In the guide below, we list the potential pros and cons of plant based meat products.
*Note – the following guide contain general information only. See a qualified professional for an expert opinion before taking any action that may impact your health, nutrition, or any other areas of your life.
Summary – Pros & Cons Of Plant Based Meat
Potential Pros
Can be a substitute or alternative to real meat, and animal derived meat products. And, this aligns with the preferences, beliefs or values of some people
There’s different brands and variations of plant based meat products available that provide different options
May be more sustainable and eco friendly than real meat in some ways
Some plant based meat products are labelled or marketed as containing specific nutritional value, or may offer general nutritional benefits
Some plant based meat products are marketed as looking and tasting like real meat
Some consumers like the taste of plant based meats
Potential Cons
Plant based ingredients still involve agriculture and have a sustainability footprint
There may be some nutritional or health tradeoffs for some people when eating plant based meat instead of animal derived meat (and it may not be suitable for everyone)
Some plant based meat products may contain some genetically engineered ingredients
Ethics focussed consumers may still have to check and confirm that the listed ingredients meet their ethical requirements
Some consumers don’t like or don’t prefer the taste or texture of plant based meat
Some plant based meat products aren’t cheap
Plant based meat may face several economic challenges
Other Notes
It’s worth noting that there’s a difference between pre-made plant based meat products, and other foods that might be considered an alternative or substitute for real meat in some dishes by some people.
Pre-made plant based meat products tend to be made by specific companies and also go through specific processes to have a similar appearance, texture and taste to real meat
Other foods that might be used as a substitute for meat might include tofu or tempeh for example, but, they might have their own taste and traits specific to soy based foods, or the other types of foods used as substitutes.
In this guide, we are mainly referring to plant based meat products.
Potential Pros Of Plant Based Meat
Can be a substitute or alternative to real meat, and animal derived meat products
Plant based meat products are generally derived from plant based ingredients and not animal derived ingredients
This is in comparison to real meat that comes from livestock and slaughtered animals, and lab grown meat that comes from harvesting animal cells from living animals
Eating a ‘meat product’ not derived from animals may align with the preferences, beliefs or values of some people
One example is people who want to reduce their consumption of animal products
There’s different brands and variations of plant based meat products available that provide different options
Different plant based meat products might:
– Be made by different brands (Beyond Meat, & Impossible Burgers are two of the commonly mentioned brands – each brand/company offers different products and ranges of products)
– Offer different types of food types or meals e.g. burger patties, ground meat, sausages, bacon strips, and so on
– Offer different flavors and textures
– Contain different ingredients (such as different vegetables, grains, legumes as proteins as primary ingredients, in addition to oils, additives, etc)
– Exclude different ingredients (at the time of writing this article, one plant based meat product brand offered products that were free from soy and also gluten)
– Hav different nutritional profiles
– Be cooked or prepared in different ways (depending on what they are made of, whether they are intended to supplement or replace real meat, how they are stored, and so on)
– And more
May be more sustainable and eco friendly than real meat in some ways
Some plant based foods can be more sustainable or eco friendly than some meats across some sustainability indicators at the agricultural level. One example of this can be the water footprint of some crops compared to some meats like beef
The sustainability footprint of agriculture though ultimately depends on the individual agricultural operation, and the factors and variables specific to them.
Some plant based meat products are labelled or marketed as containing specific nutritional value, or may offer general nutritional benefits
The first example of this is that some plant based meat products indicate via their labelling or packaging that they contain complete proteins that contain all nine essential amino acids.
escoffier.edu indicates that complete plant proteins might include soybeans or quinoa as examples
Other plant based meat products may also have certain nutritional benefits
For example, escoffier.edu indicates some products may have higher nutritional value in some ways, have more protein per serving, and be lower in calories than regular meat
healthline.com indicates plants in general are the ‘only natural sources of fiber’, so these products may help increase fiber intake for some people
Some plant based meat products are marketed as looking and tasting like real meat
Some companies for example have plant based burger patty products that are marketed as looking and tasting like real animal meat
Plant based meat products generally include certain ingredients and are also put through certain processes that try to mimic the consistency/texture, the flavor, and also the appearance of real meat
Ingredients can include beet extracts that give a meat-like color, extrudable fat technology which can also give a meat-like appearance, or iron-containing compounds like soy leghemoglobin to give a meat taste (healthline.com mentions one brand uses heme iron to give their products a meat like flavor)
Some consumers like the taste of plant based meats
Whether the taste of plant based meats is exactly like real meat or different in some way, some consumers like the taste in general
Potential Cons Of Plant Based Meat
Plant based ingredients still involve agriculture and have a sustainability footprint
Agricultural production is still required to provide the plant protein, vegetable oil, and other ingredients used in plant based meat products.
Land, water, and agricultural inputs like pesticides and fertilizers are generally required for crop production.
Some plant based foods can be less sustainable or eco friendly than some meats across some sustainability indicators at the agricultural level. One example of this might be the pesticide used to spray vegetable crops
The sustainability footprint of agriculture though ultimately depends on the individual agricultural operation, and the factors and variables specific to them.
There may be some nutritional or health tradeoffs to eating plant based meat instead of animal derived meat
This is obviously highly dependent on the nutrition and health profile of the products in question, along with other variables such as the overall diet of the individual, and the health and genetic makeup of the individual themselves
But, different types of meat products and plant based meat products might offer something different when it comes to nutrition and health
As one example, escoffier.edu indicates that some products may have may lack essential amino acids found in complete animal proteins
This may make plant based meat products more of a supplement for real meat than a full replacement
As another example, escoffier.edu indicates that plant based meats can be ‘… highly processed to help with preservation of flavor or prevent perishing’, and this may not be suitable for some people who prefer non processed foods
One more example from escoffier.edu is that additives that enhance taste in plant based meats can lead to them being high in sodium or fat content
healthline.com includes a table showing the nutritional information of multiple plant based meat products, and shows that they are ‘high’ in sodium, protein and calories compared to some other plant based meat alternatives
healthline.com also mentions that plant based meat products can also be high in total and saturated fat compared to real meat, and can also contain some ingredients that ‘… some people don’t wish to consume, such as refined oils, modified cornstarch, dextrose, or added sugar.’
Some plant based meat products may contain some genetically engineered ingredients
At the time of publishing this article, we found that at least one plant based meat product brand used genetically engineered yeast in one of their products
This may be an issue for some people
Ethics focussed consumers may still have to check and confirm that listed ingredients meet their ethical requirements
The reason for this is that some products don’t come with a guarantee that they don’t contain certain types of ingredients (such as animal by-products, just as one example)
Some consumers don’t like or don’t prefer the taste or texture of plant based meat
Some consumers who’ve tasted plant based meat products either don’t like the taste and texture at all, or they prefer real meat’s taste and texture to plant based meat products
Some plant based meat products aren’t cheap
On a per serving basis, or a per meal basis, people on lower food budgets may find some plant based meat products more expensive that they are willing to pay
Plant based meat may face several economic challenges
Including but not limited to:
– Small Market Share
‘Despite rapid growth, plant-based meat still has less than 1% market share of the US meat industry … (idtechex.com)
– Scaling Up, & Price Parity
Plant-based meat producers have struggled with scale up and price parity with meat remains out of reach … (idtechex.com)
Sources
1. Various ‘Better Meets Reality’ guides
2. https://www.escoffier.edu/blog/sustainability/how-is-plant-based-meat-made/
3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-plant-based-meat-healthy#options
4. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/dining/plant-based-meat-science.html
5. https://gfi.org/resource/environmental-impact-of-meat-vs-plant-based-meat/
6. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/impossible-burger-vs-beyond-burger
7. https://theconversation.com/how-scientists-make-plant-based-foods-taste-and-look-more-like-meat-156839
8. https://www.idtechex.com/en/research-report/plant-based-and-cultured-meat-2020-2030/702
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