vegetarian products which imitate meat

[WilliamTaft]

An example using "imitate" in Longman Contemporary: vegetarian products which imitate meat

Does it mean that vegetarian products have the same nutrients as meat?

 

[Skrej]

No. It just means the products are supposed to taste and feel like meat. In order to entice meat eaters away from consuming meat, they're trying to offer an alternative that is indistinguishable from meat.

The nutritional breakdown is actually quite different, because of the inherent differences between vegetables and meat.

 

[Tarheel]

I would also say it's supposed to look like meat.

 

[Holmes]

In order to entice meat eaters away from consuming meat, they're trying to offer an alternative that is indistinguishable from meat.

As a long-time vegetarian who consumes such products (e.g., Beyond, Impossible), I can share that another purpose that they have is to make vegetarians feel as though they've had one of the foods they have given up: burgers, hotdogs, fish fillets, etc. I even have an imitation Thanksgiving turkey in my freezer.