Are plant-based meats healthy?

If you are not already plant-based but are considering making the transition, you are not alone. With a global climate crisis on our hands and having spent the last 1.5 years trying to survive a global health pandemic, more and more people are jumping on the plant-based diet bandwagon for both environmental purposes as well as for their own health.

According to the UN, a major driver of climate change is how we grow, get, and eat our food. 

At an individual level, there is so much within our control. As consumers, every food choice we make at the supermarket tells foods suppliers and manufacturers whether we want to see more or less of that food on shelves. Where there is demand, supply will rush to meet it. If we choose plant-based foods the majority of the time, we will end up seeing more and more plant-based options in our supermarkets.

The U.N. report stated that “a shift toward plant-based diets” is one of the most significant ways to reduce our impact on the environment. 

The World Health Organization (WHO), classed red meat and processed meat as carcinogens with red meat probably causing cancer and processed meat showing convincing evidence that it causes cancer.

The EAT-Lancet Report, defined healthy diets as having an “optimal caloric intake and consisting largely of a diversity of plant-based foods, low amounts of animal source foods, unsaturated rather than saturated fats, and limited refined grains, highly processed foods and added sugars.”

What has helped so many people make the move towards more plant-based eating are plant-based meat alternatives. 

Plant-based meat offerings have exploded in the last couple of years. An incredible number of supermarkets, fast food spots, cafes, and restaurants are offering the likes of plant-based sausages, burgers, meatballs, chicken. It has never felt so easy and convenient eating out or at home on a plant-based diet.

What is plant-based meat?

Plant-based meat is a term used to describe foods that are made from plant sources but are similar in appearance, flavour, and texture to animal meat products.

These products include vegan alternatives for animal products such as burgers, sausages, puddings, minced meat, chicken, and fish.

What are they made of?

Whilst some may think that plant-based meat products are “fake” and not made from real food, you’ll be surprised at the ingredients used to make these products.

Soy, vital wheat gluten, pea or rice protein, coconut oil, potato starch, legumes, nuts/seeds, vegetables are all examples of ingredients in plant-based meat products.

The obvious next question is - are these plant-meats healthy?

In order to determine if something is healthy, it’s important to know what we are comparing that food with.

If you eat Beyond Meat burgers and Denny vegan sausages a couple of times a week, they are the better choice than eating carcinogenic processed meats like bacon, sausages, hot dogs, and ham.

However if you’re choosing to eat these products for protein over whole beans and lentils, then no. Beans and lentils are high in protein and fibre for a healthy gut but don’t come with saturated fat and salt.

Why mimic meat at all?

When it comes to people who are heavy consumers of meat, sustainability or health approaches may not be enough of a reason for them to reduce their intake of animal meats. In order to help with making the transition to more plant-based eating, plant-based meat substitutes that look and taste the same or better are key in helping to reduce the hesitation around cutting back on meat.  

Trans fats, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium are nutritional components of food that we need to limit in our diets to optimise our health. Comparing nutritional labeling of beef burgers to plant-based burgers, the latter wins in relation to trans fats and cholesterol.

There are also no hormones, no antibiotics and they have not been classed as probably cancer-causing by the WHO. However, many plant-based meats contain added salt and may be high in saturated fats due to coconut oil, although the saturated fat content is low in comparison to animal meat. Despite high salt contents and basically equivalent fat and caloric contents, they can also provide essential nutrients and fibre, and add more plant-based foods to your diet.

Summary

Plant-based meats provide a sustainable ecological solution for those avoiding meat due to ethical, environmental, or health reasons.

If you are new in your plant-based health journey and are trying to look for similar-looking and tasting meat alternatives, plant-based meats are a great option to help you with making the transition. They can also be enjoyed as part of a well-balanced nutritious diet.

However, if you are really looking to optimise your health, there are no better foods than whole plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, and legumes.