Plant-Based Meat Doesn't Need To Be Healthy

This week I hit my 5-year veganniversary, and I have recently seen a lot of discourse around plant-based meats being unhealthy for you, with some saying they’re ultra-processed, packed with sodium, and not much healthier than their meat counterparts. 

One recent article details: “Diets that substituted animal products with the plant-based alternative were [found to be] below the daily recommendations for vitamin B12, calcium, potassium, zinc and magnesium, and higher in sodium, sugar and saturated fat.” 

But what these articles don’t take into account are the other, more prominent benefits of plant-based meats…

Plant-based meat is best for the environment

It’s indisputable that plant-based meat is better for the environment than conventional meat. Here are some stats from the Good Food Institute on this data: 

• Plant-based meat uses 47% less land than conventional meat.

• Plant-based meat emits up to 90% fewer greenhouse gases than conventional meat.

• Plant-based meat uses up to 99% less water than conventional meat.

• Plant-based meat causes up to 91% less aquatic nutrient pollution than conventional meat.

• Plant-based meat requires no antibiotics, reducing the risk of antifungal resistance. 

Additionally, for each dollar invested in meat and dairy alternatives, you can expect eleven times more greenhouse gas reductions as compared to investment in green technology such as zero-emission cars. 

Widespread adoption of these alternatives could play a critical role in tackling the climate crisis. 

Plant-based meat is invaluable for young vegans

As someone who went vegan in 2017, plant-based versions of foods weren’t as popular as they are today. 

McDonald's offered no vegan options, I had to eat a salad sandwich at SubWay, the only vegan option at my college canteen were chips, and at the cafes and coffee shops that did offer a vegan option, it had usually been sold out by the midday. 

None of my friends were vegan, and I only knew a handful of vegetarians. 

This meant if I wanted to join them for lunch I had to bring it with me or go hungry. (I bet you can imagine the weird stares I received eating a homemade sandwich whilst sitting at the local Maccy’s.) 

Of course, places like McDonald's aren’t very sustainable, nor are they businesses we want to support. But, if a plant-based burger enables more young people to go vegan as they can actually go for lunch with their friends, then I thoroughly encourage it. 

(For some data on this, in 2017 there were 59,500 people participating in Veganuary, whereas in 2022 over half a million people participated.)

Plant-based meat makes vegan life easier

Being vegan in the 2020s is incredibly easy. If you talk to vegans who went vegan/veggie back in the 80s or earlier, they’ll tell you how they have to handmake everything themselves, even their tofu and tempeh(!)

As a nation, we are also incredibly “time poor”. People don’t have time to make their meals from scratch, hell, they struggle to even put a meal on the table they didn’t order through an app. 

Plant-based meats make life a lot easier for vegans, or for those trying to reduce their meat intake, as you can cook a meal without having to produce tofu from scratch or slow-cook jackfruit for a simple curry. 

Any way to make veganism more accessible is a win, in my opinion. 
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To put it simply, however unhealthy plant-based meat may be, a meat-focused diet will never be healthy. If all you eat is plant-based meat, you’ll still be better off. 

I am vegan for the animals (and the earth) not for health. If you're concerned about your health as a vegan, there are copious amounts of resources available to you. (Dr Greger's How Not To Die is my favourite). Take your B12 supplement and you'll probably be fine.