Is Plant-Based Meat Healthy? Pros, Cons You Need To Know Before Making a Switch on Your Diet

Plant-based meat sounds healthy and is a great alternative to actual meat. They appeal to those who want to avoid meat but may not be a better option.

Is Plant-Based Meat Healthy?

Overeating processed meat is not healthy. Thus, many are looking for alternatives; plant-based meat is the first in line. There are already plant-based bacon, sausages, hotdogs and meatballs. Many assume they are healthy since they are "plant-based," but there's more to know about plant-based meats.

According to a 2021 study, people who chose to eat less meat and more plant-based protein options relied on single-ingredient foods like tofu, lentils, and nuts, and the prepared dishes were made with little oil and salt. That was the case before there were plant-based meat alternatives available.

Contrarily, plant-based sausages, burgers, and nuggets are more frequently fried, produced with salt and "filler ingredients" that have little nutritional value, and often eaten with sides and condiments that are low in nutrients. According to the data, consistently consuming these highly processed plant-based meats may increase calorie, fat, and salt intake.

Researchers discovered significant differences in the nutrient intake between those who included these novel plant-based meat items in their diet, in contrast to those who followed a traditional omnivore (meat-eating) diet, flexitarian/vegetarian diets that include traditional plant-based proteins like beans and nuts, and flexitarian/vegetarian diets that include plant-based meat alternatives like meatless bacon.

They specifically discovered that people who ingested plant-based meats had insufficient levels of vitamins B12, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals needed each day. Furthermore, they consumed more than the recommended amounts of sugar, saturated fat, and sugar. In comparison to the meat eaters, this group did ingest more fiber. Meanwhile, those who swapped meat with plant-based protein sources, such as beans, lentils, and nuts, instead of meat, met all of their daily micronutrient needs.

The results did not ultimately demonstrate that those who chose plant-based meats showed a significant health benefit even though protein intakes were identical across all diet groups while intakes of other nutrients differed.

Plant-Based Meat Pros and Cons

Plant-based meat is a term referring to foods that mimic meat products but are made from plants. They include vegetarian-friendly alternatives for burgers, ground meat, sausages, chicken, scampi, prawns, salmon tun and more.

While plant-based meats include various animal nutrients, not all of them are good for you. Depending on the precise product a person chooses, both meats and plant-based replacements have different nutritional profiles. Here are the benefits and disadvantages of plant-based meats that you need to know before you switch your diet.

Pros

Consumption of plant-based meat can lower the risk of heart disease. A 2020 study asked 36 individuals to eat meat products for eight weeks and swap them with plant-based meat for another eight weeks. The researchers noticed that the participants' cardiovascular disease risk factors improved. Their low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was reduced, and they consumed less saturated fat and more fiber than when their diet included meat. However, their sodium intake remained the same.

Additionally, plant-based meat has more fiber, reduces your risk of foodborne illness, and is environmentally sustainable.

Cons

A 2019 study revealed that only four percent of the plant-based meat was lower in sodium than their meat counterparts. Most plant-based products had a mean sodium level per 100 grams (mg/100 g) less than 500 mg. This varied greatly, and some items included up to 1,200 mg of salt per 100 grams, or 3 grams (g), of weight.

Additionally, according to the product type, the researchers found that the sodium amount differed. Plant-based mince had a salt concentration almost six times that of meat-based mince. However, sausages made from meat had 66% higher salt than sausages made from plants.

In most cases, plant-based meats tend to have high sodium content. Some plant-based meats are also high in saturated fat.

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