Meat Replacements and The Kaufmann Diet

Once relegated to a small section of the vegetarian or vegan domaine of a health food store refrigerator, plant-based “meats” have entered the mainstream––to the extent that you can probably find your favorite hamburger at your favorite nationwide fast food chain with a plant-based patty instead of the traditional beef patty we’ve known for so long. 

Plant-based diets, in general, have seen a surge in popularity, due in no small part to a slew of documentaries encouraging a plant-based lifestyle that have come out in the last decade. And no doubt, eating more vegetables is a good thing. Vegetables are even encouraged in abundance on The Kaufmann Diet. Many argue, however, Americans eat too much red meat, and anything we can do to diminish the amount of red meat we eat is ostensibly a good thing, at least, according to people who promote such a lifestyle.  

But the push to eliminate meat from our diets––particularly meats like beef––stands on premises that are not altogether scientifically sound. Red meat is one of the densest sources of protein available. It is rich in a variety of nutrients you cannot necessarily get anywhere else, particularly in the concentrations found therein. And, particularly if you are getting grass-fed, grass-finished meat, you are getting a good dose of healthy fats, including omega 3s.

Still, the concern with red meat often centers around the saturated fat content, but even the dangers of saturated fats when it comes to heart health have been called into question by research. In fact, many forward-thinking cardiologists claim that grains and sugar do far more to cause inflammation and unhealthy cholesterol levels than red meat ever did. 

Which brings us back to plant-based meats; are they a good replacement for actual meat on The Kaufmann Diet? 

The best thing you can do to discern whether any food––particularly a processed food like plant-based meats––is fit for the Kaufmann Diet is to simply read the label. Does it have ingredients like wheat? Corn? Peanuts? What about derivatives like gluten, or legume-based proteins? What about mycoprotein, which is protein derived from fungus? What about soy or tofu? If the answer is yes, then it is safe to say you should avoid these types of products on The Kaufmann Diet. 

The Kaufmann Diet includes meat, and there is not necessarily a reason to replace meat with a substitute while you are on the diet. 

For those following a vegetarian version of the diet, some of these meat-replacement options might be available to you if you have moved on to the Kaufmann Two Diet; it is simply important to read the labels, and always enjoy in moderation. By and large, however, most of these products should be avoided by people on the diet.

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