They are usually made from wheat gluten, soy protein, or tofu. Meat analogs are sold in a wide variety of forms, usually frozen or refrigerated. Mixes to prepare some meat analogs such as sausage or vegetarian burgers are also available. Prepared meat analogs can be frozen for up to six months or refrigerated and used by the expiration date on the package. The nutrient content of meat analogs varies widely depending on the ingredients used, processing technique, and fortification.
Meat analogs are lower in fat and saturated fat than meat.
Some meat analogs are high in salt. Best bets for healthy eating Replace meat with meat substitutes to help reduce intakes of saturated fat , cholesterol , and animal protein. Avoiding these foods may help to lower risk for chronic disease. Choose products such as textured vegetable protein to boost your intake of both fiber and isoflavones . Textured vegetable protein, because of its high content of soy protein, is a useful addition to the diet for lowering blood cholesterol in some people.