Vegan chicken, vegan salami, vegan minced meat – meat substitutes are on everyone’s lips. But how healthy are the products really? We asked.
The production of one kilo of Swiss beef emits 12 to 13 kilos of CO2 equivalents. For lentils, it is only 0.7, for apples 0.5 and for tomatoes 0.2. More and more people are therefore cutting back on their meat consumption for the sake of the environment. Supermarkets have recognised the trend. In recent years, they have expanded their range to include planted chicken, minced meat made from pea protein and vegan cold cuts. The target group: environmentally conscious omnivores. Meat substitutes make it easy to change your habits. If you love spaghetti bolognese, you don’t have to do without it thanks to plant-based minced meat alternatives. The same applies to salami pizza or grilled chicken skewers. However, if you buy the products regularly or want to try them out, you should pay attention to a few things.
How healthy is meat substitute?
The question cannot be answered simply and in general terms. “The quality of the products is as varied as the range on offer,” says Annina Pauli, BSc BFH Nutrition Consultant, SVDE, from nutrition Center Zurich. Whether the product you buy is healthy or not depends, among other things, on the degree of processing. “When buying, you should pay attention to the following: Does the product contain enough protein? Is it based on soy or pea protein, for example? How is it seasoned? Does it contain stabilizers? Is it breaded or fried?” says the expert.
If you want to know exactly, look at the ingredient list. “The products often contain a relatively high amount of fat, various added sugars such as maltodextrin and glucose, flavors, colorings, and thickeners.” However, young start-ups such as the ETH spin-off Planted are showing that meat substitutes can also be produced with purely natural ingredients and without additives or flavors. Nikola Baumschlager from Planted explains that her product is made with just four natural ingredients. “Our Planted Chicken consists of peas, rapeseed oil, and water, as well as a healthy portion of vitamin B12.”
What are the advantages and disadvantages of meat substitutes?
Here, too, it depends heavily on the product selected and its composition. The higher the degree of processing, the less healthy the product is. The nutritionist therefore recommends that her clients use products that are as natural as possible. “Tofu, tempeh and seitan are not a problem.” The same goes for meat substitutes that consist of purely natural ingredients.
Annina Pauli sees clear advantages when it comes to the environment. “Even if the high fat content is not recommended from a nutritional point of view, products that contain coconut oil or palm oil are better than meat, at least for the environment.” In addition, meat substitute products do not contain cholesterol but instead contain fiber, which has a positive effect on digestion. “As a result, they keep you full for longer, regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol levels, and help with constipation.”