Protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, calories and food composition explained with practical context.
A formulated plant burger can come fairly close to beef in protein but differ sharply in saturated fat and sodium. Normalizing both to 100 g makes the trade-offs clearer.
Using current unsweetened products, Silk soy milk provides 8 g protein per cup while Oatly Unsweetened lists 0 g. Fortification can make calcium and vitamin D look similar despite very different macros.
In current unsweetened examples, Silk almond milk has 30 calories and 1 g protein per cup; Oatly Unsweetened has 40 calories and 0 g. Much of the calcium comes from fortification.
TVP and tofu are both soy foods, but their water content makes a direct cup-for-cup comparison misleading. TVP is dry and protein-dense until rehydrated; tofu is a moist curd. Both can supply complete soy protein, but texture and nutrient details vary by product.
Dry TVP and raw ground beef contain very different amounts of water. Comparing enough of each to provide about 20 g protein makes the trade-offs clearer.
Textured vegetable protein is usually defatted soy flour turned into dry porous pieces. A plain current product provides 12 g protein and 4 g fiber per 23 g dry serving; hydration changes weight, not total protein.
Nutritional yeast is yeast that has been grown, inactivated and dried for use as food, usually as flakes or powder with a savory, umami flavor. It is not active baker’s yeast and will not make dough rise. A USDA survey reference provides about 40.4 g protein and 26.9 g fiber per 100 g, but a 10 g sprinkle is only about 4.0 g protein and 2.7 g fiber. Vitamin content varies dramatically depending on fortification.
Nutritional yeast is protein-dense, but vitamin B12 should never be assumed from the product name alone. A USDA survey reference provides about 40.4 g protein per 100 g, roughly 4 g in a 10 g serving. For B12, NIH lists several fortified brands at about 8.3–24 mcg per roughly 1/4 cup, while unfortified products may provide no reliable B12. Check the Nutrition Facts label every time.
Seitan, tofu and tempeh can fill the same spot on a plate, but they are nutritionally different: seitan is concentrated wheat gluten, tofu is soybean curd, and tempeh is fermented whole soybeans.
During sourdough fermentation, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts transform sugars and produce acids, gases and aroma compounds. The pH falls, flavor and dough structure change, and phytate and some fermentable carbohydrates such as fructans may decrease. The size of those changes is not fixed: flour, microorganisms, temperature, fermentation time and acidity all matter, so not every bread labeled sourdough undergoes the same process.
Hummus combines chickpeas with tahini and, depending on the recipe, oil, lemon, garlic and salt. A current USDA plain-hummus reference provides about 243 calories, 7.3 g protein, 5.4 g fiber and 17.1 g fat per 100 g. A 60 g portion works out to roughly 146 calories, 4.4 g protein, 3.2 g fiber and 10.3 g fat. Recipes can shift these values substantially.
Hummus and guacamole are both plant-based dips, but they are not nutritionally interchangeable. Per 100 g, the current USDA references used here provide 243 calories and 7.3 g protein for hummus versus 155 calories and 1.9 g for guacamole. Guacamole provides slightly more fiber, 6.5 versus 5.4 g/100 g, and less energy. In a 50 g portion, that is about 122 versus 78 calories.