Is Plant-Based Meat Healthy or Full of Chemicals?

As more people turn to a plant-based diet, ready-made or frozen meat alternatives, or meat analogs, are gaining popularity.

While these options offer a convenient, high-protein alternative to traditional meats, some are overly processed and contain additives, artificial colors and preservatives, which can raise concerns about the healthfulness of plant-based meat.

Plant-Based Meat Examples

Plant-based meat can be a delicious alternative to traditional meat, offering similar flavors, mouthfeel, and textures. These products can include tofu, beans, or tempeh, and can mimic a variety of meats, including chicken, turkey, beef, pork, and fish.

Nutrients in These Meat Alternatives

Meat alternatives are made by processing plant proteins like soy, peas and legumes until they mimic the texture of regular meat. They’re a source of fiber, protein and phytochemicals and can be low in calories and cholesterol, depending on the brand.

Meat alternatives may be fortified with iron, zinc and vitamin B12, but high levels of phytates, tannins and other antinutrients can bind to these minerals, reducing their absorption.

Additionally, meat substitutes are often a significant source of sodium, with some brands containing up to 17% of the daily value (DV) for sodium. High-salt diets have been linked to:

Contents

The nutritional content of plant-based meats varies from one product to another depending on the ingredients. Some commercial plant-based meats may contain up to 20 ingredients to mimic the texture and taste of animal meats.

Although the exact ingredients in meat alternatives vary by brand, they often include:

• This: 50% to 80%
• Textured vegetable protein: 10% to 25%
• Non-woven proteins (soy, rice, pea, wheat protein concentrates and isolates): 4% to 20%
• Flavors (spices, salt and/or hydrolyzed soy protein): 3% to 15%
• Oil (coconut, soybean, canola, sunflower oil): 0% to 15%
• Binding agents (wheat gluten, xanthan gumand/or carrageenan): 1% to 5%
• Coloring agents (beetroot juice, soy leghemoglobin): 0% to 0.5%

Plant-based meats are mostly water, which helps keep costs down and increases juiciness. Water also helps ingredients blend more easily.

Textured and untextured proteins increase protein content, creating a fibrous texture similar to animal proteins. Salt is added to plant-based meats to improve color, shelf life, and flavor. Oils derived from tropical oils, such as coconut oil, are also added to enhance flavor and texture, but can increase saturated fat levels.

Binders increase stability and consistency in plant-based meats. While no significant health risks have been found, their effects on human health have been questioned. Natural or artificial colors are added to plant-based meats to make them look more attractive.

Whole Foods vs. Ultra-Processed Foods

Consuming more whole, plant-based protein instead of meat and overly processed foods may reduce the risk of:

In theory, plant-based meat alternatives may seem healthier, but they may not offer the same benefits as the whole foods they are derived from. These substitutes are highly processed and require additives and fillers to achieve a taste and texture similar to real meat, which can alter their nutritional content and health benefits.

Diets rich in ultra-processed meat substitutes are deficient in essential nutrients such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B12. However, traditional plant-based proteins meet daily requirements for these nutrients.

Plant-Based Meat vs. Regular Meat

Additives containing salt can increase the sodium content of plant-based meat by up to three times that of lean beef. Additionally, the amount of saturated fat in plant-based meats can be similar to or even higher than conventional meat products.

But plant-based meats are richer in dietary fiber, which can improve digestion, feelings of fullness and blood sugar control.

Protein Content

A 4-ounce serving of plant-based meat provides 20 grams of protein, while regular beef offers 33 grams of protein in the same serving size.

Studies show that plant-based meat products generally provide enough protein to meet daily requirements, despite containing less protein than animal-based options. However, they may lack essential nutrients and contain unwanted additives, so they should not be relied upon entirely as a source of protein.

Environmental Impact

Many people choose a plant-based diet for environmental reasons. Compared to animal foods, plant-based diets have a smaller ecological footprint. Studies show they can potentially reduce diet-related land use by 76% and diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 49%.

Plant-based diets also reduce global green (21%) and blue water (14%) use and reduce water pollution by improving water quality. eutrophication (excessive growth of plants and algae in water bodies) by 49%.

However, research shows that intensive processing and adding spices, preservatives and other additives to meat substitutes can increase resource demand by up to 26%, reducing their environmental benefits.

Price

Meat substitutes are often more expensive than whole plant and animal proteins. Data shows that plant-based meat is about twice as expensive per pound as beef, more than four times as expensive per pound as chicken, and more than three times as expensive per pound as pork.

Alternatives to Fake Meat

While plant-based meat substitutes can be a suitable alternative to animal proteins, it is a good idea to prioritize minimally processed, plant-based protein sources, including:

Try plant-based alternatives to meat in stir-fries, salads, soups and veggie burgers to boost protein and other essential nutrients.

For Heart Health

One study found that replacing at least two servings of animal meat per day with plant-based alternatives for eight weeks significantly improved heart disease risk factors, including trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol.

But other studies found no significant difference in health outcomes when participants replaced most of their daily intake of protein-rich foods with animal meats or plant-based meat analogs.

More studies are needed to fully understand the potential long-term health effects of regularly consuming plant-based meat substitutes, especially when compared to lean cuts of meat.

Summary

Plant-based meats are a good source of protein, but they are often highly processed and high in sodium and saturated fat. If you want to enjoy plant-based meats, it is important to do so in moderation and balance them with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to ensure you are getting a variety of nutrients for optimum health.

Additionally, reading the nutrition label and opting for plant-based meat alternatives that are lower in sodium and saturated fat can help you make a healthier choice.