Let Wheat be thy Meat

As many of us move away from a meat-centered diet, it is sometimes difficult to find interesting substitutes for meat. Dietary concerns like fat, fiber and protein content vie with the issues of taste and texture. As the vegetarian revolution takes hold, previously esoteric meat alternatives have become a vital part of the new vegetarian cuisine. We can now work with a wide variety of choices - tofu, tempeh, packaged vegie or tofu burgers, and the versatile wheat gluten.
Known as seitan in Japan, as kofu in China, and "wheat meat" and "gluten" here in the U.S., seitan is a low fat, high protein, firm-textured food derived from wheat gluten. It has been eaten in China, Japan, Korea, Russia and the Middle East for thousands of years. It has also been used in this country by Seventh Day Adventists and Mormons. Gluten is often referred to in Chinese restaurants as "Buddha food", because of the claim that it was developed by pacifist, vegetarian Buddhist monks as a meat substitute. It is a food rich in tradition as well as nutrition.

Seitan is made from gluten extracted from wheat flour, which is first made into a bread dough consistency. The dough is left to rest so the gluten can develop. It then goes through many rinsings under running water which removes most of the starch and much of the bran. What is left is a firm, stringy mass of high protein gluten that is then cooked in soy sauce, and often the sea vegetable kombu. It is now ready to be used in casseroles, stir-frys, sandwiches, enchiladas or just about anywhere that you might previously have used meat.

Nutritionally, seitan is a nearly complete, high quality protein (more protein per serving than tofu), provides a modest amount of B vitamins and iron and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. A 3 1/2 ounce (100 gram) serving contains 118 calories, 18% protein and less than 1% unsaturated fat. The same amount of beef has 207 calories and 32.2% protein and is high in saturated fats. As recent studies have shown, our need for protein is much lower than previously believed and any opportunity to remove saturated fats from our diet is a welcome improvement.

As a meat substitute, seitan is versatile, nutritious and delicious. Try some in your next meal and experience a bit of dietary history from the Far and Middle East.

Meal Suggestions for Seitan

Dice and stir fry with your favorite vegies and serve over brown rice or pasta.

Sauté thin slices of seitan lightly in olive oil or bake. Sandwich between rye or pumpernickel bread and embellish with mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, & pickles.

Seitan "Reuben": Slice the seitan thinly and layer on hearty dark rye bread with well-drained cole slaw & Swiss cheese. Place under a broiler briefly to melt the cheese. Top with another piece of bread or serve open-faced with potato salad and a dill pickle.

Incorporate thinly sliced bits of seitan into eggplant parmesan or lasagna.

Use diced seitan as a substitute for beef in hearty stews, shish kebabs and Mexican dishes.

Return to Nutrition Index