Before I switched to a WFPB diet, I was bewildered by the vegan’s need to replace meat with fake meat. Ethical reasons for going plant based was not even considered at the time.
So, I thought if vegans or vegetarians craved meat so darn much they should just eat meat!
I chose that path myself, limiting the frequency but upping the quality! My animal products were grass fed “organic” beef, organic, antibiotic free chicken and wild caught seafood.
The cost of organic was a waste of money. The meats were still loaded with antibiotics and chemicals from processing. Limiting my animal consumption did not help my health any.
Basically I went WFPB for my health!
Ethical reasons were just an added bonus. Once I went WFPB I lost weight, regained most of my health and got control of my blood pressure. See My Story.
After speaking with others trying to make the change, I realized meat substitutes are a transitional thing.
Meat, and dairy by the way, have an addictive quality to them that is harder to get past. Some of my followers have said they would not have been able to transition to WFPB immediately if they didn’t have substitutes as a stepping stone. This made me realize that people need a transition period to make the lifestyle change.
But I crave my old favorites!
We have been WFPB for several years now and sometimes just want an old comfort food or something 
substantial that gives me the impression of meat! I will sometimes make a “steak” out of butternut squash, cauliflower, eggplant, Portobello mushrooms or tofu.
Maybe make a “burger” patty from quinoa, grated vegetables or beans. Try my Hungarian Goulash
Lentils make a great replacement for ground beef and oyster mushrooms have a texture much like cooked chicken.
Justin Warner of Food Network made fried “fish” from coconut meat rolled in eggroll wraps, dipped in flour and fried.
Justin won the round. Regrettably I can’t find his recipe anywhere. It sounded incredible though.
There are vegan meats available.
Some are made from textured protein or vital gluten like Seitan. Others are made from fermented soy like tempeh. Anyone avoiding gluten cannot eat the Seitan and anyone avoiding soy cannot eat the tempeh.
I avoid both for my own reasons. I’ve found I can make my own tempeh using other types of beans or grains but it is a lengthy process due to the fermentation process.
Now that the Impossible and Beyond meats have come out, I researched them to find the Beyond burger is made from pea protein while the Impossible burger is made from soy. They are both loaded with chemicals which may or may not be GMO.
What fake meats are safe?
While it seems that the Beyond burger a safer contender of the two, there are other considerations.
They both have methyl cellulose which can cause IBS and other gastro intestinal issues. They both have “natural” flavors which can be ANYTHING determined as GRAS (Generally recognized as safe) by the food manufacturer, including MSG.
In my opinion, if an ingredient has to be hidden behind a generic label like “natural”, it is probably not something I want to eat!
Both the Impossible and Beyond meats have processed oils and a high sodium content.
Think Beyond for transitional purposes!
For transitional purposes I think the Beyond burger could be considered on occasion as a treat, but certainly not a meat substitute on a regular basis. Personally I think just chowing down on a certified organic beef steak once or twice a year would be better than eating either the Impossible or Beyond meat substitutes!
New meats are being created in a lab and should soon be available to the public. They are grown from the cells of the blood from a calf fetus. It is hardly animal friendly if you are WPFB for ethical reasons.
Be aware that vegan meat may not be prepared vegan. Burger King, for example, keeps their burgers in beef broth then heats them all on the same grilling device regardless if the are beef or Beyond meat.
Bottom line, it’s better to make your own food. When eating out you should always consider that you compromising your WFPB in some way.
Make a 4 star vegan entreé the start of your plate!
The real issue, I think, is that Meat and/or dairy have been the feature in the SAD diet for so long, that new WFPB eaters don’t have a clue how replace the main course. Vegetables are SIDES, right?
Try my Butternut Squash Ham Steaks, Mushroom Wellington, Portobello Mushrooms Rockefeller or Greek Spinach pie (Spanakopida) as entreé’s then add a side or salad to accompany them.
Stop thinking about being protein deprived! Just make beautiful entreé’s from vegetables and be creative! You will get plenty of protein while eating WFPB!
