Plant-Based Meat Consumption Helps Environment, Benefits Human Health, Study Shows

BATH, United Kingdom - Since a recent review by food scientists at the University of Bath indicates that plant-based meat is better for the environment as compared to animal-based meat, in addition to being good for the human body, vegetarians may actually have the right idea after all.

Chris Bryant, a professor of psychology at the University of Bath, said that by appealing to three fundamental consumer desires-price, taste, and convenience-plant-based products are clearly able to transfer demand away from animal products.

Bryant and his team's review found resounding evidence that plant-based animal product substitutes offer a variety of health advantages in addition to being significantly more environmentally friendly than animal products when it comes to water consumption, GHG emissions, and land use.

Plant-based meats have advanced significantly. Now that "beyond" and "impossible" meat substitutes can imitate the texture, flavor, and eating experience of animal meats, eating only tofu is a thing of the past. People seem to be avoiding the meat and dairy sections in favor of vegetarian cuisine as even more options become available.

The current study reviewed 43 studies that examined the effects of plant-based foods on human health and the environment. Additionally, they searched for patterns in consumer behavior, particularly attitudes toward eating meat substitutes. One study found that 90% of people who consumed plant-based dairy and meat were either meat eaters or flexitarians, or vegetarians who occasionally ate meat. The researchers came to the additional conclusion that plant-based foods with flavors most similar to processed meats were much more likely to take the place of actual animal meat.

Read also: Companies Develop New Sustainable, Plant-Based Nylon for Everyday Items 

Guilt-Free

Plant-based foods not only taste good, but they also let people eat "guilt-free." According to the review, products made from plants reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than those made from animals. According to estimates, pea protein can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by eight million tons annually by replacing 5% of German beef consumption. Burgers made from plants rather than beef could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 98%. Plant-based diets are healthier for the environment in part because their production of them uses less water, farmland, and other resources than the production of meat.

According to researchers, animal meat is not as healthy for the body as plant-based foods. According to one study, 14 percent of plant-based alternatives are "less healthy" than 40 percent of meat products.

Alternative dairy and meat products made from plants can aid in weight loss and muscle growth. One explanation is that food producers can get inventive with their recipes by including spirulina, microalgae, or edible mushrooms in plant-based foods. As a result, people are eating more antioxidants, vitamin E, vitamin B, and amino acids. The total number of calories consumed and the amount of exercise a person gets, however, are also significant factors in their overall health.

Bryant suggests that future studies on plant-based foods should concentrate on ways to boost their flavor, nutritional value, and sustainability while reducing the demand for meat, Study Finds reports.

Related article: Plant-Based Diet Curbs Food Production Emissions