Meal 

comparison 

time!

For our healthy habits weeks, it's fun to explore things from different angles. During the healthy habits weeks, we want to provide followers and consumers with tips, hacks, and knowledge on adopting a healthier (plant-based) lifestyle in an accessible way.

Now, of course, multiple brands and stores offer ready-made meals. The meals we're going to review today are Vood's Indian tempeh curry and Grandma's Indian curry from Albert Heijn.

First, let's take a look at the nutritional values per meal:

Vood Indian Tempeh Curry (480 grams - portion)

• 522 kcal

• Fat 19.7g

• Of which saturated 10.7g

• Carbohydrates 64.3g

• Of which sugars 11.1g

• Proteins 22.2g

• Salt 2.8g

• Fiber 14g

Grandma's Indian Curry from Albert Heijn (450 grams - portion)

• 468 kcal

• Fat 10.6g

• Of which saturated 3.6g

• Carbohydrates 71.6g

• Of which sugars 12.2g

• Proteins 15.3g

• Salt 3.0g

• Fiber 12.2g

To start with, it must be mentioned that Grandma's Indian curry from Albert Heijn is not vegan; it contains milk, egg, and yogurt. This makes this meal vegetarian instead of vegan. Both meals have an A-nutri score, originate from the same cuisine (Indian), and have relatively similar portion sizes.

Calories

The number of calories in the Vood meal is slightly higher than Grandma's soup meal. This may be due in part to the larger portion size at Vood, but also the fat content. It should be noted that nearly half of the fat in Vood's meal is unsaturated, which is unlike Grandma's soup. Grandma's curry stays below the 500 kcal per meal threshold, making it a good addition to a healthy lifestyle!

Fats

Regarding fat content: The fat content in Grandma's curry is significantly lower than Vood's curry, as reflected in the calorie count. This is positive for Grandma's curry. However, the fat used in Grandma's curry includes partially hydrogenated palm fat, which is both unhealthy and bad for the environment. In Vood's curry, on the other hand, no oil is used in preparation, and the fat comes solely from coconut milk.

Carbohydrates

The carbohydrate content in Grandma's curry is higher than in Vood's curry. This may be due to the high vegetable content but unfortunately also the white rice used. The majority of the carbohydrate content in Vood's curry consists of spelt. Spelt is, in some cases, healthier than wheat, especially in terms of proteins and healthy fats. It contains more of these components than wheat. This means they are less quickly converted into glucose, leading to a slower rise in blood sugar and a less pronounced "sugar spike."

Proteins

The primary protein sources in Vood's curry are lupine-based tempeh and spelt. Lupine is considered a "complete protein," containing all nine essential amino acids, just like an animal product, but in a plant-based form. This is very positive for absorption in the body. In Grandma's curry, the majority of the protein comes from chickpeas, which contain 8 of the 9 essential amino acids. However, this curry contains fewer proteins overall.

Salt

The salt content in both meals is on the high side; the daily recommended salt intake is 6 grams (for the entire day). However, the meals must also have flavor, so some salt is important.

Fiber

The fiber content in both meals is heading in the right direction! Fiber is crucial for proper digestion and the prevention of conditions like colon cancer.