Plant-based alternatives have just gotten a whole lot fishier.
Whether it’s made of konjac or with pea protein as a major ingredient, what’s certain is that plant-based seafood is so now.
Sold and served at select retail outlets and restaurants throughout Australia, the new category of plant-based foods presents vegans and vegetarians with a genuine range of creative food options.
There are plant-based crab cakes, scallops,, and , which have all been created to resemble the real thing in appearance and flavour.
Initially when people are transitioning to becoming a vegan or vegetarian or switch to a plant-based diet, they may want foods that are familiar to them.
Faux prawns: but why?
Mike McNally, president of , explains that plant-based seafood has an invaluable place in the market, catering for vegans and vegetarians.
“Mimicking fish and seafood in an alternative form plays a very useful role,” McNally tells SBS.
“Initially, when people are transitioning to becoming a vegan or vegetarian or switch to a plant-based diet, they may want foods that are familiar to them. They may want to eat something resembling a food item that they once ate, like fish or prawns without the ethical concerns posed by the real thing.”
Fake seafood caters for people with food allergies. The idea is that they can enjoy the idea of eating fish, prawns or crab and be socially included at mealtimes without the fear of an allergic reaction.
also provides another interesting meal alternative to people who have cut meat from their diet for cultural or religious reasons.
Those faux prawns look great. But how healthy are they?
Plant-based seafood is a fascinating new area of our food landscape. But how healthy are these products? It’s a valid question, especially given that many people switch to a plant-based diet or veganism to boost their consumption of plant foods and improve their health.
McNally, who’s he’s been a vegan for over 14 years, tells SBS that the alternative foods are a welcome addition to the plant-based market.
“These plant-based seafood options are free from cholesterol and, importantly, don’t contain seafood that’s been exposed to microplastics and heavy metals."
However, McNally says, plant-based seafood products shouldn’t be regular go-to foods for people who have sworn off seafood.
“They are simply a convenience food, just like any other packaged food. They’re more of an ‘occasional’ food: something you might have when you’re eating out with friends or need a convenient meal to eat at home every now and then.”
These plant-based seafood options are free from cholesterol, and importantly, don’t contain seafood that’s been exposed microplastics and heavy metals.
A spokesperson for and Accredited Practising Dietitian, agrees that although seafood alternatives are a fun thing to eat, they aren’t necessarily good for you.
“Plant-based seafood is not naturally occurring so the food has to be made," Dynan says.
“To do that, food producers have to use products to replicate the texture of the fish so that it’s flaky. That’s probably more challenging than burgers or mock meat as fish is so much more fragile in nature. They have to go through a number of processes to be able to get a final product that resembles the original food. That’s why plant-based seafood alternatives are highly processed.”
Nutritionally, she says, faux seafood does not contain the omega 3s only found in animal products – EPA and DHA. However, plant-based seafood may be a great source of protein.
“We're not necessarily encouraging people to cut fish out from their diet whereas we are trying to get people to consider eating less [red] meat each week. Plant-based seafood could be an alternative protein source for vegans and vegetarians, or people looking to reduce the amount of meat in their diet.”
Is this new food right for me?
Dynan recommends that to determine whether plant-based seafood is right for you, you should look at your diet with a holistic lens.
Examine how much processed and packaged food you’re eating regularly, then decide on whether to include plant-based seafood options into your diet.
“If you are having plant-based seafood occasionally and not eating much else in the way of packaged or processed food, then I don't think it's a problem. Just as long as you know you’re not necessarily going to get the same nutritional value out of them as you would get from fish.
“If you like it and want to try it, give it a try. The addition of plant-based seafood just needs to be considered within the bigger picture of your diet.”
