Beyond Impossible! Are plant-based alternatives as healthy as we think they are?
Plant-based substitutes are an appealing alternative to the dilemmas associated with eating animal products, but they are not without their own issues.
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It looks like a burger. It tastes like a burger. It even cooks like a burger. But does picking the Beyond Burger with the alluring ‘Ve’ symbol on the menu keep you from busting your new year’s resolutions to eat healthier? The latest research from food science could suggest otherwise...
It is common knowledge that meat and meat-based products are often associated with increased obesity, high blood pressure and more health complications that society wishes to avoid. What could be the solution?
Usher in the plant-based alternatives!
In the wake of a booming ‘alternative’ industry, from Beyond Meat to Eat Just to Oatly, consumers are seeing plant-based choices dominating supermarket shelves and freezer aisles. Whether for health reasons, animal rights causes, environmental motivations or just innocent curiosity about what a burger made from beetroot actually tastes like, people have many reasons for choosing plant-based alternatives over meat products. Evidently, this popularity is unlikely to die down anytime soon. In fact, the sale of plant-based alternatives is predicted to see a fivefold growth by 2030 forming 7.7% of the global protein market, according to a recent Bloomberg Intelligence report.
Could it be that plant-based alternatives are the panacea to all the health problems that come with consuming meat? Not so fast. Such an oversimplification is misleading as all plant-based alternatives are not created equally. Although some meat alternatives may overcome the traditional health problems associated with eating meat, new and different issues may emerge pertaining to their use of various artificial ingredients. The term ‘plant-based’ may also be deceiving – one glance at the ingredients list of a Beyond Burger might make you wonder where the actual plants are amongst all the scientific jargon written on the package. To break down the jargon, here are some of the most common ingredients found and what they’re used for:
Soy protein isolate: Made by removing fat, carbohydrates and water from soybean flour, cooking under pressure which produces a highly refined form of plant-based soy protein; typically made from genetically modified soybeans.
Xantham gum: Food binding agent produced by fermenting sugar with a bacteria, which is dried and turned into powder.
High fructose corn syrup: Artificial sugar made from corn syrup and commonly found in many processed foods as an additive. It does not contain any essential nutrients and adds an unnatural amount of fructose sugar into one’s diet.
Rapeseed Oil: Also known as ‘canola oil’. It comes with some health benefits such as being low in saturated fat; however it is also a highly processed oil which reduces some of its nutritional benefits.
The complex ingredients list in plant-based alternatives is just one part of the evidence that reveals how highly processed these products are. Susan Veldheer, a registered dietician at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, echoes this concern and calls plant-based alternatives “ultra-processed”. When eaten frequently, highly processed foods are associated with increased cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases, just like with meat. Veldheer also comments that plant-based alternatives “often contain more sodium than their whole plant or animal-based counterparts” and excessive sodium intake is known to increase an individual’s risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
In addition, a recent 2021 study compared the nutrition value of plant-based alternatives to their meat counterparts and found that while plant-based alternatives were generally lower in calories and saturated fat, they contained less protein, zinc and vitamin B12. These macro and micronutrients are essential for one’s health, for instance both vitamin B12 and zinc are necessary for the body to maintain and restore healthy nerve and blood cells. Moreover, plant-based alternatives also contain phytic acid, a natural food component that can hinder the body’s absorption of zinc and iron.
However, plant-based alternatives are not all without merit as consuming more plant-based foods does contribute to slowing climate change by reducing meat and water consumption. Additionally, by avoiding red and processed meats and regulating one’s cholesterol levels, one can also avoid dire health issues such as severe cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, there is still a fine line between the benefits of a plant-based diet focused on natural whole plant foods and one focused on consuming plant-based meat substitutes; striving for the former could provide more health benefits without the complications.
The takeaway message from the data is that although plant-based alternatives do provide some alternative benefits compared to consuming meat, they also have nutritional shortcomings that are often hidden by misleading brand marketing and ambiguous ingredients. As with many food products on the market, plant-based alternatives come with their own considerations as manufacturers need to balance the consumer’s preferences for taste, texture and health all in one product. So while a Beyond Burger might taste really similar to a beef burger, science reminds us that there are nutritional trade-offs to be made.
As young consumers concerned for our planet and our health, it is important that we are able to discern the right reasons for eating a more plant-based diet and avoid fooling ourselves with the memorable marketing and advertisements of plant-based alternatives that claim to tick all the boxes of sustainability, animal rights and nutrition. Science shows us that we cannot satisfy all the demands of the consumer with a single product, but rather we can continue to make informed choices that balance health with sustainability, ethics and the environment to continue enjoying our food with satisfaction.
So before you bite into that delectable burger with the tantalising ‘V’ or ‘Ve’ symbol ringing in your head reminding you of how ‘healthy’ it is… perhaps it would be better to just enjoy that Beyond Burger like a good old burger and get back to your resolutions tomorrow.