The famous Swedish brand of self-assembly furniture is revisiting its emblematic meatballs by offering a vegetable protein-based version from August. The nutritionist doctor Patrick Serog gives us his analysis of the product.
- Composition of meatballs without meat from IKEA: vegetable ball with pea protein [Protéine de pois * (32%), eau, huile de colza, pommes de terre (8%), oignons frits (oignon, huile de colza) (6%), oignon (5%), chapelure (farine de riz, dextrose, sel, émulsifiant: E471), son d’avoine, amidon de pois, arôme naturel, émulsifiant: E461, concentré de champignons séchés, pomme séchée, sel, tomate en poudre, jus de citron concentré, poivre noir, piment de la Jamaïque.] * Origin: EU
Ikea stores are known for two things: their kit furniture and the Swedish gastronomy offered at low prices. The brand has just announced that it will revisit its meatballs to cook them with vegetable proteins. Nutritionist Patrick Serog gives us his opinion on the food shift of the most famous furniture brand in the world.
The Swedish brand Ikea has decided to go green by revisiting its emblematic meatballs to cook them with vegetable proteins. As a nutritionist, what inspires you about this initiative?
It is fashionable to want to substitute animal proteins with vegetable proteins. Yet these are two very different things for the body. You shouldn’t confuse everything.
Can Ikea’s meatless meatballs really replace meat? Can we feed exclusively on vegetable proteins without being deficient?
Yes, it is possible to feed exclusively on vegetable proteins. However, since humans are not designed for this, it requires a lot of nutritional science and regularity.
In addition, the sources of vegetable protein are quite limited, so it quickly leads to eating the same thing all the time, which reduces the taste pleasure. We quickly get tired of vegetable proteins.
Finally, focusing on vegetable proteins leads to consuming very large quantities, which can make you fat. We often forget it, but when a source of vegetable protein cooks, it loses its protein contribution. For example, 100 grams of raw lentils is 25 grams of protein, but 100 grams of boiled lentils provides only 9 grams of protein.
Personally, I advise my patients to replace animal proteins with vegetable proteins in two meals a week.
Does betting on vegetable rather than animal proteins have an impact on sport?
This approach has no impact on medium-intensity physical activity. On the other hand, for high intensity efforts, it is better to favor animal proteins, which have a better yield.
Meatballs without meat from Ikea are they a processed product?
Yes absolutely, it is a processed product (Editor’s note: see the exact composition of the product above in the essentials, which includes dextrose, salt, emulsifier E471, emulsifier E461), so not necessarily good for health. The mix of “yellow, oat, potato, onion and apple weight protein” promised by Ikea is interesting from a nutritional point of view. On the other hand, if the basis of the recipe for these meatballs is the same as that vegetarian meatballs already marketed by Ikeawe can note that it is a too salty product, badly noted by the Nutriscore. On the other hand, the sugar and fat levels of the vegetarian meatballs are satisfactory.
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