Is Plant-Based Meat Good For You?
When we think about Plant-based meats we don’t think about why they exist, but they exist to replace real meat so that animal cruelty, lifestyle diseases and the destruction of the environment can be avoided. They do not exist as a healthy superfood option. If you want a superfood option, then you have to look to eating whole foods.
From Meat to plant the transition is happening
However, the transition from eating meat and dairy to plant-based food is essentially taking place right now. More and more people want to eat plant-based meats rather than animal products which means that plant-based food will continue trending in the upcoming years.
Plant-based foods and vegetables will be a large part of our diets by 2025 because it is simply easier and more ethically responsible for people to choose plant-based foods. Not only that but a diet mainly consisting of whole foods is a healthier option and when people start to understand that the meat and dairy they have been consuming for decades is the reason why they have a top lifestyle disease they will opt for the plant-based meat option in place of the animal based products. It’s just common sense.
Are plant-based meats a whole food option?
Just for the record, plant-based meats whilst being an ethical and responsible option are not as healthy as a whole foods diet but are considered to be a healthier option to meat products as they contain a lot of valuable nutrition (see below).
If you look at the STANDARD WESTERN DIET, it is not a healthy diet and has contributed to the creation of the top four lifestyle disease which include heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Meat and dairy products have now been linked to other diseases such as autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer’s.
Plant-based meats were designed as a transitional food, a temporary solution for people transitioning from meat products to a whole foods plant-based diet. They were not designed as a healthy alternative to whole foods.
Will the plant-based meat industry continue to grow?
Science and the food industry now see plant-based meat as a large part of the food market which will continue to grow and will generate an economic growth into the billions. This is good news for animals, the environment, and human health too.
By 2050 plant-based meats will outsell animal meat, thankfully. Even today, people are eating less meat and more plant- based foods, but they still want to have the same taste as real meat and this is understandable if you’ve been used to a lifetime of nothing but meat and dairy. But, I promise you, that the benefits you will receive from a whole foods plant-based diet will far outweigh the inconvenience of taste.
Is there a need to spread awareness?
With everyone starting to use plant-base meats there needs to be more awareness about what it is because people do not know how these products are made. There needs to be knowledge about Plant-based meats in order for people to understand that plant-based meats are actually plant-based products designed to replicate the taste and texture of real meat and they are not designed as a healthy option.
Plant-based meats are a great alternative because they do not contain cholesterol or saturated fats. They have less sodium which means that plant-based meals will be healthier for people’s cardiovascular health. These products can also be high in protein, iron, zinc, calcium and omega 3 fatty acids. This makes plant-based food an ideal choice for our future nutrition needs while maintaining a sustainable planet and the improvement of animal welfare.
What’s the goal of plant-based meat producers
When it comes down to plant-base meat producers, their goal is generally to develop an alternative to meat products and to do this they must replicate taste and texture which isn’t easy. If you managed to get a look at Seaspiracy which is available to watch on Netflix, you’ll see that most plant-based meat producers are fuelled by the need to make lasting ethical change are not fuelled by financial led.
What are plant-based meats made from?
Plant-based meats can be made out of pea protein, mung bean protein and soybean protein. This plant-based protein has a very similar composition to animal meat, so this is why plant-base meats are capable of replicating the taste and texture of real meat.
Will the plant-based market continue to rise?
The plant-base market is booming because businesses would now rather invest in Plant-based meats than animal products. The plant-base industry had a revenue worth of over 6.6 billion dollars in 2020 which is a $600,000 increase on 2016 and this value is expected to start to grow rapidly.
Are plant-based meats regulated by science?
Plant-based meats are not only regulated by the plant-base industry but are also regulated by science. This means that scientists will develop plant-base meat alternatives which taste, and texture resemble real meat more than PLANT-BASED meats nowadays do.
Why choose plant-based meats over meat products?
Plant-based meats are simply great for people who want to reduce their carbon footprint, because they produce less greenhouse gasses than animal agriculture.
The amount of greenhouse gasses generated by PLANT-BASED foods production is far less than the amount generated through animal product manufacturing.
Also, it should be noted that plant- food generates 80% less CO2 than plant-base meats. People who eat plant-base food will not only reduce their carbon footprint, but they will also reduce their water usage as well.
Plant-based foods simply use a fraction of the water animal agriculture uses, that’s why Plant-based foods are a better solution for future generations.
Are plant-based meats expensive?
Plant-based meat are considered expensive but when you weigh up the cost of free range organic meat products to plant-based products they come out cheaper. No one should be eating the cheap meat products, they are not good for human health, the animals, or the environment. They are toxic!
Plant-base meat alternatives obviously need to be within everyone’s budget, so plant-base industries have been working on making plant-based products accessible for everyone. We have already seen a drop in the price of some high-street plant-based brands and as technology evolves and mass production improves prices will continue to reduce.
When it comes to your shopping bill buying plant-based food and meats really doesn’t need to be costly. When you shop wisely, you will notice your shopping bills actually reduce in cost.
The key here is to buy responsibly, ethically, and healthily.
Ten of my favourite Plant-based meat brands
- Moving Mountains
- Beyond Burger
- Impossible Burger
- Amy’s Kitchen
- No Bull
- Plant Kitchen
- Plant Pioneers
- Richmond
- Wicked Kitchen
- Green gourmet
Obviously, most supermarket chains have their own branded plant-based meat products too, and this is a big step in the right direction.
Are plant-based meats bad for humans and the environment?
There are many reports out there that claim plant-based meat alternatives are bad for the environment, bad for your health and help the animals in no way at all. However, the majority of scientific studies will tell you the opposite. AND don’t forget, those same people who report that plant-based meats are bad for you and the environment would also find a reason to tell you that we can live without the bumblebee. Which, incidentally, is not true. We can’t!
So where to go from here? Have some fun exploring which plant-based meat is the one for you but don’t stop at the first two brands you come across. As with meat products, we don’t all like everything, it’s a case of trial and error and preference.
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