I've Been a Vegetarian for a Long Time, Now What?

Many of these meat alternatives are plant based, and are often made with soy beans, lentils and even some grains. A study by Australian researchers found that when compared to the actual meat, many of these plant base meat alternatives were generally lower in calories than real meat. But they also found that these meat substitute pro s were usually higher in carbohydrate, sugar, and sodium when compared to real meat. On top of that, very few of these meat substitute products had enough essential micronutrients like vitam an b 12, iron and zinc. Those that follow a vegetarian or vegan diet are at risk for developing certain nutrient deficiencies.