Sausage, from the verb sausage, according to the RAE is a tripe stuffed with minced meat, mainly pork. In other words, a product made with meat, with viscera, with blood and more.
However, according to the report of the organization ProVeg Spain (2022), a 44% of the population between the ages of 25 and 34 (out of 2,749 people surveyed) is defined as flexitarian, vegetarian and/or vegan. The same report ranks chicken strips or morsels in fifth place in the ranking of the most consumed vegetable products, and the Heura, Beyond Meat and Garden Gourmet brands as the preferred ones.
In this way, it is reaffirmed that the growing number of consumers who prioritize vegetal kingdom on the plate. There are numerous companies that develop 100% vegetable foods, providing a solution to an ever-increasing demand for veggie products. And the sausages are no exception, with variants such as Iberian ham, chorizo and salami or pepperoni, as well as mortadella and even bacon, yes, without meat.
Now, although there is a tendency to associate these alternatives as healthier, just check the label of the same sausages to find ingredients such as wheat flour, soy, pea protein, vegetable oils, stabilizers, acidity regulators, etc. In some cases beet or pumpkin and carrot concentrates are included for a more intense final color. But often we are faced with choices with a long list of ingredients.
One of the challengesis to achieve texture that characterizes sausages of animal origin. The solution is ingredients such as rice, agar agar (also known as vegetable gelatin), or pasteurized egg white that provide consistency to the final product. The second challenge for the industry is to match the spicy flavor so characteristic. This is achieved with various flavorings and flavorings plus the addition of dried Provencal herbs and species such as pepper, paprika, garlic, onion, among others. However, they are usually a powerhouse of sodium. And this excess of salt is perceived on the palate.
On supermarket shelves, we usually find Ecocesta, Granero Integral, Violife and Vegetalia with its line of sliced York-type products, with fine herbs, Italian style and others. In specialized stores, you will find jewels such as Calabizo, a veggie chorizo based on pumpkin and paprika, or the Avus rice blood sausage. Now, when asked if they taste the same, the answer is no. It is a similar flavor, but different, because another variety of preservatives and dyes are used in meat preparations.
100% vegetable chorizo, vegan: ingredients: soy, wheat, extra virgin olive oil, salt, paprika, spices, natural aromas
Ultimately, the cold meats and vegetable sausages They are an alternative for those interested in reducing meat consumption and discovering new dishes, such as the classic bikini in its vegetable version.
However, being vegan is not synonymous with being healthy either. Learn to read and interpret labels It is fundamental, because at the end of the day, the purchase decision (and consumption) is in the hands of each one.
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