La Vie Vegan Bacon (from France (?!)
Bacon is one of England’s most popular foods. But most comes from factory-farmed pigs. So it’s good for people to try plant-based bacon, all or at least some of the time.
And so-called ‘processed meats’ are linked to cancers and other health conditions. It’s really easy to make your own or buy good plant-based brands, they taste and smell exactly the same.
Avoid crispy plant-based bacon for young children and swallowing difficulties. Don’t feed leftovers to pets, garden birds or wildfowl, due to salt and fat (which can smear on feathers, affecting waterproofing and insulation). Read more on food safety for people and pets.
Most of the Danish bacon made in factory farms is actually for the UK market, not for Danish people.
Richmond Vegan Bacon is owned by a factory-farming meat company. Burger King also cooks its ‘vegan bacon’ on the same grill as meat, which rather defeats the point.
La Vie (Vegan Bacon from France?!)
Yes, you heard that right. La Vie vegan bacon is so popular in France, that some farmers have tried to ban it! It’s sold in most supermarkets in England, and is seriously good, made from pea protein and other natural ingredients.
Just fry it up for a few minutes to use in a BLT or with a full English breakfast. Recycle packaging at supermarket bag bins, if your kerbside does not recycle.
Debunking Two Arguments Against ‘Fake Meats’
The first one is that vegans and vegetarians should not eat fake meat. What we eat is our business, many people like the taste of bacon, but don’t want animals harmed. There’s nothing wrong with that.
The second is that not eating real bacon is harming British farmers. In fact, most bacon is not just factory-farmed but comes from abroad (say Denmark). And there is not enough land in England (a country of 60 million people) for everyone to eat free-range bacon.
What is Real Bacon Made From?
Lovely pigs, that’s what. It’s basically cured pork (from the belly or back of a pig) and very high in fat, sodium (salt) and nitrates (preservatives) that when cooked at high temperatures, form nitrosamines (a known cancer risk).
World Health Organisation classifies all processed meats as Group 1 Carcinogens (bacon is linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer).
The ‘bacon taste’ does not come from the meat itself, but from how it’s smoked (hickory, applewood etc) and flavoured (maple etc). So once you know this, it becomes easy to replicate the taste.
Easy Plant-Based Bacon Recipes
By far the best ingredient to make plant-based bacon is tempeh (find it in grocery stores and health stores). This Indonesian food is ideal to replicate the taste and texture. Try this simple recipe at Rainbow plant Life.
This smoked grilled tempeh bacon (Full of Plants) is a little more complicated, but still do-able. The tempeh is marinaded in soy sauce, maple syrup and toasted sesame soil.
