people are ‘tricked’ into enjoying them. Humans will never change their habits if they have to be constantly tricked. People need to enjoy meat-alternatives for what they are—delicious plants, mashed, shaped, and flavored in a variety of ways. If this sounds too processed for you, than step back and think: if our ancient ancestors could turn stalks of wheat into a loaf of bread, we can eat a sticky patty made of separated peas, vegetable oil, and spices.
I live in the Netherlands, and the tastiest brand available at my local grocery store is Naturli’ ‘Minced.’ Naturli’ is a Danish company, formed in 1988, which now offers a full line of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.[8] Their ‘Minced’ is simply delectable, and I cook with it often. It has an appetizing pink color, and when cooked it turns toasty brown on the outside, but not grayish like beef. I have never lived as a full vegetarian, but I also never really liked meat, eating it only intermittently, so perhaps I have an unfair advantage. I always found meat to be too chewy and dry for my liking. I can state with full confidence Naturli’ Minced is tastier than meat. It begins when it is cooking on the pan and the aroma rises up–pungent and tangy, a little oniony. When eating, it stays moist and slightly creamy, with a pleasing, crispy surface. The flavor is savory and satisfying, even reaching into the umami category. It is filling without leaving a bloated and heavy feeling.
My two favorite dishes to make based on pea-protein Minced are udon stir-fry and veggie balls. For the former, I sauté shredded cabbage and carrots, then sauté the Minced, mix it all up with cooked udon noodles, and stir-fry everything with sesame oil, soy sauce, and mirin. It’s not only my personal favorite dish to cook, but my kids’ favorite as well. My two picky eaters actually jump up and down when I say I’m making ‘Japanese noodles.’ Another crowd pleaser are my homemade veggie ‘meatballs.’ I mix the pea-protein Minced with oatmeal, boiled spinach, shredded root vegetables, sautéed garlic and shallots, plus nutmeg and salt. I bake the balls in a slow oven rather than fry them. My kids are happy with nothing but a bowl of ‘meatballs’ and ketchup, while my husband loves them squashed with hummus between some whole-grain French bread.
One of the psychological issues with switching to meat-alternatives is simply a matter of semantics. We are still hung up on describing them as meat or meat products, like burgers and sausages. The word ‘minced,’ perhaps works for British English, but Americans use no such word. We call it ‘ground meat,’ but ‘ground’ alone doesn’t work linguistically. I suggest we just go for broke and call it ‘protein.’ It has a nice science fiction tone to it—I’d like a protein patty, please! Don’t say it sounds too futuristic, because, in case you haven’t noticed, we are already living in futuristic times.
[1] Maria Dembinska and William Woys Weaver, ed., Food and Drink in Medieval Poland, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999)
[2] Gottardi, et al. “Beneficial Effects of Spices in Food Preservation and Safety,” Front. Microbiol. 7 (2016): 1394.
[3] “Pea Protein,” EUVEPRO, https://euvepro.eu/about-proteins/pea-protein.
[4] “Pea is for Protein: What You Need to Know About Pea Protein Powder,” Texas Health Resources, https://areyouawellbeing.texashealth.org/pea-protein-need-know-pea-protein-powder.
[5] “What’s the beef with red meat?” Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School, https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/whats-the-beef-with-red-meat.
[6] Hannah Ritchie, “Less meat is nearly always better than sustainable meat, to reduce your carbon footprint,” Our World in Data, Feb 4, 2020, https://ourworldindata.org/less-meat-or-sustainable-meat.
[7] Larissa Zimberoff, “The Rise of the Pea: How an Unassuming Legume Emerged as a Frontrunner in the Race to Replace Meat and Dairy,” Time, Aug 15, 2019, https://time.com/5652178/pea-meat-dairy-alternative.