{"id":10061,"date":"2024-02-06T20:33:41","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T13:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=10061"},"modified":"2024-02-06T20:33:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T13:33:41","slug":"plant-based-meats-and-our-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=10061","title":{"rendered":"Plant-Based Meats and Our Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the United Nations, meat and dairy production would <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10806-011-9345-z\">need to be doubled<\/a> to meet the predicted demand for animal-based proteins in 2050, but the opposite is required to contain the ecological damage. As I discuss in my video <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/the-environmental-impacts-of-plant-based-meat-substitutes\/\">The Environmental Impacts of Plant-Based Meat Substitutes<\/a><\/strong>, if we have any chance of sustainably meeting future food needs, we must lower our meat consumption. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/BFJ-09-2013-0252\/full\/html\">The largest barrier<\/a> to following a plant-based diet may simply be meat appreciation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter plant-based meats.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alt-Meat and Our Planet<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we dive into the health profile of plant-based meats, let\u2019s look at their impact on the health of our environment. Both the <a href=\"https:\/\/css.umich.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/publication\/CSS18-10.pdf\">Beyond Burger<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/assets.ctfassets.net\/hhv516v5f7sj\/6MwlSyw4APSMJF8gCITtY3\/dc8512af56cf7f259c53518179a0cd72\/Impossible_Beef_and_Meatballs_US_Life_Cycle_Assessment.pdf\">Impossible Burger<\/a> have had environmental lifecycle assessments published by reputable groups, and, indeed, switching to either one of those meat-free meat alternatives results in 90 percent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water footprints. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2071-1050\/11\/12\/3231\/htm\">Similar analyses<\/a> have been performed on more than 50 different plant-based meats, and they\u2019ve all been found to be vastly more sustainable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-101190 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848-1024x416.png\" alt=\"Table comparing greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water footprint of beef production compared to Impossible and Beyond Burger\" width=\"460\" height=\"187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848-1024x416.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848-960x390.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848-768x312.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848-1200x488.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848-720x293.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848-540x219.png 540w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-111848.png 1206w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\"\/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Plant-Based Meat Healthy?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have to ask: <em>Compared to what?<\/em> Food is a zero sum game. Each time we eat, there\u2019s an opportunity cost, a lost opportunity to put something even healthier in our mouth. For example, are eggs healthy? Yes, when compared to a breakfast <a href=\"https:\/\/monographs.iarc.who.int\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/mono114.pdf\">sausage<\/a> link, but not when compared to oatmeal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plant-based meat alternatives are <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31449288\/\">no match<\/a> for unprocessed plant foods, such as beans or lentils, and a bean burrito or lentil soup could certainly fill the same culinary niche as a lunchtime burger. But, if you are going to have some kind of burger, it\u2019s easy to argue that the plant-based versions are healthier.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Beyond Meat Healthy? Is Impossible Meat Healthy?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Four of the worst components of the food supply are cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fat, and sodium. As I discuss in my video <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/are-beyond-meat-and-the-impossible-burger-healthy\/\">Are Beyond Meat and the Impossible Burger Healthy?<\/a><\/strong>, plant-based meat wins hands down against animal-based meat when it comes to cholesterol and trans fat. Trans fat intake is a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31336535\/\">serious potential risk<\/a> factor for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, and has been linked to <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31499375\/\">depression<\/a> symptoms, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27834316\/\">lower testosterone<\/a> in men, and dementia. Higher levels of trans fat in the blood are associated with up to a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31645469\/\">50 percent higher risk<\/a> of developing dementia, including Alzheimer\u2019s. A <a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.app.box.com\/s\/kgfh4it5ti0vno6xo94f3f79ld96dfd1\">major source of trans fats<\/a>? Animal products.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plant-based meat is also free of hormones and antibiotics, which tips the scales even further in its favor, but it may have saturated fat from added coconut oil. Nevertheless, the <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31671655\/\">largest study to date<\/a> of the nutritional value of plant-based meats found that saturated fat levels of similar products only average about 2 grams per serving, which is much better than the animal-based equivalents. Sodium remains a problem throughout the sector, though, like nearly any other processed food out there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, plant-based meat is healthy compared with animal-based meat, but not as healthy as eating unprocessed or minimally processed plant foods directly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-101192 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-1024x340.png\" alt=\"Table showing nutrition comparison between  beef and other plant-based meat patties\" width=\"460\" height=\"153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-1024x340.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-960x318.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-768x255.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-1536x509.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-1200x398.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-720x239.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124-540x179.png 540w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113124.png 1900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\"\/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Animal Protein vs. Plant Protein<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is there any advantage to eating protein from plants instead of animals? Studies have found intake of animal protein to be associated with a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27479196\/\">higher risk of mortality<\/a>, particularly dying from cardiovascular disease, whereas higher consumption of plant protein is linked to lower all-cause mortality\u2014a lower risk of dying from all causes put together. When it comes to living a longer life, plant protein sources beat out each and every animal protein source. Not just better than bacon and eggs, but better than burgers, chicken, turkey, fish, and dairy protein. What\u2019s more, plant protein has also been linked to lower blood pressure, reduced LDL cholesterol, and improved insulin sensitivity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Pea Protein Isolate Good for You?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Beyond Burger is mostly comprised of pea protein isolate. Will we still get any benefits of the whole plant if the proteins have been isolated? <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29263032\/\">Surprisingly, yes<\/a>. As I discuss in my video <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/plant-based-protein-are-pea-and-soy-protein-isolates-harmful\/\">Plant-Based Protein: Are Pea and Soy Protein Isolates Harmful?<\/a><\/strong>, researchers did not \ufb01nd a signi\ufb01cant cholesterol-lowering difference between protein isolate products and whole food sources, \u201csuggesting that the cholesterol-lowering effects are at least, in part, attributable to the plant protein itself rather than just the associated nutrients.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Soy Protein Isolate Bad for You?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve known about the beneficial effects of soy on cholesterol for 40 years or so, but what about its impact on the cancer-promoting growth hormone IGF-1? Soy protein is similar enough to animal protein that, at high enough doses, like <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28434035\/\">eating two Impossible Burgers (mostly concentrated soy protein) a day<\/a>, you may bump up your IGF-1 level. But the only reason we care about IGF-1 is cancer risk, and, if anything, higher soy intake is linked to decreased risk of cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31278047\/\">recent systematic review and meta-analysis<\/a> found that consumption of soy protein is associated with a lower risk in breast cancer mortality\u2014a 12 percent reduction in breast cancer death associated with each 5-gram increase of soy protein a day. More than 10 daily grams of soy protein has been associated with cutting breast cancer mortality risk nearly in half, and more than 16 grams a day with a whopping <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22631686\/\">62 percent lower risk of dying from breast cancer<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-101194 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815-1024x625.png\" alt=\"Table showing reduction in risk of dying from breast cancer from soy protein consumption\" width=\"406\" height=\"247\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815-1024x625.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815-960x586.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815-768x469.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815-1200x733.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815-720x440.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815-540x330.png 540w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-113815.png 1530w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 406px) 100vw, 406px\"\/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What About Mycoprotein?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mycoprotein is a meat alternative made from the mushroom kingdom. Quorn makes meat-free beef, chicken-free chicken, fish-free fish, and pig-free pork. As I discuss in my video <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/the-health-effects-of-mycoprotein-quorn-products-vs-bcaas-in-meat\/\">The Health Effects of Mycoprotein (Quorn) Products vs. BCAAs in Meat<\/a><\/strong>, in terms of its environmental impact, Quorn beef\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/search.worldcat.org\/title\/1041333546\">carbon footprint<\/a> is at least ten times smaller than that of beef and its chickenless chicken is at least four times better than chicken-chicken. Health-wise, mycoprotein is high in protein and \ufb01ber, low in fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar, and may help people control <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1734679\/\">cholesterol<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31187084\/\">blood sugar<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27198187\/\">insulin levels<\/a>, and improve <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8396025\/\">satiety<\/a>. That isn\u2019t a surprise, given that the fiber and the mycoprotein are <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30965613\/\">fermentable<\/a> by our good gut bugs, so they can also act as a prebiotic for our friendly flora.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-101196 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-1024x860.png\" alt=\"Graph comparing the effects of consuming chicken versus mycoprotein on insulin levels\" width=\"403\" height=\"339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-1024x860.png 1024w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-960x806.png 960w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-768x645.png 768w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-1536x1290.png 1536w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-2048x1720.png 2048w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-1200x1008.png 1200w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-720x605.png 720w, https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/app\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-2024-01-08-at-121429-540x453.png 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\"\/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What About the Heme in Impossible Meat?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I discuss in my video <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/what-about-the-heme-in-impossible-burgers\/\">What About the Heme in Impossible Burgers?<\/a><\/strong>, an issue specific to the Impossible Burger is the added heme, derived from soybean plants to enhance the product\u2019s meaty flavor and appearance. <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28921896\/\">Safety analyses<\/a> have failed to find any toxicity risk specific to the soy heme churned out by yeast, and the Food and Drug Administration has agreed that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/media\/116243\/download\">it is safe<\/a>\u2014both for use as a flavor and color enhancer.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plants for the Win<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plant-based foods, including meat-free meats, aren\u2019t only healthier for our planet, but also for our bodies. But, as I discuss in my video <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/plant-based-meat-substitutes-put-to-the-test\/\">Plant-Based Meat Substitutes Put to the Test<\/a><\/strong>, <em>whole<\/em> plant food sources of protein, such as beans, are even better. That\u2019s why I consider plant-based meats to be more of a useful stepping stone towards a healthier diet, rather than the endgame ideal. The same amount of protein in a bean burrito would be better in nearly every way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"et_social_bottom_trigger\"\/>  <\/div>\n<p><script>\n            !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n            {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n                n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n            if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n            n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n            t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n            s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n                'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n            fbq('init', '1582627921973608');\n            fbq('track', 'PageView');\n        <\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to the United Nations, meat and dairy production would need to be doubled to meet the predicted demand for animal-based proteins in 2050, but the opposite is required to contain the ecological damage. As I discuss in my video The Environmental Impacts of Plant-Based Meat Substitutes, if we have any chance of sustainably meeting &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10062,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}