Many health food stores sell products made with TVP, also known as textured vegetable protein. The texture of TVP makes it an affordable vegetarian meat substitute. You can purchase TVP in a variety of types, including flakes, patties and, most commonly, nuggets. The ingredients of TVP vary according to the brand, the flavor and the product, but most textured vegetable protein products share the same basic elements.
Soybeans
Soybeans form the core of the TVP ingredient list. To make textured vegetable protein, manufacturers begin with defatted soy flour, a byproduct of the process of making soybean oil. They mix this flour with water, cook it, extrude it into a rubbery dough and then dry it. The drying process dramatically reduces the density of the dough, leaving small flakes that look like oatmeal. According to The Practical Vegetarian, consuming TVP in this state is not recommended. Recipes begin with rehydrating the TVP, usually by soaking it in hot water.
Vegetable Fat
Though some manufacturers sell nonfat versions of textured vegetable protein, typical TVP contains a small about of vegetable fat. A serving of TVP may have about 5 grams of fat, similar to the fat content of fish or lean chicken.
Flavoring
A variety of textured vegetable protein products come in flavors such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, sausage, pepperoni and bacon. In addition, manufacturers may add seasonings to create barbecue, smoky, spicy or taco flavors. If the manufacturers produce a vegetarian product, then they use natural, animal-free flavors, artificial flavors and sometimes salt. According to the Vegetarian Resource Group, disodium gyanylate, thiamine hydrochloride and disodium inosinate often show up on the TVP ingredient list. Thiamine hydrochloride is Vitamin B-1, and usually synthetic. Disodium guanylate has fungal sources. Disodium inosinate, another flavor enhancer, can come from animal, mineral, vegetable or fungal sources, but vegetarian and vegan TVP products would only include those of a fungal or vegetable origin.
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