Nutrition experts weigh in on why plant-based options might be a good choice for you.
Maybe it was a celebrity sharing that she’s a fan of thevegan diet.
Perhaps it was your cousin raving that heroat milklatte tastes like the real thing.
Credit:BHG / Crystal Hughes
Or it could have been the billboard you’ve driven past advertising a newplant-based burgerat a nearby fast-food joint.
If plant-based eating has piqued your interest, you’re not alone.
you’re able to now buy plant-based cheeses that melt, bubble, and stretch like cheddar should.
Credit:BHG / Crystal Hughes
you might make a not-from-the-sea tuna sandwich and scramble upnon-eggs.
And plant-based burgers that sizzle and look just like the real thing?
Is Plant-Based Meat Healthy?
Credit: Kate Mathis
The explosion of new plant-based meats has many asking if they are healthier.
We’re not talking black bean burgers or tofuthemeat alternativesthat have been around for many decades.
Many people are flipping over packages or perusing websites to review the nutrition information and ingredient lists.
The words listed don’t really reflect the produce aisle.
Where are the plants?
Here are some things to consider as you seek to answer the question “Are plant-based meats healthy?”
“To the extent that meat alternatives are actually alternatives to beef, it benefits the environment.
A big overall advantage to meat alternatives, even ultra-processed ones, is in the environmental impact column.”
“That said, there is at least one notable caveat in this category.
So while these products reliably spare domestic animals, implications for wildlife are less definitive.
Some Heart Health Promise
But is fake meat healthy for you?
Though plant-based meats still contain saturated fat, they contain far less saturated fat than animal meat on average.
“Reams of research points to the power of plant-forward diets to unlock health and vitality in humans.
High Price Tag
“These products can also be quite expensive,” says Geagan.
“Check the price and double-check it doesn’t mean you are compromising other healthy foods.”
Shopping for Plant-Based Meats
Thoughplant-basedandvegandon’t mean the same thing, people sometimes assume they do.
But not all plant-based meats are vegan.
If GMO soy is a concern, look for products that are labeled organic or Non-GMO Project Verified.
So keep that in mind if you’re adding plant-based meat products to your diet.
Ideally they will serve as a gateway to ever less processed, plant-based eating.”
The idea is that plant-based choices will lead tohealthierplant-based choices going forward.
Some new plant-based products are of the lower-tech variety, likeActual Veggies burgers.
Co-founderJason Rosenbaumstopped eating meat for health reasons and gravitated toward Beyond and Impossible Burgers.
But, after seeing how processed they were, he decided he might be defeating his health goals.
The beans supply protein and fiber while the mushrooms add a meaty taste.
“Mushrooms and beef share the same elements that produceumami,” says Smith.
Stahler, Charles and Reed Mangels.
“How Many Vegetarians and Vegans Are There?
“Vegan Journal,2022, iss.
Sprouts Farmers Market, 2021
Crimarco, Anthony et al.
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5, 2020, pp.
11881199, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa203
“2021 State of the Industry Report.
Plant-Based Meat, Seafood, Eggs, and Dairy.
“Good Food Institute.
