Item — HN Reader

Did you try Tempeh? 20gr of protein / 150cal. It looks like a steak.

It's god's food: high prots, fibers, iron, vitamins, unsaturated fats. Low carbs and sodium. Super digestive.

Super versatile: from burgers to bolognese to barbecue to everything, even sweety for the courageous. My easy goto is a dip of whatever open sauce I already have and 1 min micro wave heating. A bit more time ? Fried on the pan with soy sauce, olive oil and some herbs afterwards.

2 comments

The parent said "vegetarian meats" so I hope we can assume that's not meant to include tempeh and tofu (but rather things like TVP or mycoprotein products).

And while we're on the subject, Mike Israetel from Renaissance Periodization gives soy protein high marks for body builders. Good macros, good price, and highest amino acid profile score after milk/meat/eggs. Having tofu on hand is definitely helpful during a bulk.

if only soy and beans didn't rip my digestion to shreds.

Tempeh is easier to digest: the soy (fibers and amino acids) is pre-eaten by the mold.

I can drink milk but feel the same as you do with beans. When it’s fermented cheese I’m totally fine.

Can you eat falafels, tofu or slip peas? If so the hull may be the cause. Also beans trigger gaz on many people because they don’t eat much insoluble fibers, but after a while of regular consumption it comes back to normal. Don’t hurt yourself through, take care.

I can eat maybe one serving every few days regardless of the source. I can eat a lot of various fruits without issue(high fiber too). tofu is mostly ok. I have tried about once a year for 15-20 years.

I can eat a block of cheese a day and feel great. same with extremely lean chicken. When I try plants only without the problem foods, my energy and recover drops. I get depressed and I have huge protein cravings. If I try to squash that hunger with fats or carbs, I get fat. Just never been able to find a sustainable solution for my body

Fruits mostly contains soluble fibers, only their peel contains a bit of the insoluble one. For your next try consider instant mashed lentils/slip peas (flakes) or lots of mushrooms if you're rich enough. Adding a fair portion of hemp or nutritional yeast also increase the protein ratio. And tempeh is really a game changer. I wish the best for you.

I know tempeh is easily available in Indonesia, but how do you get it in bulk in the US?

All I see are tiny overpriced plastic packets.

Overlaps try to find a local producteur/enthousiast and buy it from him? Or make it yourself, it’s super cheap, but you need some time to learn and fin the right setup. Some people use an insulated chief master to produce reliable big batches at home. You can freeze the surplus.

https://www.tempeh.info/