Nutritionists have tried to define whether meat substitutes or imitation meat are healthier than meat itself. However, ultra-processed products are in many cases higher in fat and salt and should ideally be consumed in moderation.
Livestock farming and the agri-food industry are actively involved in the current climate change. Pollution, massive deforestation, soil erosion, etc., there are many abuses that concern environmental defenders. It is therefore logical that the desire to reduce one's personal consumption of meat appears to be an acceptable solution to improve an increasingly problematic situation.
A survey conducted in France by Réseau Action Climat in February 2021 stated that 96% of people said they consumed meat, but not necessarily on a daily basis. In addition, 48% believed that they had reduced their consumption during the previous three years . The reasons mentioned? Their own health, environmental cause as well as animal welfare.
This drop in meat consumption encourages the multiplication of offers concerning alternative products containing vegetable proteins . Most French people still turn to raw (or minimally processed) vegetable proteins, but some alternatives such as edible insects and synthetic meat tend to gain market share.
The British daily The Independent – through journalist Saman Javed – interviewed a panel of nutritionists about processed foods, which manufacturers tout as health products. First, the journalist compared the nutritional content of a piece of chicken with that of three alternatives from three different brands . According to the results, the chicken is twice as rich in protein and less salty than the fermented mushroom substitute, while the soy substitute is less salty, but higher in calories. As for the "simulated ground beef" substitute, it is fattier, saltier and higher in calories.
Whether vegetarian alternatives or not, ultra-processed products are more likely to contain additives and other preservatives . They also lose nutritional value as they go through the manufacturing stages. Plant-based alternatives to animal protein are ideally:lentils, beans, nuts, and seaweed. In short, if processed substitutes can indeed help reduce meat consumption, they must be consumed in moderation like all other products of the same type.
