The words “vegan” and “plant-based” are typically associated with healthy living and for a good reason/cause. Plant-based diets can help lower the risk of disease and even slow cognitive decline. While we might switch to a plant-based diet with the best intentions, knowing that all vegan food is not equal is important.
Vegan food commonly sold in stores might sound like a guilt-free alternative or a gateway for the vegan-curious, but vegan fast food/junk alternatives are often worse for your health than the meat equivalent.
“Obviously the pros are that [veganism] is getting people to think about plant-based foods, but the con is that it makes us think that it is good for you when it can be equally or unhealthier,” says Megan Rossi, a Dietitian at King’s College London and author of Eat Yourself Healthy.
So, this post is to help you remember that just because a food is vegan doesn’t automatically mean that it is good for you.
4 Healthy Vegan Junk Food Swaps
Switching to a vegan diet can be challenging at the start. Not only do you need to change the way you shop, but the new diet can feel restrictive due to the elimination of meat, eggs, and dairy. Here are some examples of common vegan junk food products and recommended healthy alternatives.
1. Vegan Chocolate Topping
SWAP THIS – Cottees Topping Chocolate Thick & Rich
Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Maize Thickener (1442), Cocoa Powder, Chocolate Flavour, Food Acid (330), Salt, Preservative (202), Vegetable Gum (415). Even though there are very few ingredients in this product it is full of numbers. Maize thickener is derived from GMO corn (unless stated otherwise) and that being in there—not to mention the food acid, preservative 202 is a synthetically manufactured that can cause all types of side effects, would put me off eating it!
FOR THIS – Healthy 3-ingredient chocolate fudge sauce by Top with Cinnamon
2. Vegan Ice Cream
SWAP THIS – Sanitarium So Good Chocolate Bliss Ice Cream
Ingredients: So Good Soymilk (75%) [Filtered Water, Soy Protein (3.5%), Corn Maltodextrin, Sunflower Oil (Contains Antioxidant (Tocopherols) (Contains Soy)), Cane Sugar, Minerals (Phosphates Of Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium), Acidity Regulator (332), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamins (A, B12, B2, B1)], Cane Sugar, Glucose Syrup (Corn), Corn Maltodextrin, Cocoa (2.5%), Emulsifiers (477 471), Vegetable Gums (460, 412, 466, 407a), Flavours, Salt.
This ice cream screams of terrible sugars, oil and numbers even in the first few ingredients. Total Junk! Limit products like this!
FOR THIS – Chocolate and Hazelnut Vegan Ice Cream by The Minimalist Vega
Such an easy and tasty recipe! I love making homemade ice cream, but it does help to have a high-speed blender as it makes it rich and smooth in seconds.
Click here to try the recipe.
3. Vegan Cheese
SWAP THIS – Bio Cheese
Ingredients: Water, coconut oil (non-hydrogenated), modified starch (E1404, E1450), starch, sea salt, vegan flavours, acidity regulator, citric acid (E330), preservative: sorbic acid (E200) (0.2%). Colour B-Carotene.
Generally, when they put ‘flavour’ as an ingredient, it can mean several different chemicals in that one word. Again, lots of numbers and preservatives. I try to avoid fake dairy products as I know that there will always be lots of additives if they are store-bought, attempting to make it like ‘the real thing’.
FOR THIS – Sharp Vegan Cheddar Cheese Alternative by Go Dairy Free
4. Black Bean Patties
SWAP THIS – Gardein Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients: Water, cooked black beans, cooked brown rice, vegetables (onion and corn), expeller pressed canola oil, roasted vegetables (corn, red and green bell peppers), soy protein concentrate, tomato paste, potato starch, organic cane sugar, methylcellulose, sea salt, yeast extract, onion powder, spices, garlic powder, black bean powder, natural flavors (from plant sources), tomato powder, citric acid, lactic acid, instant coffee, molasses.
Now, these burgers aren’t too awful, but it’s important to flag a couple of ingredients. Methylcellulose is used to treat constipation and to help maintain regular bowel movements. Spices is a very vague ingredient and natural flavors as well. I also don’t feel that instant coffee has a place in the patty. So a few questions lead me to adding it to a junk list.
FOR THIS –Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Lime by A Virtual Vegan
These bean patties, are the exact opposite, full of the great nutritional stuff! These are perfect with some homemade hummus or vegan mayo.
Try this delicious Vegan Black Bean Burger recipe from A Virtual Vegan.
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