Meat Substitutes

Sometimes meat or fish is not available at home. What protein foods shall be used for our meals? What other foods besides meat are included in Group V of the Basic Six Food Groups?

Legumes are seed vegetables in pods. Sitaw, patani, sitsaro, mongo, soybeans and habitsuelas are legumes. The dried seeds of these legumes are good sources of protein. They can take the place of meat. They cost very much less than meat.

Dried beans contain more protein than the same weight of fresh meat of any kind. 1 cup of uncooked mongos which is about 200 grams in weight contains more protein than the same weight of meat (1/5 kilo).

It is good to serve a meat substitute one or more times a week. It gives variety to the food we eat. We will spend a little less for food, although we get the same food value. Beans and mongos contain some carbohydrates in addition to protein. They also contain more calcium than lean meat.

Beans also contain Vitamin B. Vitamin B cures and prevents beriberi. Carbohydrates, calcium and Vitamin B are found in beans and legumes and are present in meat in only very small amounts or there may be none at all. .

Soybeans are sold in many forms. Miso, tahuri, tokwa, laasi and tuyo are soybean products. Soybeans are also toasted like peanuts.