Is meat made from plants healthy?
A lot of individuals think that increasing their intake of plant-based foods
will be good for the environment and their health. Meat made from plants might
provide a sustainable solution to the world's environmental problems. Some
would question whether it offers the same nutrients as meat, though.
This page examines the various kinds of plant-based meats, the ingredients used
in their production, as well as their benefits and drawbacks. Additionally, it
compares the nutritional value of ground beef and plant-based mince.
Lastly, it provides advice on what to look for on packaging labels and how to
select healthier plant-based meats.
What is meat made from plants?
Foods that resemble meat products but are composed of plants are referred to as
"plant-based meat." These goods contain meat and fish substitutes
that are suitable for vegetarians for the following varieties and forms:
Burgers
Ground beef
Sausages
Chicken
Scampi
Prawns
Salmon
Tuna
What could be in a meat substitute made of
plants?
Manufacturers create plant-based, or "fake," meats using a range of
materials. While some items are suitable for vegans, others contain substances
that are not vegan, like milk and eggs. Some of the ingredients that companies
employ in their plant-based meat products are:
Potato starch
Coconut oil
Beans and lentils
Nuts and seeds
Vegetables
Soy and tofu
Pea protein
Essential wheat gluten or seitan
The things that people can buy in shops and restaurants are incredibly diverse. A plant-based burger, for instance, may be as simple as a patty made of beans and mushrooms, or it could use seitan, soy, or pea protein to give it the feel of real meat.
Are meats made from plants healthy?
Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can all be found in plant-based components
and have positive health effects. Additionally, studies show that plant-based
diets may help with diabetes, the microbiome, and weight management.
Additionally, it implies that they might aid in the prevention of a number of
illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
Official bodies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), are also worried about the carcinogens in processed and red meats that may raise the risk of cancer. Eat more plant-based proteinp instead of meat, suggests the American Heart Association (AHA), to help protect your heart.
On the other hand, some plant-based foods may be heavy in saturated fats and contain
fillers and extra sodium. Furthermore, while some producers provide the
body-necessary vitamin B12 in their goods, some do not, making plant-based
meats inferior in this aspect. Compared to conventional meat, plant-based foods
might also have less zinc and other nutrients.
Principal Benefits and Drawbacks of Nutrition
Although they don't all have the same nutrients as animal products, plant-based
foods do have certain differences. The nutritional value of meat alternatives
and plant-based alternatives vary depends on the particular food that a person
choose.
Pros and Cons of plant-based meats are revealed by comparing the two varieties.
Pros: The risk of heart disease may be lowered by
consuming less red meat
In a modest 2020 trial, researchers gave 36 participants the assignment to
consume meat products normally for eight weeks, and then for another eight
weeks, to replace meat products with plant-based options while maintaining as
much of their previous diet as feasible.
By the time the study came to a close, the individuals' low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol and other cardiovascular disease risk factors had improved,
according to the researchers. While the individuals' sodium intake stayed
constant throughout the trial, they also ingested more fiber and less saturated
fat during the plant-based stage than they did during the meat stage.
Cons: Plant-based meats could contain more
salt
A 2019 study analyzed the nutritional profiles of plant-based foods and
contrasted them with meat alternatives. 50 burgers, 10 mince goods, 29
sausages, 24 chicken products, 9 fish items, and 15 other meat alternatives
were among the plant-based products evaluated in the Australian supermarket
survey.
Merely 4% of the meat substitutes made from plants had less salt than their
animal counterparts. Most plant-based products have an average sodium
concentration of less than 500 mg/100 g, or milligrams per 100 grams. This
varied greatly, though, with some products having as much as 1,200 mg/100 g, or
3 grams (g), of salt.
Additionally, the researchers observed that the salt amount differed based on
the kind of product. Plant-based mince has around six times as much salt as its
meat-based counterpart. On the other hand, sausages made with meat had 66% more
sodium than sausages made with plants.
The ranges of fat and calories per 100 g in a few different animal and
plant-based product kinds are displayed in the following table:
|
|
Meat product |
Plant-based product |
Burger |
Calories |
120-243 |
130-222 |
|
Fat (g) |
5.9-21.5 |
2.4-12 |
Sausages |
Calories |
208-345 |
139-213 |
|
Fat (g) |
13.7-30.5 |
4.1-11.7 |
Ground meat |
Calories |
146-224 |
80-194 |
|
Fat (g) |
9.4-13 |
0.2-10.6 |
Case Study: Mince made from plants
A study published in 2021 assessed the nutritional value of 37 plant-based
mince products that were sold in the United States in 2019. The goal of the
study was to find out if mince made from plants might provide important
nutrients at amounts similar to those found in beef, such as zinc, protein, and
vitamin B12.
This study was limited. First off, the products may not be representative of
all popular brands and products because the researchers did not choose them at
random. Second, rather of doing a chemical analysis, they got the nutrition
information from the product labels.
Nonetheless, the following lists particular nutrients together with the portion
of the daily value (DV) that they provide:
Nutrient |
Plant-based mince — median % of DV |
Saturated fat |
4% |
Fiber |
15% |
Niacin |
21% |
Iron |
10% |
Zinc |
7% |
Vitamin B12 |
0% |
Sodium |
18%+ |
The investigation came to the conclusion that there are certain drawbacks and
nutritional positives to plant-based mince products. In comparison to ground
beef, the majority of plant-based meat products have lower vitamin B12 content.
On the other hand, some producers include this in their goods.
How to select Plant-based healthier meat
By examining the ingredients or nutrition labels, consumers can select
healthier plant-based meats whether dining out or shopping. Among the items search
are:
1. An ingredient list rich in nutrients that contains entire foods including
grains, beans, legumes, veggies, nuts, and seeds.
2. Reduced sodium, as the government recommends consuming fewer than 2,300 mg per day.
3. Additional vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12 or vitamin D.
4. Saturated fat making up less than 10% of calories.
5. Consumption of proteins, like pea protein
Things not to Do
The following are some traits of plant-based meats and products that people may
want to stay away from:
Artificial Ingredients: Long lists
of artificial ingredients, fillers, or additives may be off-putting to some
people. Nevertheless, there isn't any proof that these additions are dangerous.
Added Sugars: Even if an
individual does not completely avoid components that end in "ose,"
such as fructose, maltose, and glucose, they may want to limit their use of
them.
More Calories: This can be
particularly true for someone trying to reduce weight.
Furthermore, plant-based meats containing seitan or essential wheat gluten
should be avoided by anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
In addition, consumers need to understand that eating buns, sauces, and condiments with plant-based meats increases daily calorie, sugar, and fat intake.
Things to look out for on food labels
Potential components of plant-based meats that contribute to important
nutrients are displayed in the following table:
Nutrients |
Ingredients |
Protein |
Almonds, mycoprotein, , hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soybeans, pea protein, soy protein. |
Fat or Saturated fat |
Peanuts, cocoa butter, flaxseed, coconut oil, rice bran oil, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, canola oil, vegetable oil. |
Sugars and Carbohydrate |
Wheat flour, paste of tomato, potatoes, apples, fructose, sugar, starch of potato, starch of corn, sweet potato, rice flour, tapioca. |
Dietary Fiber |
Pumpkin, carrot, mung beans, mushrooms, methylcellulose, bamboo, fiber of soy, whole pear millet, green peas, split peas, adzuki bean, buckwheat, locust bean gum, red lentil, quinoa, chickpeas, wheat fiber, black beans, lentils, brown rice. |
In conclusion, plant-based meats can be a pleasant substitute for meat for people who are avoiding it due to ethical or health concerns. They can also be a sustainable ecological answer. They may have less saturated fat than meat and can supply fiber and important minerals.
They might, however, be deficient in certain nutrients compared to a typical
meat product, such as zinc, vitamin B12, and protein. It is noteworthy that
those following a plant-based diet can obtain sufficient nutrition by consuming
a range of complete foods and using vitamin B12 supplements.
To assist them in selecting nutrient-dense goods, consumers who are interested
in trying plant-based meats may consult the ingredients list. Additionally,
they might want to minimize or stay away from accompaniments that have a lot of
sugar, fat, or salt.
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