Plant-based meat alternatives are eco-friendlier and mostly healthier, study finds

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/aug/28/plant-based-meat-alternatives-environment-nutrition?CMP=share_btn_url

Posted by Remarkable_Peak9518

28 Comments

  1. WeightDimensions on

    A study carried out by the Food Foundation. Whose aims are to dramatically reduce meat eating and get us consuming vegetables instead.

    https://foodfoundation.org.uk/what-we-do

    In the US they eat 40% less red meat than they did in the 1970’s. While diabetes has increased 500%

  2. I don’t enjoy fake meat as the texture is all wrong. They should invest in vegetables and grains instead which can make lovely meals without pretending to be meat.

  3. justathrowawaym8y on

    Well this will get the insecure, vegan obsessed carnivores frothing…

    And before you get all anti-vegan on me, I eat meat.

  4. SimpleAppeal2577 on

    Beyond burgers and Richmond’s vegan sausages are insanely good.

    None of the icky gross parts of the animal involved.

  5. I’d be delighted to eat a plant-based burger if it hit like a real one. I don’t think they’re quite there yet but they do seem to be getting closer.

  6. I miss the days of getting a good spicy bean burger in a pub. Now everything is impossible, or beyond, or some other attempt to imitate meat.

    I don’t begrudge the new menu items, just wish they were in addition to offering vegan/vegetarian options rather than a replacement.

    Same in supermarkets to be honest – the quality and availability of bean burgers is frankly appalling these days. Some places offer very few options, and then there’s Aldi who sell every item you could possibly want, all crammed into one freezer section.

  7. People should know, this is a white paper. It hasn’t gone through a peer review process for one. Two such studies should really come with a disclaimer stating they are based on a current snapshot in time. I’m all for reducing harm to the environment but I wager mass adoption would tilt the scale the other way.

  8. Desperate-Oven-139 on

    Higher in salt and considerably lower in protein (if you read the actual report) is hardly what I’d call *mostly healthier*. It’s mostly healthier to eat beans and grains – but the processed fake meat shit ain’t *good* for you. It’s no worse, but it’s not healthier.

  9. Enflamed-Pancake on

    I am a meat eater but I think this is great, especially for vegetarians and vegans who still desire something with that flavour profile. Never got why some people get so worked up about it.

  10. Not a fan of ultra processed food made to look like meat… just eat vegetables instead in their original form.

  11. If only they could get them tasting as nice! Some don’t taste that bad, some are pretty rancid.

  12. I like Quorn nuggets, that’s about it. But I do have to say, I’ve often times found myself enjoying those more than regular nuggets.

  13. I would say the majority of people rank their food choices by:

    1. Taste / enjoyment factor

    2. Price

    3. Societal norms

    4. Health

    5. Ethics (environmental/animal rights etc)

    Until the first 2 are perceived and experienced as higher in eco-friendlier choices, there won’t be the mass societal changes that are argued necessary by Vegans and climate activists etc.

  14. I’ll never understand why people seem to get genuinely irritated and upset over people choosing a meat-free alternative of a burger or a sausage.

    It’s genuinely weird to me whenever I see it.

  15. Alternative_Lab3301 on

    I am shocked, shocked I say.

    I would still pay more money to eat actual meat. It’s not like I eat meat because I think it’s healthy or because I think its eco friendly.

  16. Substantial-Case4363 on

    While I don’t object to the study, or its aims, I do think it’s funny that the Guardian goes from “studies saying a glass of wine a day has health benefits were biased because they were commissioned by the alcohol industry” one week, to factually presenting a study by an organisation clearly dedicated to promoting the same products the study promotes the next. Almost like click bait studies of all kinds are par for the course during a slow news week.

    Don’t disagree with the point behind the study, and not actively conflating both studies (one is harmful, the other isn’t necessarily harmful), just think it’s funny.

  17. AdhesivenessNo9878 on

    Great to hear. I rarely buy meat alternatives because I was under the impression they were worse for the environment so I’ll definitely start getting them worked into the diet.

    Just to second other commenter though, beyond burger are class.

  18. Beyond Burger ingredients:

    > Water, pea protein* (15%), rapeseed oil, flavouring, rice protein, coconut oil, dried yeast, preservative (potassium lactate), vinegar, stabilisers (methyl cellulose, calcium chloride), potato starch, salt, apple extract, colour (beetroot red), concentrated pomegranate juice, potassium salt.

    Beef burger ingredients:

    > 85% Beef Mince 15% Beef Fat

  19. That sounds great but usually the taste and the price are more relevant – perhaps that’s just me. 

  20. Disillusioned_Pleb01 on

    Why does something have to pretend to be something they are not to be enjoyed, are they on a dating ap also?

  21. a lot of fake meat negativity in here – couldn’t be me. I’ve never understood the argument that if it looks and tastes like meat then you may as well just be eating meat, or that vegetarians/vegans don’t want their food to taste meaty. I love meat! I just can’t eat it because it was an animal

  22. Capable_Change_6159 on

    I’m not vegan but I do enjoy some vegan meals. I just never understand why they take plant based food and try to make it taste like meat.