Veggie Cheese... Good Alternative??

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tlblake84
tlblake84 Posts: 48 Member
in Food and Nutrition
As an alternative to cheese, are any of the vegan "cheeses" any good? How is taste and texture? And also, is it nutritionally better than actual cheese or just another fattening product that happens to be vegan friendly.

I'm adding a few vegan dishes to my diet to help myself along in my weight loss journey, but wondering if vegan cheeses are going to help or hinder me. And well, as I eye them in the store I wonder if they even taste good.

Would love to hear from those that have tried it.

Replies

  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
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    You use less of them than reg cheese since it has more flavor imo I like daiya best. They are lower fat I think.
  • hannys
    hannys Posts: 85 Member
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    We use Daiya brand as well. It has very little nutritional value, but it does melt and provides a creamy texture in recipes when needed. It definitely doesn't taste like regular cheese, but we still like it.
    (We use it because our kids are allergic to all dairy)
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    No. That just sounds awful. Just get a good quality cheese and you'll be able to use less of it to get good cheese flavor. I'd rather eat no cheese than fake cheese. Life is just too short to give up good cheese! :)
  • Namaste_Heart11
    Namaste_Heart11 Posts: 51 Member
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    I'm also a Dayia fan (they even have cream cheese) :)
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
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    The cheese subs are more for people whom are either 1. against dairy morally, 2. have some kind of allergy or food intolerance.

    It does have less saturated fat which may be good for people who have cholesterol or blood pressure issues, but it generally has about the same amount of calories as traditional cheese so it's not really going to add to losing weight.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I like Daiya pretty well for things like lasagna, burritos, pizza, etc. But if I'm going to eat some cheese by itself, I really like the Miyoko's Creamery brand. I get it at Whole Foods. It's more expensive, but it tastes incredible and has a great texture. I also have had good luck making my own cheese from the "Artisan Vegan Cheese" cookbook (by the same woman who runs Miyoko's Creamery). It takes a little more time, but the results are worth it.

    Some of the cheese substitutes are pretty high in calories (mostly due to fat). If you want something "cheesy" and lower in calorie, there are some nutritional yeast-based sauces that are lower in calories (check out Pinterest for ideas). Some people love nutritional yeast (I'm in this camp), others can't stand it.
  • tlblake84
    tlblake84 Posts: 48 Member
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    Thanks for all the advice. It looks like Daiya is pretty good choice for me to try.
  • tlblake84
    tlblake84 Posts: 48 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I like Daiya pretty well for things like lasagna, burritos, pizza, etc. But if I'm going to eat some cheese by itself, I really like the Miyoko's Creamery brand. I get it at Whole Foods. It's more expensive, but it tastes incredible and has a great texture. I also have had good luck making my own cheese from the "Artisan Vegan Cheese" cookbook (by the same woman who runs Miyoko's Creamery). It takes a little more time, but the results are worth it.

    Some of the cheese substitutes are pretty high in calories (mostly due to fat). If you want something "cheesy" and lower in calorie, there are some nutritional yeast-based sauces that are lower in calories (check out Pinterest for ideas). Some people love nutritional yeast (I'm in this camp), others can't stand it.

    I've been wondering about that cookbook. I've seen it. Might have to get it and try a few. Also, I did just get a sample of the Bragg's Nutritional Yeast. I tried it on my popcorn. Didn't mind it, but also didn't give it all that much flavor. I think I'm just too used to extremely buttery cheesy popcorn.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    Daiya is awesome! Chao is AMAZING too they have awesome flavor sandwich slices. I don't like daiya cheese sandwich slices because they have a strange texture but go veggie and chao are amazing. Daiya is best for hot foods when you want melty cheese.
  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
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    I thought Daiya cream cheese was vile. I'm lactose intolerant. "It melts" isn't enough of a reason for me to try their shreds... I just use sharp cheeses in small quantities.

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