Seitan is a vegan meat alternative made from wheat gluten, which is solid in slices, cubes, or strips and can be made at home. Seitan is a dense, brown, and chewy vegan meat with a savoury flavour. It is packed with a dense nutrient profile and renders a distinct and satiating texture to the dishes. Seitan serves a healthy and tasty meat alternative for vegans as it’s high in protein and low in carbs.
Read on, to learn more about seitan, its nutritional content, benefits, and how to make it at home.
What Is Seitan?
Seitan is a plant-based meat substitute that is made out of hydrated and cooked vital wheat gluten flour. Gluten is a blend of proteins prolamin and glutelin found in wheat and other grains like barley and rye. Gluten makes the dough elastic and helps to hold it together. Seitan is mostly sold on its own, which is ready to heat and add to any dishes, while it is also used as an ingredient in other plant-based meat products like burgers, hot dogs, and deli slices. You can also make this plant-based meat at home.
To make seitan, blend wheat flour with water and knead until a sticky dough develops into elements of the gluten protein, and the dough is rinsed to remove starch, leaving behind chunks of gluten protein. The meat obtained can be flavoured and cooked to make a variety of vegetarian delights.
How To Make Seitan At Home
Ingredients
For The Dough
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup of cold water
For The Broth
2 cups water
2 tbsp soy sauce
¼ onion chopped
½ tbs miso paste
½ medium tomato cut into cubes
1 clove garlic
Method
Blend flour with water to make a hard-but-cohesive dough.
Keep the dough in a bowl and add water, cover it, and let it stay 4-8 hours.
Knead the dough and rinse well until the water runs clear.
Squeeze the dough to strain water and air.
Cut the gluten dough into pieces.
Combine all the ingredients to make the broth.
Bring it to a boil and add the gluten pieces to the boiling broth.
Cook on a simmer flame and stir gluten meat for about 30 minutes.
Remove the vegetables and drain and saute the seitan in oil to prepare delectable recipes.
Seitan Nutrition Facts
Seitan is loaded with protein and low in carbohydrates, fat, and calories, and also contains a fair amount of minerals. When compared to animal protein, seitan contains fewer calories and less fat, but almost the same amount of protein. However, the nutritional content varies among brands and homemade seitan.
Also Read: Durum Wheat/Semolina Flour: Health Benefits, Nutrition, Recipes and Contraindications
A 1/4-cup (28-gram) serving of wheat gluten, provides the following nutritional content.
Calories: 104
Fat: 0.5 grams
Total carbs: 4 grams
Fiber: 0.2 grams
Protein: 21 grams
Selenium: 16% of the Daily Value (DV)
Iron: 8% of the DV
Phosphorus: 7% of the DV
Calcium: 4% of the DV
Copper: 3% of the DV
High on Protein
The key source of protein in seitan is wheat and it is a great source of plant-based protein option. Also, protein content per serving may vary depending on the ingredients used to make it. For example, seitan products that include soy or chickpea flour can provide additional protein. Seitan contains all nine essential amino acids; however, the basic form may contain only a fair amount of lysine.
Ways To Use Seitan
There are several ways to add this vegan meat alternative:
- Layered onto sandwiches to make a wholesome breakfast
- Ground to make tacos or meat substitute in pasta
- Stir-fries
- Served as a main dish with different herbs and spices
- Deep-fried strips or other delights
- Vegetable curries
- Grilled as kebabs
Seitan has a dense, chewy texture that most people say seitan closely resembles meat that tofu or tempeh. It has a savoury flavour that can be enhanced by adding seasonings and sauces while making it at home. Using nutritional yeast while making dough can give a nutty, cheesy flavour while adding soy sauce can be saltier.
To boost the flavour and taste of premade seitan marinate it or briefly cook it in a vegetable broth before adding it to a recipe.
Perks And Cons
Great Choice For People With Soy Allergies
Most plant-based meat alternatives like tofu, tempeh, and premade veggie burgers and hot dogs are made from soy. While soy is one of the top eight food allergens, along with milk, wheat, fish, shellfish, eggs, and peanuts. Thus, it can be hard for those who eat a plant-based diet but have a soy allergy or intolerance to find suitable meat options. Luckily, seitan is an impressive soy-free option, if a person wants to avoid the allergen.
May Affect Gut Function
A few studies suggest that eating gluten-containing foods like seitan could affect gut health and the digestion process. However, these side effects are less likely to affect people without underlying digestive woes or intolerances.
Who Should Avoid It?
Though seitan is a wholesome and unique food, some people may still need to refrain from having it. People with gluten-related disorders should avoid it, which include celiac disease, an autoimmune condition aggravated by ingesting gluten.
High Sodium Content
Premade seitan contains incredibly high amounts of added salt, thus making packaged seitan a high-sodium food. Also, people with other comorbid conditions like diabetes, and hypertension should avoid having it.
