As of: February 17, 2024, 3:17 p.m
By: Juliane Gutmann
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Vegetarian meat alternatives such as veggie schnitzel are now available in almost every supermarket.
The selection is impressive, but not all products are safe to eat.
Do you like the taste of meat but don't want to eat anything animal-based?
Then meat substitute products are just right for you.
Not only organic markets carry these types of products.
There are also more and more vegetarian alternatives to meat and sausage in supermarkets and discounters.
Veggie schnitzels are typically made from plant-based ingredients such as soy, tofu, wheat, seitan, vegetables or legumes.
In some cases, the taste experience is surprisingly similar to meat products.
But how healthy are such meat alternatives?
Stiftung Warentest, a large German consumer organization, has taken on the topic.
Vegetarian schnitzels were the focus of the test.
Seven vegetarian schnitzels rated “good”
Five trained testers assessed, among other things, the smell, taste, mouthfeel and the similarity to a meat schnitzel.
“In the laboratory we looked for pollutants and pathogens and determined which additives the vegetarian and vegan schnitzels contain,” says Stiftung Warentest.
The results could encourage some veggie schnitzel fans to reconsider their choice of their favorite product.
The typical schnitzel consists of meat.
But there are more and more vegetarian alternatives.
© Imago
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Because not all of the 18 veggie schnitzels tested did well in the test.
Only seven products were classified as “good”.
Four veggie schnitzels were heavily contaminated with pollutants.
Stiftung Warentest lists the following products as test winners:
Mühlen Schnitzel from Rügenwalder
Mills Cordon Bleu from Rügenwalder
Vegan Schnitzel Classic from Aldi My veggie day
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The losers: Veggie schnitzels contain too much aluminum and potentially carcinogenic substances
When examining schnitzels from the brands Vantastic, Like Meat, Veganz and Viana, high levels of harmful substances were found.
Vantastic, Like Meat and Veganz products contained elevated levels of potentially carcinogenic 3-MCPD esters, which can be formed during oil refining or pre-frying.
In addition, Viana's schnitzels had a high content of mineral oil hydrocarbons of the Mosh type (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons), which can accumulate in the body.
Veganz schnitzel also showed high aluminum values.
If consumed regularly, these can cause long-term damage to the nerves.
Caution is also advised when it comes to the calorie content.
According to Stiftung Warentest, veggie schnitzel is climate-friendly, but not low in calories.
The main reason for this is the breading, which absorbs a lot of fat.
At Veganz and Planted, this even makes up around half of the product.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editorial team cannot answer individual questions about medical conditions.
This article was created using machine assistance and was carefully checked by editor Juliane Gutmann before publication.