For many people living with diabetes, finding low calorie, low carbohydrate food choices becomes difficult in a market of high sugar and high fat foods. Choosing to follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle makes the struggle even harder: Many animal product substitutes are loaded with carbohydrates, fat and calories. Seitan, a meat alternative, offers many diabetes patients, vegetarian or not, the option of a low fat, high protein, low carbohydrate substitute.
What is Seitan?
Seitan, or wheat gluten, is made when the protein portion of wheat flour is extracted. The making of traditional gluten involves kneading a dough made from flour and water, then running it under cold water to remove the wheat starch. After several hours of rinsing and kneading, the remaining product is wheat gluten. This stretchy, meaty protein is used in many vegetarian dishes as a healthy meat alternative.
Seitan as Part of a Diabetic Diet
Wheat gluten is not only an ideal alternative for those seeking to limit meat or animal products in their diet; it is also an ideal choice for diabetes patients. Three ounces of seitan, on average, offers no more than 3 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein, and 0 grams of saturated fat. In comparison to 3 ounces of meat at 21 grams of protein and typically a few grams of saturated fat, seitan offers many diabetes patients a healthy alternative to meat. Seitan, like all low carbohydrate foods, has little impact on blood sugar.
Where to Buy Seitan
Making seitan at home takes a lot of time, so if you don't want to make it, many companies prepare seitan products commercially. It's typically found in the refrigerator or freezer section of health foods stores or grocery health food sections. Seitan comes in many forms, including ground, crumbles, strips, blocks and cubes. Wheat gluten can be used in salads, in a stir fry, or in burgers, fajitas and stews.
Is it Safe?
Few people will likely have problems with seitan, except for those who have Celiac's disease or are gluten intolerant. Those with gluten sensitivity may be able to use soy products as meat alternatives. For most diabetes patients, seitan is a perfectly safe, advisable addition to their diet.
