Vegan? Yes, but it’s still an indulgence
Reader’s go-to sandwich after a run packs a day’s worth of protein in one meal
The dish Hot roast “beef ” sandwich, $13 The Hogtown Vegan, 1056 Bloor St. W. The ask After running a successful race, Melissa Turner kicks off her sneakers and celebrates with a big, delicious dinner at the Hogtown Vegan.
Her favourite meal at the popular west-end eatery, which specializes in comfort vegan fare, is the hot roast “beef” sandwich. That’s a toasted baguette, stuffed with thin slices of seitan, a wheat-based meat substitute made in-house, and topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions and a savoury mushroom and beer gravy.
“I always, always order this sandwich,” says Turner, who has been vegetarian for 20 years and vegan for four. “One time, I ordered another item and immediately regretted my decision. I just love the gravy.”
Most days, Turner makes her meals at home. A trip to the Hogtown Vegan means she and her partner, who is also vegan, are ready to splurge on a decadent dinner, usually after Turner has completed a half-marathon.
Though she considers the roast “beef” sandwich an indulgence, Turner still wants to know the calorie count. “It tastes so good. I’m sure you’re going to tell me it’s really salty.” The guess Turner predicts her much-loved sandwich contains between 700 and 800 calories. “Because of the gravy,” she laughs. “It’s the gravy that I think is really heavy and salty . . . But I hope that I’m wrong!” The exclusive results Calories: 921 Fat: 27 grams Sodium: 1,742 milligrams Carbohydrates: 72 grams Protein: 98 grams The breakdown
At 415 grams ( just shy of one pound), this sandwich has heft. For the average woman, 921 calories is about half of her recommended daily allotment. In terms of calories, the sandwich is the same as eating three generous cups of a typical storebought canned bean and vegetable chili.
You might not expect a sandwich to be salty. But with 1,742 milligrams of sodium — the equivalent of 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt — this sandwich contains more than two-thirds of the maximum recommended daily sodium allotment.
Clearly, comparing a vegan beef sandwich to a real beef sandwich is not exactly fair. But part-time vegans (and others) may be curious, so consider that the Philly Steak Panini served at Tim Hortons, which weighs 236 grams, has 520 calories, 21 grams of fat, 1,240 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of protein and 56 grams of carbohydrates. The expert response “If there is a sandwich out there that needs to be split, this is the one,” says registered dietitian Zannat Reza. “It’s ridiculously large!”
Especially since the 921-calorie sandwich comes with either a side of coleslaw or fries. Reza estimates the fries (the sandwich we sent to the lab came with a generous 1-1/2 cups) would add between 400 and 500 calories and an additional 500 milligrams of sodium to the meal.
“So, even more evidence for sharing,” she says.
Not only is the sandwich big in terms of portion size and calories, Reza says the amount of protein it packs is also over-the-top, no matter whether a diner is vegan.
“We recommend getting roughly 30 grams of protein in every meal,” she says, noting that is what our bodies can metabolize at one time. “This sandwich has the amount of protein you need in a whole day. You need to spread protein consumption over three meals; your body won’t use additional amounts to build muscle or repair tissues.”
As for all indulgences, Reza’s bottom line for this sandwich remains the same: “If you love it, go for it and enjoy every bite. But forget the side. With a sandwich this big, why would you need it?” The restaurant reaction In an email to the Star, Jaclyn Walker, co-owner of the Hogtown Vegan, writes: “We know our menu items are heavier on the salt and fat content, but we market it as comfort food so as not to mislead anyone on the nutritional value of the items.
“Just because it’s vegan does not mean it is a health food, which is a common misconception to the vegan world.”
Walker, who is also one of the restaurant’s cooks, writes that soy sauce is used to flavour the seitan and gravy and is the only source of salt in these sandwich components.
As for the house-made seitan, Walker explains it is made of gluten flour, “which is the protein part of wheat, hence the high protein content. This is important for vegans, as they need to actively source protein in their diet.” The reader reaction “Oh, wow,” sighs Turner, after hearing the calorie content for the “beef” sandwich. “That’s a lot more calories than I thought could be in just a sandwich.”
“Well, I’m probably still going to eat it after a long run. Because I love it.” The Dish is a weekly series that helps health-conscious diners navigate Toronto’s food scene by revealing the nutrition information of Star readers’ favourite foods. If you are curious about the calories in a meal or treat, email Megan Ogilvie at mogilvie@thestar.ca. Items selected to be featured in the Dish will be sent to an accredited laboratory for nutritional analysis.