A plant-based product called seitan is becoming more and more common in supermarkets. The amazing thing about it: Seitan has the consistency of meat and also tastes similar. FITBOOK explains what it is made of, how it differs from tofu and whether it is an adequate meat substitute.
Not only supermarkets have expanded their range of meat substitutes, but also many restaurants, especially Asian ones. You will often find dishes on the menu that are offered with seitan, vegetarian meat, meat substitutes or sometimes incorrectly with «soy meat». But what is actually behind it?
What is seitan made of?
“Seitan consists of water-insoluble wheat protein, also known as gluten. During production, wheat flour is mixed with water and kneaded, after a resting phase the dough is washed out in water until the starch has largely been washed out and only the pure gluten mass remains,” explains Antje Gahl, nutritional expert at the German Society for Nutrition FITBOOK.
What is the difference between seitan and tofu?
Seitan is often categorized with tofu, but that’s not entirely true. “In short, seitan is a wheat product and tofu is typically a soy product, but it is now also made from other legumes such as beans. For example, lupins are produced and sold,” explains Gahl.
Classic tofu is made from curdled soy milk. This is obtained from ground, soaked and pressed soybeans together with water. In principle, the protein components of the soy milk are flocculated. The quark-like mass is then heated, drained and pressed into shape, similar to cheese production.
According to Gahl, however, there is one thing in common: «Both products come from ancient Asian cultures and have become increasingly important in western areas, especially in vegetarian and vegan diets.»
Seitan or tofu – which is healthier?
When making seitan, most of the carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are washed out until pure wheat protein is left, says Gahl. Seitan is therefore very rich in protein with around 25 to 30 percent protein. Beyond that, however, it hardly provides any other nutrients, explains the expert.
Tofu is also rich in protein, the protein content can be up to 20 percent. The big difference to seitan, however: «Due to the quality of the amino acids in tofu, the protein is more readily available than the protein from seitan,» says Gahl. In addition, tofu provides more nutrients overall, especially magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron. However, many other nutrients were also lost during production in this case.
An advantage of both products is that they are relatively low in calories in their pure form. tofu
has about 85 kcal per 100 grams, seitan about 150 kcal. The conclusion of the expert «Overall, tofu performs a little better».
However, both products could be disadvantageous in the case of gluten intolerance or a soy allergy. «Then the product in question should definitely be avoided,» warns Gahl.
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Is seitan a good meat substitute?
Considering its texture, seitan is a relatively good substitute for meat because it has a meat-like consistency. Due to its fibrous structure and ability to absorb the taste of broths, sauces and spices, unlike tofu (soy curd), it imitates virtually any meat dish. Not only steaks, schnitzel and meatballs can be conjured up with it, but even duck dishes.
With seitan products, pay attention to the degree of processing
But what about nutritional values? «In terms of energy, total fat content, saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, seitan as a vegetable product performs better than meat,» explains the expert.
However, attention should be paid to the degree of processing of the seitan product. The higher, the more unfavorable the composition is, Gahl points out. «Since seitan is often not offered in its pure form, but as a ready-made substitute for sausages, for example, these products often contain a lot of salt, sugar or fat as well as additives and flavorings, which does not necessarily make them better than the original in terms of nutritional physiology.»
Choosing organic products can help to avoid unwanted additives, but you should still pay attention to the salt content. «The typical, ready-made substitute products hardly contribute to the supply of critical nutrients, apart from the protein supply. All in all, it is better to process and season both seitan and tofu in its pure form,” recommends Gahl. It can also be part of a wholesome diet on a regular basis, especially for vegans. In the case of heavily processed substitute products, it is advisable to consume them only rarely.
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What is the best way for vegans to replace meat?
As an alternative to meat, the nutrition expert recommends that vegans consume a variety of plant-based protein sources such as cereals, legumes, potatoes, nuts and soy products, while also consuming sufficient energy throughout the day. “The protein quality can be increased through the targeted combination of different protein-rich foods such as lentils with rice or pea stew with bread. In this way, the protein requirements of a vegan diet can be covered without substitute products”.
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Instructions: Simply make seitan yourself
The production of seitan is relatively simple and has been practiced in Asia for more than 1000 years. Originally, wheat flour was kneaded with water to form a firm yet smooth dough. There are 750 milliliters of water for every 1 kilogram of flour. After the dough has rested for a few hours, start washing out the starch and bran with water. This process is repeated until the water is no longer cloudy and only a viscous mass remains – the wheat gluten.
But it’s much easier for everyone to do it yourself at home: To save yourself the tedious washing process, you can buy ready-made, pure wheat gluten powder right away. This is mixed with water about 1:1 and kneaded into the finished base. Then you cut them into slices or cubes as you like or form a nice meat substitute and then cook it in vegetable broth for 20 to 30 minutes. Many supermarkets offer seitan ready-made.
Seitan is completely tasteless and only takes on the taste of the vegetable broth. Depending on how you season the broth, the flavor of the seitan can vary. Spices can also be added directly to the dough. Once cooked, seitan can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. For further processing, you can, for example, bread it like a schnitzel, fry it like a steak, add it to a vegetarian goulash or puree it to imitate minced meat for Bolognese. There are hardly any limits to the imagination when dealing with seitan.