Purine content of Meat and seafood substitutes
across 15 measured preparations · median 45.9 mg · spans low to fairly high
Across the 15 meat and seafood substitutes measurements in this database, purine content runs from 0 to 117.5 mg per 100 g, with a median of 45.9 mg — a fairly low-purine food.
On this page (4)
Why the numbers vary
The soy foods and legumes measured here run from 45.9 mg to 192.4 mg per 100 g, so the category is a poor guide on its own — which specific food, and prepared how, decides almost everything.
Preparation matters more than the food's name. Ham style vegetarian slices, from mycoprotein measures 117.5 mg, while Vegetarian 'quail's eggs' measures 0 mg — a difference of 118 mg. Drying and grilling remove water and concentrate what is left; boiling can move purines into water that is then poured away.
Every form of meat and seafood substitutes measured (15)
Highest first, each with the preparation that was measured.
| Food as measured | Per 100 g | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ham style vegetarian slices, from mycoprotein | 117.5 mg | Fairly high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Instant-vegetarian dried 'deer' from soy | 115.8 mg | Fairly high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Luncheon slices, meatless | 97.8 mg | Fairly high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Instant-vegetarian dried 'fish' from soy | 88.6 mg | Fairly high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Vegetarian 'Ba Sa fish' from soy | 82.5 mg | Fairly high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| ‘Chicken', meatless | 77 mg | Fairly high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| ‘Bacon', meatless | 74.4 mg | Fairly low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| ‘Sausage', meatless | 45.9 mg | Fairly low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Vegetarian 'meatloaf' or patties | 42.1 mg | Fairly low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Egg white schnitzel (vegetarian ‘steak’) | 39.5 mg | Fairly low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| ‘Frankfurter', meatless | 32 mg | Fairly low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Vegetarian 'steak' from wheat (Robi' schnitzels) | 21 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| ‘Vegetarian 'gizzard' from soy | 0.2 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Vegetarian tender 'shrimp' | 0.1 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Vegetarian 'quail's eggs' | 0 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
Questions about meat and seafood substitutes and purines
Is meat substitute high in purines?
Median 45.9 mg per 100 g, meat substitute falls in the fairly low band (30–75 mg per 100 g) on the six-level scale used across this site. Individual measurements range from 0 to 117.5 mg.
How many purines are in a serving of meat substitute?
It depends entirely which preparation. Compared at the same 150 g: about 0 mg for vegetarian 'quail's eggs', about 176 mg for ham style vegetarian slices, from mycoprotein. That upper figure is a like-for-like comparison rather than a serving — dried and concentrated foods are normally used by the spoonful, so their per-100 g value is the fairer read. The table on this page lists both for every preparation measured.
Does cooking change the purine content of meat substitute?
Substantially. In this database Ham style vegetarian slices, from mycoprotein measures 117.5 mg while Vegetarian 'quail's eggs' measures 0 mg per 100 g. Drying and grilling concentrate purines by removing water; boiling can leach some into the cooking liquid.
Where does this meat substitute purine value come from?
USDA and ODS-NIH Database for the Purine Content of Foods, Release 2.0 (2025). Values are total purines in milligrams per 100 g of the food as described, and nothing is estimated or averaged across sources.
How does meat substitute compare with other soy foods and legumes?
The median for soy foods and legumes in this database is 67.7 mg per 100 g, with a range of 45.9 to 192.4 mg. Meat and seafood substitutes is below that median.
Source
- USDA and ODS-NIH Database for the Purine Content of Foods, Release 2.0 (2025) — Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Reference information only. Purine values describe foods, not people: they cannot tell you what is safe for you to eat, and nothing here diagnoses or treats gout. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about your own diet and medication.