What do YOU think about plant-based meat substitutes? Veggie-loaded burgers? All-vegetable rissoles? Meatless Mondays?
Yet another study looking into what’s on the shelf in Australia has hit the bleachers. And it’s not that good for meat substitutes.
The research shows that, while plant-based meat products are generally healthier than processed meat equivalents, they can also be higher in sugars and often lack important nutrients.
Meat analogues had a higher Health Star Rating, lower mean saturated fat and sodium content, but higher total sugars content.
The researchers looked at more than 790 products – including burgers, meatballs, mince, sausages, bacon, coated poultry, plain poultry, and meat with pastry products – and compared them to their plant-based equivalents. There were 658 fresh meat, chicken and seafood cuts analysed.
Of the 132 plant-based meat substitutes analysed, only 12 per cent were fortified with key micronutrients that are found in meat: iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. Most meat alternatives are also ultra-processed.
Solely relying on meat alternatives as a direct replacement for meat could lead to iron, zinc and B12 deficiencies over time, if you are not boosting your intake of these essential nutrients from other sources or taking supplements.
Healthier alternatives would be foods made from legumes, such as tofu, hummus and falafel, as well as lean unprocessed meats, chicken and seafood.
Plant-based meats are designed to mimic meat products and act as a substitute for meat protein.
They are commonly made from plant-based vegetable protein (soy protein, wheat protein, pea protein or a combination) or fermentation-based fungus protein (mycoprotein).
The Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC) investigated plant-based meats in 2019. After buying meat analogues from four metropolitan Sydney supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA), the GLNC assessed their nutrition quality. They found:
Don’t cut it out, just cut down. Plant-based meat substitutes are NOT the answer for health. They lack iron, zinc and B12 – three key nutrients we get from meat and chicken. Few are fortified and most are ultra-processed – something that’s not good in nutrition. They are mimicking fresh meat – which they don’t do fully! While you may be trying to eat more plant-based foods, why would a vegetarian or vegan want to eat something that LOOKS like meat? Healthier alternatives would be foods made from legumes, lean unprocessed meats, chicken and seafood.
Una maoni gani kuhusu vyakula vinavyobadilisha nyama? Burgers zenye mboga nyingi? Rissoles za mboga tu? Jumatatu zisizo na nyama? Uchunguzi mwingine unaochunguza kile kilicho kwenye rafu nchini Australia umefika kwenye vibanda. Na si nzuri sana kwa ajili ya mbadala wa nyama. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba wakati bidhaa za nyama za mimea kwa ujumla ni afya kuliko bidhaa zinazofanana na nyama zilizotengenezwa, zinaweza pia kuwa na sukari nyingi na mara nyingi hazina virutubisho muhimu. Mifano ya nyama ilikuwa na kiwango cha juu cha Nyota ya Afya, kiwango cha chini cha mafuta na sodiamu, lakini kiwango cha juu cha sukari. Watafiti walichunguza bidhaa zaidi ya 790 - ikiwa ni pamoja na burgers, meatballs, mince, sausages, bacon, kuku iliyofunikwa, kuku wa kawaida, na nyama na bidhaa za keki - na kuilinganisha na sawa zao za mimea. Katika utafiti huo, watu 658 walichukuliwa kutoka kwa nyama, kuku na samaki na kugawanywa kwa chakula cha baharini. Kati ya bidhaa 132 zilizochukuliwa, asilimia 12 tu zilikuwa na virutubisho muhimu vya madini madogo kama vile chuma, vitamini B12 na zinki. Vinginevyo, nyama nyingi ni za hali ya juu sana. Kutegemea tu mbadala wa nyama kama mbadala wa moja kwa moja wa nyama kunaweza kusababisha upungufu wa chuma, zinki na B12 kwa muda, ikiwa huongeza ulaji wako wa virutubisho hivi muhimu kutoka vyanzo vingine au kuchukua virutubisho. Vyakula vyenye afya zaidi ni vyakula vilivyotengenezwa kutokana na mboga kama vile tofu, hummus na falafel, na vilevile nyama isiyo na mafuta, kuku na vyakula vya baharini. Nyama za mimea zimetengenezwa ili kuiga bidhaa za nyama na kuchukua nafasi ya protini za nyama. Kwa kawaida hutengenezwa kutoka kwa protini ya mimea (protini ya soya, protini ya ngano, protini ya maharagwe au mchanganyiko) au protini ya kucha ya kucha (mycoprotein). Baraza la Chakula cha Mbegu na Mimea (GLNC) limekuwa likichunguza nyama ya mimea kwa miaka miwili. Baada ya kununua nyama kutoka maduka makubwa manne ya Sydney (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi na IGA), GLNC ilichunguza ubora wao wa lishe. Walipata: Usiikatilie nje, tu kukata chini. Vitu vinavyobadilisha nyama vinavyotokana na mimea si suluhisho la afya. Kuna upungufu wa chuma, zinki na B12, virutubisho vitatu muhimu ambavyo tunapata kutoka kwa nyama na kuku. Wachache ni fortified na wengi ni ultra-kusindika <unk> kitu ambacho <unk>si nzuri katika lishe. Wao ni kuiga nyama safi <unk> ambayo wao si kufanya kikamilifu! Ikiwa unajaribu kula vyakula vya mimea, kwa nini mboga au mboga za mboga zitake kula kitu kinachoonekana kama nyama? Njia mbadala zenye afya zaidi zingekuwa vyakula vilivyotengenezwa kutokana na mboga, nyama isiyo na mafuta, kuku na vyakula vya baharini.