Why are vegan meat substitutes like jackfruit and seitan so expensive?

Why are vegan meat substitutes like jackfruit and seitan so expensive?"

Before I go into detail, I read the answers, as well as the comments left. One of those comments I'll get into latter on that may prove important to you, as well as others. Now onward and forward about why vegan suitable meat substitutes are in some cases expensive.

As pointed out the reason that vegan suitable meat substitutes, such as jackfruit or seitan are so expensive, is either shipping costs, or in the case of seitan, the cost spent on research and development. It takes on average about five to seven years to recover the costs of a product, and that doesn't count the cost of marketing. That adds more time to the cost recovery. Foodstuffs such as tofu or tempeh, has been around either for a long time, or even for centuries as in the case of tofu. Also demand or the lack therein of demand will cause the prices to be higher on some things. Another and often forgotten factor is the cost of manufacturing such products, as the equipment that's needed, is often expensive, due to being specialized.

Now as pointed out Jackfruit has little n the way of protein. However it doesn't stop there. Jackfruit has only one micronutrient of note, and that's manganese.Basically as a source of nutrition it doesn't have enough to count. There is a statement that says basically anyone who is a vegan can not get or will be able to get calcium, iron, or zinc. Simply put that is NOT true. All three of those micronutrients can be found in plant based foods. No credible licensed dietitian would make such a claim, and in fact would debunk it, as the falsehood it is.

The only one that is true, is vitamin B12. As far as having to eat beans and rice for example to get adequate protein, that too is NOT true. Some beans contains all nine of the essential amino acids. However there are other vegetables that also contains enough of each of then nine to make a complete protein chain. However that's not the end of things, wherein protein is concerned. While the body does store protein, it will also break down a complete protein chain, and store much of it, as the nine essential amino acids, that will be used by the body to create other types off proteins, that the body needs and uses for different things. But that starts getting into a more detailed and technical area, than is needed here, or in general.

Now finally the one comment that stood out to me was that you recently learned that you're allergic to red meats, as well as dairy. The whole line "the other white meat," was more of a way to bring attention to pork products. However it's still a mammalian meat, as were some of the other types of meat mentioned. The reason that got my attention is that it sounds very much like what' known as the alpha gal syndrome. The alpha gal syndrome will cause an allergenic reaction to any form of meat from mammals. However the reaction is usually delayed by two hours. Now to get to the next point, and an important one, do you remember if you were bitten by a tick recently, as that is carried by certain types of ticks.

If you don't remember being bitten by a trick, then you need to have a doctor run a test for alpha gal. But even if you do you still should be tested for it. However be ready for resistance as very few medical professionals are even aware of alpha gal syndrome. You can however find articles to take to the doctor, that are from solid sources, such as the Mayo Clinic, or the National Institute of Health. However the alpha gal; syndrome os something that regardless of diet, should be a concern to everyone, as it seems to be spreading and slowly becoming more common. The catch as to why this should concern everyone, is that some medications are in capsule, which are gelatin based. Even though that's a very small amount, it can be enough to set off a serious and even become a life threatening reaction, as the gelatin is mammalian based.

Now there's one vegan in this section who said, and correctly at this time alpha gal syndrome is very uncommon. However when it hit my radar a few years ago, I watched to see if my suspicions that the incidents would increase. Which it has increased, and seems to be increasing. My advice is regardless of dietary and/or lifestyle choice is get the attention of your medical care provider, so that if faced with someone who has been bitten, and has developed a reaction to dairy and anything from mammals, they will have an idea of where to start, and what to test for.

Now in closing, and for the sake of clarity am NOT a medical expert, nor a dietitian or certified nutritionist. The reason though that I know as much about nutrition, is from many many years of reading actual research papers, and sometimes even medical research papers. While Yahoo Answers can be helpful, it should NOT EVER be used as a replacement for medical advice, or even for advice on nutrition.

Being vegan is an unhealthy way to live. If you choose to be vegan, you will die young.

What are you talking about?

Jackfruit has VERY little protein in it and should NEVER be considered a protein substitute.

1 cup of jackfruit has only 2.2grams of protein, while 1 cup of chicken meat has 38 grams.

You need at least 50-55grams of protein a day.

You would have to eat 5 and a half GALLONS of jackfruit a day to get your protein needs met.

Seitan, on the other hand, IS an adequate substitute for meat.

As far as things like vegan cheese .. .don't go buying factory-produced foods. That defeats the purpose of eating healthy.

The BEST protein sources for a vegetarian or vegan are legumes with brown rice. Legumes such as lentils, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans.

Tofu and soybeans are good sources of protein, but there are implications of overeating those foods and getting thyroid cancer. My sister was a vegetarian for 35 years, eating tofu every day .. and she found out AFTER she got thyroid cancer that it was probably her overconsumption of tofu.

So stick with beans and rice, or dal and rice. About 4-5 cups of the mixture should give you the protein you need on a daily basis.

But if you don't get enough protein, your body will start to consume your muscle to get the protein, and then you start to weaken and sicken .....

As a vegan, you also need to take supplements to make up for the nutrients found ONLY in meat:

vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc

You really need to start planning your meals, based on what nutrients you need to consume, and in what quantities. Or you will end up getting sick.

After 4-8 months, you kind of start to KNOW how to select what you eat, and you won't be spending an hour every day planning tomorrow's meals.

Actually this is probably WHY most people do NOT "go vegan". The more you start cutting foods out of your diet, the more you need to know what you are doing, and the more time you have to spend planning healthy meals.

The broader the variety of foods that you eat (including meat, eggs, dairy), the better the odds that you WILL get all the nutrients your body needs in order to maintain good health.

It is the junk food choices that wreck our health.

I agree. they really need to cost less. some of it is just economics of scale. And some of it is ingredients. For instance, some vegan cheeses are made out of cashews which are expensive.

There is also R&D. Which can be expensive and needs to be recovered. and if you aren't making a ton of stuff those costs get concentrated.

To paraphrase somebody, the second block of cheese cost $1. But the first one cost a million.

probably cause people like to rnake rnoney off thern

Tofu is made of soybean and isnt all that healthy for you, thats why its cheap.

Jackfruit can only be grown so many places and has to be imported.. Hence the cost.

And it isnt about the price. Im not willing to risk my health by going vegan. Humans are OMNIVORES.. Which means you need a balance of meat and vegetation for a proper diet.

Many vegan options are also disgusting.

Why are they not healthy?

Pull out the meat / pull out the dairy = throw in the salt.