Seitan: Properties, Uses, and Contraindications

Full of protein, seitan It is a vegan meat substitute made from gluten of wheat. Interesting are nutritional values and properties of the food, particularly common in vegetarian and vegan diets. It is easy to find and lends itself to numerous healthy recipesWhat is seitan good for, and what flavor ha? Let's discover a product full of surprises.

Index of topics

What

To understand What is seitan?, let's start from what's inside the food. It is wheat gluten separated from the starch and cooked in vegetable broth: it contains two gluten proteins, gliadins and glutenins (this explains why seitan is so high in protein). It has a chewy, fibrous consistency similar to meat: this characteristic makes it an excellent substitute for the latter, especially for those who don't want or can't eat it, or for those who simply prefer to reduce their consumption. Just like real meat, it absorbs the seasonings and flavors with which it is cooked. Although it is commercially available raw or pre-cooked to be simply heated and enjoyed, it can also be found as an ingredient in foods such as vegetal burgers, cutlets, meatballs and sauces.

Nutritional values

As for his nutritional values, these may differ slightly depending on the brand and type of protein. For those wondering How many calories are in 100g of seitan? It can be answered that it provides between 120 and 140. The same quantity of the food also provides:

Fat: 1,2 g (of which saturated 0,25 g)
Carbohydrates 4,7 g (of which sugars 0,2 g)
Fiber 0,1 g
23,4 g protein
Salt 0.6 g

The following deserve a brief in-depth analysis: protein seitan. This "vegan meat" contains a much higher quantity of it than carbohydrates. However, it is worth noting the absence – compared to chicken, beef & Co. – of the amino acid lysine and Vitamin B12A deficiency of the latter, in particular, can cause long-term side effects. These risks can be avoided simply by taking a vitamin B12 supplement, as many vegetarians and vegans do.

Property

Well, but what is seitan good for? The “wheat meat”, whose origins are found in China but are particularly popular throughout Asia, has a low carb and low fat, which makes it a valid alternative to tofu and tempeh. It is, in fact, suitable for all vegans and vegetarians who are intolerant to soy. Furthermore:

It does not contain saturated fats and helps the body to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems.
It is a food particularly suitable for Sports thanks to its important protein content, thanks to which muscles can develop correctly.
It also contains the Calcium, which together with proteins makes it an important food for the health of those who have banned animal products and products of animal origin from their diet.
It does not contain sodium, and for this reason it proves to be suitable for those who suffer from hypertension.
The fact that it contains few fats and calories makes it a light and very digestible food.
It is also a very versatile food, which can be prepared in various ways and lends itself to many recipes, making it an excellent alternative to meat.

Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that it represents a totally “cruelty free” which goes very well with an organic and sustainable diet.

How much can you eat?

Despite being a healthy ingredient for a whole series of factors, seitan is often at the centre of controversy regarding the risks it poses in terms of developing an intolerance to it. glutenWhat is certain is that completely replacing meat with this ingredient would, in fact, cause our body to absorb a much higher amount of gluten than normal. Furthermore, combining it with bread and pasta would make our daily gluten consumption well above our needs. This situation could trigger a autoimmune reaction of our body. For this reason, moderate consumption is always recommended, no more than 2-3 times a week.

How to use it in cooking

The food is commercially available ready for use, just open the package and use it in various ways. recipes that you want to bring to the table. What does seitan taste like?Its flavor is more neutral and less invasive than that of meat. But its versatility is practically the same. If you're looking for ideas on come cucinare il seitan know that you can do it in the pan, steamed, on the grillYou can slice it thinly and brown it before enjoying it as a second course or adding it to a rich salad or as part of a sandwich filling. What goes well with seitan? All the ingredients and combinations that go well with meat. And therefore French fries, vegetable side dishes, salads, but also tomato puree, if you want to prepare a vegan ragout. How about a rich one? vegan grill? Just accompany it with vegetable skewers, tasty sauces and little else to make the experience unsurpassable. For those wondering if seitan can be eaten raw We answer that yes, since it's a pre-cooked food, it can be eaten without cooking. In this case, however, it's recommended to season it with flavorful ingredients to enhance its flavor, perhaps the same ones used to enhance a common carpaccio.

Controindicazioni

When seitan is bad for you? Although it is, as we have seen, an alternative to soy products and tempeh, seitan is made of gluten, and therefore cannot be consumed by celiac and by those who are intolerant to the latter. Furthermore, the proline present in proteins can make digestion more difficult in case of excessive consumption. Finally, its high glycemic index makes it an unsuitable food for diabetics.

Seitan: properties, uses, and contraindications