A comprehensive report released today by The Food Foundation sheds light on the true impact of plant-based protein alternatives. The analysis, covering 68 different products, evaluates their nutritional value, environmental impact, and cost, comparing them both to meat and to each other.
Study Overview
The report includes a wide range of plant-based protein alternatives: new generation processed meats (e.g., Beyond Meat, THIS, Quorn), traditional processed options (e.g., tofu, tempeh), and less processed sources like beans and grains. The aim was to assess these products’ health and environmental credentials while evaluating their cost-effectiveness.
Key Findings
Environmental Impact: All categories of plant-based meat alternatives significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) and water usage compared to meat.
Nutritional Value: On average, plant-based alternatives offer fewer calories, lower levels of saturated fat, and higher fiber content than meat. However, the nutritional profiles vary widely among different types of plant-based products.
Ultra-Processed Foods: New generation alternatives, such as Beyond Meat Nuggets, are classified as ultra-processed foods (UPFs). In contrast, traditional plant-based options like tofu are less processed. The proportion of UPFs varies significantly, with all new generation products falling into this category.
Health and Cost Efficiency: Less processed alternatives, including beans and grains, provide the highest nutritional benefits with lower saturated fat, calories, and salt, and the highest fiber content. They are also the most cost-effective option.
Protein Content: Processed plant-based meats have only slightly less protein compared to meat, addressing concerns about protein intake from plant-based diets.
Salt Content: New generation processed plant-based alternatives contain 18% more salt than meat, making them the highest in salt among the categories examined. Traditional plant-based options, like tofu, have significantly lower salt levels.
Cost: More processed plant-based alternatives are significantly more expensive than meat. New generation products cost 73% more per 100 grams than meat, while traditional alternatives are 38% more costly.
Discussion
The shift towards plant-based diets is driven by increasing awareness of climate change and health benefits. With livestock contributing 15% of global GHG emissions and the UK’s meat consumption exceeding the global average, adopting plant-based diets is essential for reducing environmental impact.
The report highlights that while plant-based alternatives have clear environmental benefits, their nutritional quality varies. Many new generation products are high in salt and only a third are fortified with essential nutrients like iron and vitamin B12, which are prevalent in meat. There is an opportunity for these products to improve by reducing salt and enhancing nutritional fortification.
Traditional plant-based options, such as tofu and tempeh, are generally healthier and less processed but are less available compared to newer products. Beans and grains, being both nutritious and affordable, offer the greatest overall benefits.
Statements
Rebecca Tobi, Senior Business and Investor Engagement Manager at The Food Foundation, emphasized the varied options available for reducing meat consumption. She noted that while newer plant-based alternatives are beneficial for environmental reasons, beans represent a superior choice for health and affordability.
Sofia Condes, Director of Investor Outreach at the FAIRR Initiative, highlighted the need for clarity on health and environmental trade-offs for investors and policymakers. FAIRR’s global engagements aim to influence major food manufacturers and retailers to support more sustainable consumer choices.
Paul Newnham, CEO & Chief Beans Officer at SDG2 Advocacy Hub, expressed enthusiasm for increasing global bean consumption. He highlighted the nutritional and environmental advantages of beans and their growing popularity among chefs and consumers.
Conclusion
The report underscores the environmental benefits of plant-based diets and the mixed nutritional quality of plant-based alternatives. As consumer preferences shift, there is a need for improved product formulations and greater availability of traditional plant-based options to maximize health benefits and affordability.