New plant-based meat alternatives high in salt, flags Food Foundation study

29 Aug 2024 --- While the vast majority of plant-based meat alternatives significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water usage compared to meat, many are considerably more expensive, reveals an analysis by UK-based charity The Food Foundation. 

The report, titled Rethinking Plant-Based Meat Alternatives, compared the most widely eaten types of meat with three categories of plant-based meat alternatives.

These were the “new-generation” processed plant-based protein alternatives offered in the UK by brands such as Beyond Meat, THIS, Quorn, Linda MacCartney, Vivera and retailer own-brand plant-based burgers available in Tesco.

The second category included traditional processed food items eaten as plant-based meat alternatives, such as tofu, tempeh and seitan and the third comprised less processed plant food protein alternatives like beans and grains, including some ready-to-eat and tinned beans and grains.

Rebecca Tobi, senior business and investor engagement manager, says: “While plant-based alternatives that mimic the taste of meat can play a really useful role in helping people to shift toward more plant-rich diets and come with significant environmental benefits, alternative sources of protein to meat such as beans perform strongly compared to both meat and other plant-based meat alternatives.”

The findings

The report reveals that the three plant-based meat alternative categories contain fewer calories, reduced saturated fat and more fiber on average than meat products.

The report finds that new-generation processed protein alternatives contain 18% more salt than meat.However, new-generation processed protein alternatives contain 18% more salt than meat, the highest salt level of all three categories and three times as much salt as traditional processed meat alternatives like tofu, according to the study.

While advocacy organizations have called on policymakers and politicians to help catalyze the shift to more plant-inclusive diets, the study reveals that packaged new-generation meat alternatives are 73% more expensive per 100 grams than meat, while commodities like tempeh and tofu are 38% more expensive.

Nutrition-wise, plant-based meat alternatives do not contain the same protein levels as conventional meat. Still, the report notes that the UK population does not suffer from a protein deficiency. However, according to The Food Foundation, only a third of the more processed vegan meat alternatives are fortified with iron and vitamin B12 (found in regular meat).

This leaves the plant-based food industry with the task of reformulating products to integrate key minerals and vitamins and lower high sodium levels.

Bean benefits

The report further highlights that beans and grains perform strongly against several nutritional indicators. They contain significantly lower amounts of saturated fat, calories and salt and have the highest fiber per 100 grams among all three categories compared to meat.

Moreover, the cost factor poses a lucrative opportunity for players along the value chain, as beans remain the most affordable commodity among all categories.

“There is a huge opportunity in the UK to get people eating more beans as an affordable, healthy and sustainable alternative protein source. They’re a win-win-win for environmental, health and equity outcomes,” says Tobi.The report highlights that beans and grains perform strongly against several nutritional indicators.

“We recognize that country-level analysis and guidance such as this one focused on the UK market is instrumental in supporting investors, policymakers, corporates and consumers,” adds Sofia Condes, director of investor outreach, FAIRR Initiative.

Previous research has highlighted the need for wealthy nations to reduce meat intake to reduce global GHG emissions. The independent National Food Strategy for England recommended in 2021 that the UK slash meat consumption by 30% by 2032 to meet health and climate commitments.

The Food Foundation report notes that consumers in the UK eat a third more meat than the global average, with 34% of adults eating more red and processed meat than the amount recommended in government dietary guidelines.

Given the climate and health risks, beans’ benefits could help them shift to healthier, plant-forward diets.

Paul Newnham, CEO and chief beans officer at the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, says: “Beans are a simple and affordable climate-smart solution to our nutritional, health and environmental challenges, and there’s huge potential for us to grow and eat more beans.”

“Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen increasing numbers of chefs championing beans in their work and on menus and given their versatility and use in so many different cuisines, we’re excited to see more people waking up to the power of beans.”

By Anvisha Manral