Is Vegan Meat Healthy? A Balanced Look at Plant-Based Meat Alternatives
Is vegan meat healthy? Explore the ingredients, nutrition and how plant-based meat compares to traditional meat in a balanced, evidence-based guide.
Written by Minnie | Is vegan meat healthy?
Is vegan meat healthy?
Whether vegan meat is healthy or unhealthy is a question that often floats about. Today more than ever, plant-based eating isn’t just for vegans. As more and more people learn about the impact of food production on our planet, and others look to adopt healthier lifestyles, many of us are cutting back on animal-based products.
Plant-based meats offer ease and enable us to recreate familiar meals. And, more and more vegan products are available on grocery store shelves to cater for this. But with conflicting views on how healthy vegan meat is, it’s often difficult to decipher what is factual and what is not. So, I decided to do my own research to find some truth on this matter.
Concerns about ultra-processed foods
One of the main concerns about vegan meat is that it has been classed as an ultra-processed food. Ultra-processed foods are products that have been significantly changed from their original ingredients. They usually have a long shelf life and contain refined ingredients like modified starches, added sugars or sweeteners, heavily refined oils, artificial or natural flavourings, colourings, emulsifiers, stabilisers and preservatives.
Common foods in the ultra-processed foods category include soft drinks, packaged snacks like crisps and biscuits, instant noodles, some ready meals, mass produced grocery store sandwich meat slices and some plant-based meat products – depending on how they are made.
Ultra-processed foods are defined mainly by how they are made, not directly by their nutritional value.
Many plant-based meats are classified as ultra-processed foods under the NOVA* food classification system because they contain ingredients such as protein isolates, flavourings and other components not typically used in home cooking. However, this classification is based on the level of processing rather than nutritional quality. As a result, some nutritional experts argue that the term “ultra-processed” does not always provide a complete picture of a food’s overall nutritional value.
Another criticism made in discussions about vegan meat is that people focus heavily on whether a plant-based burger is ultra-processed while overlooking that a traditional burger or sausage is most often a processed, high fat food as well.
In fact, unlike plant-based options, red and processed animal-based meats are high in saturated fat, which is linked to high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. This is the “bad” cholesterol linked to risk of heart disease. (1)
What is vegan meat?
Let’s take a look at the variation of vegan meat – more commonly called “plant-based meat”.
Plant-based meat is designed to look, taste and cook like animal meat, but it is made entirely from plants.
Plant-based meat has come a long way and today, you can find vegan products that replicate chicken breast, beef steaks, burgers, sausages, doner kebab style meat, shawarma, chicken kiev, salmon steaks and minced meat, among others.
The list is extensive and many of the products taste very good. Some vegan sausage and burger products are so good, they could even win over staunch meat eaters.
Plant-based burgers and sausages are the most commonly purchased vegan meat alternatives. According to research carried out by Grand View Research, plant-based burgers dominated the market with 33.53% in 2023 and sausages saw the highest growth. (2)
What is vegan meat made of?
1. For the protein base, one or two of the following are usually used:
· Soy protein
· Pea protein
· Wheat gluten (seitan)
· Mung bean protein
2. The following fats are commonly used:
· Coconut oil
· Sunflower oil
· Canola or rapseed oil
3. Some of the flavouring used may include:
· Yeast extract
· Natural flavourings
· Soy sauce or fermented ingredients
· Spices (garlic, onion, cumin etc)
· Heme-like compounds
Heme is a natural substance found in animal meat. It contains iron and is one of the reasons meat has its flavour, smell and red colour, especially when it is cooked.
Some plant-based meats use ingredients that try to copy this effect. The most well-known example is soy leghaemoglobin.
It is made using fermentation (a process similar to how yeast is used in bread or beer). The result is an ingredient that contains iron and helps plant-based meat taste and smell more like real meat when it is cooked.
4. Ingredients for colouring and appearance:
· Beet juice or beet extract (for redness)
· Tomato extract (for redness)
· Iron compounds (in some formulations)
· Caramel colouring (in cooked appearance versions)
5. And finally, binders and ingredients that help hold everything together:
· Methylcellulose
· Potato starch
· Rice starch
· Tapioca starch
How is plant-based meat made?
To make plant-based meat, manufacturers start by extracting protein from plants such as peas or soybeans. The protein is then combined with ingredients like plant oils, flavourings and natural colourings to help recreate the taste, texture and appearance of meat. Using heat, pressure and specialised equipment, the mixture is transformed into a fibrous texture that resembles meat before being shaped into products such as burgers, sausages and meatballs.
Nutritional profile of plant-based meat vs animal meat
An article on the Good Food Institute Europe website says:
“Many people are worried about ultra-processed food and health, and plant-based meat is one of the product categories most people associate with being ultra-processed. However, plant-based meat has very little in common with most other foods in this category, like fizzy drinks, cakes and hot dogs… Nutritionally speaking, plant-based meat is very different from many kinds of food in this category – unlike the majority of ultra-processed foods it is typically a source of fibre, high in protein, low in sugar and low in saturated fat.”
It also goes on to say that “plant-based meat has also been associated with several health benefits in randomised controlled trials, contrary to findings about ultra-processed foods as a whole.” (2)
Based on products available here in the UK, to get a feel for the difference in the nutritional profile of plant-based vs animal-based meats, I carried out some comparative research on burgers and sausages. I looked at two popular plant-based burger brands, and compared them to three supermarket own brand animal-based products. I then did the same for sausages. The results were as follows:
Looking at popular grocery store brands for burgers and sausages, it is clear that plant-based options can contain significantly less saturated fat and more fibre. And in some cases, plant-based options offer comparable amounts of protein.
For the purpose of transparency, the burger products I compared are:
Beyond Meat – original vegan burger
Linda McCartney – vegan burger
M&S – Our Best Ever
Asda – Exceptional quarter pounders
Sainsburys – Taste the Difference
And the sausages:
This Isn’t Pork – original vegan sausages
Linda McCarney – vegan sausages
Asda – Exceptional classic sausages
M&S – Free range sausages
Sainsburys – Taste the Difference
Potential benefits of plant-based meat
For people focused on eating whole foods, the goal is often to reduce highly processed foods in general, including both meat-based and plant-based burgers and sausages. For others, plant-based meat can be a convenient substitute for traditional meat products. Some of the benefits of plant-based meats include:
Protein
Many plant-based meats are designed to contain similar amounts of protein to traditional meat products.
For those reducing or avoiding meat, these products provide a convenient way to include protein in meals without using animal products.
Familiarity
Plant-based meats allow those who are following a meat-free lifestyle, to enjoy familiar foods such as burgers, sausages, meatballs and mince without consuming animal-based products.
Less saturated fat
Plant-based meats often contain less saturated fat and more fibre than animal-based products – particularly beef and pork. However, there are variations between brands.
No naturally occurring cholesterol
Unlike animal meat, plant-based meats do not naturally contain dietary cholesterol because cholesterol is only found in animal-derived foods.
May contain added nutrients
Some plant-based products are fortified with nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron and zinc.
To summarise: Is vegan meat a good option?
Vegan meat is a plant-based alternative designed to replicate the taste, texture, and cooking experience of meat. While many products are classified as ultra-processed under the NOVA system, this classification is based on how they are manufactured rather than their nutritional value.
Some nutrition experts argue that the term “ultra-processed” does not always provide a complete picture of a food’s overall nutritional value.
As with any food, nutritional quality varies between products. Some vegan meats provide substantial amounts of protein and can fit into a balanced diet, while others may be higher in sodium or contain a longer list of ingredients. Ultimately, whether a vegan meat product is a good choice depends on its nutritional profile, how often it is consumed and how it fits within an individual’s overall dietary pattern.
A better question to “is vegan meat healthy” might be: “If I want to enjoy a burger, sausage, steak etc, which option tips the balance towards a more nutritious, environmentally responsible choice?”.
Notes*
The NOVA food classification system, developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, categorises foods into four groups based on the nature, extent and purpose of industrial processing. It has become the most dominant framework for studying and regulating ultra-processed foods globally.
References:
- BBC | What is Red Meat and is it Really Bad for You? co.uk/food/articles/cn0zd2pe78do
- Grand View Research | Europe Plant-based Meat Market (2024-2030)
com/industry-analysis/europe-plant-based-meat-market-report - Good Food Institute Europe | Is Plant-based meat Ultra-Processed?
org/is-plant-based-meat-ultra-processed
