plant–based meat alternatives-The current Truth
Natural plant-based meat alternatives exist already for many years in the diet of different vegetarian cultures. Tofu, tempeh, jack fruit, natto, are some of them. However, there is an increasing demand and production of these products nowadays. Together with this tendency there are many questions and concerns that are being raised. Are these plant-based meat substitutes safe for our health? How often should we eat them? Are they better than meat?
Plant based meat ingredients
Plant – based meat analogues are industrially made products, usually containing processed textured vegetable protein (TVP), in order to resemble the fibrous texture of meat. These products are intended to mimic the meat flavor, so as the consumers to reduce their meat consumption and be able to find alternatives to meat which match their busy and quick flowing lives.
Faux-meat or vegan meat is usually made from mycoproteins or soy, pea, bean or gluten proteins with alternated molecular structure (denatured through heat or chemical processing) and hydrated in order to give a fibrous meat – like taste to the final product. Other common ingredients contained in plant –based meat analogues are spices, oil, flavor enhancers, jellifying agents, colorants and sometimes vitamin B12 or iron.
Plant based meat vs meat
There are mainly three reasons that the plant-based meat alternatives are considered better than meat.
The first one is the environment. According to statistical and scientific data the meat consumption has increased significantly the last 50 years, globally and, this has major environmental consequences. Increased meat production results to high methane emissions, which may contribute to global warming, high water consumption, as well as the production of several pollutants such as nitrate and phosphorus, which destroy the ecosystems and affect the biodiversity.
The second one is human health. Increased red meat consumption has been related to several diseases such as colorectal cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Finally, the conditions that the animals are being raised and the way they are massively slaughtered is not only a major ethical constraint for consuming meat, but also a serious cause of many animal related diseases which affect the human health. Consequently, the reduction of meat intake and its’ replacement from plant-based meat analogues could lead to serious environmental, health and economic changes worldwide.
What to consider before consuming them
Although plant –based meat alternatives sound a good solution for reducing meat consumption, there are several things to consider before eating them.
Is vegan meat healthier than meat?
Most of the plant based meat alternatives contain high amounts of salt, carbohydrates, sugars and unhealthy oils. Some of them, depending on the company that produces them, even contain higher amounts of fats and less vitamins and iron comparing to normal meat.
According to FDA we should consume 1 teaspoon (2,300mg) of salt daily. However, most of the plant based meat substitutes in the market contain more than 1,1g of salt per 100g of product. The American Heart Association also highlights that men should not consume more than 9 teaspoons (36g) of sugar daily and women less than 6 teaspoons (25g) per day. Consequently, checking your number in the product labels is very important when choosing a plant based meat replacement.
How much protein should you consume daily?
Another aspect to consider is the amount of protein that you consume per meal when eating plant-based meat analogues. Because meat is considered the best source of protein, plant–based meat analogues also contain high amounts of protein. But how much protein should you consume daily? Is extra protein good for your health? According to scientific studies, high protein consumption may lead to kidney stone formation as well as high cardiovascular disease risk.
Is plant based meat really healthy?
The way plant based meat analogues are prepared matters also a lot. Depending on the brand, their consistency varies a lot. Most of them are highly processed in order to remove the antinutrients and to mimic the fibrous meat texture. Some others are fried or contain unhealthy oils or other additives in order to be tastier.
Finally, you should also think how you accompany them. If they are in a form of a burger or a sausage we tend to eat them together with bread (extra carbohydrates), unhealthy dressings and fried potatoes which are not so good for our health.
Eat them or not?
For the moment, there is not enough scientific data to help us decide if the plant–based meat substitutes are 100% better for our health or not. For sure, they are better for the animal wellbeing and the environment. I always prefer to go for natural meat alternatives, like mushrooms or simply beans, but if you are really craving for meat and you are seriously considering a plant –based meat analogue always check carefully the ingredients and the nutrient facts before buying the product.
As we are supposed to eat meat occasionally, because it’s not good for health, it would also be better to eat vegan or vegetarian meat substitutes less often and follow a diet with variety based on real fruits, vegetables and grains. The ancient Greek quote “Pan metron ariston”, which means everything in moderation, is something to keep in mind when it comes to plant–based meat products.
Trying to find natural ways to replace your meat and eat real food ?
Check here our clean and natural plant based meat recipe: