Scan the supermarket aisles and you might notice that meat-substitute products are on the rise. Your morning eggs can now be served with a side of ‘fakon’ (fake bacon). BBQs can easily turn meat-free with ‘plant-powered’ pork-style sausages and bean-based burgers. And that bolognese bubbling on the stove? It can be made with a meat-free ‘mince’.
Australian research from the George Institute reveals a 153% increase in the number of meat alternative products from 2010 to 2019. But with their increased popularity, it begs the question: are these meat substitutes a healthy choice? We asked Jean Hailes naturopath Sandra Villella.
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To work out if a product is healthy or not, “you really have to inspect the label closely”, says Ms Villella.
Many meat substitutes are highly processed and not ‘real food’ at all. Look at the ingredient list – it might be quite long and filled with names you don’t recognise… artificial favours, additives and preservatives.
MS SANDRA VILLELLA, JEAN HAILES NATUROPATH
These are all clues that the product does not pass the healthy test, says Ms Villella.
She recommends meat-free products of just 5-10 ingredients, that are all edible-sounding and familiar; “not names you need a chemistry degree to understand”.
Ms Villella says particular care needs to be taken with highly processed soy products.
Research has found that foods which use the whole soybean [eg, tofu and tempeh] are not associated with increased risk of breast cancer, but it does caution highly processed soy ingredients, such as soy protein isolates and supplements, which may behave differently.
MS SANDRA VILLELLA, JEAN HAILES NATUROPATH
Pay attention to protein
For those avoiding or cutting back on meat, Ms Villella says it’s important to pay attention to the protein products you’re eating so your nutritional needs are met.
“It’s not just about cutting out the animal foods,” she says.
Ms Villella says protein needs to come from a variety of sources, including legumes (eg, beans, lentils, chickpeas) nuts, seeds and grains.
When eaten together, for example legumes with seeds or grains, or nuts with grains, they complement each other and cover all the essential amino acids. Soy, hemp and quinoa are complete proteins by themselves.
MS SANDRA VILLELLA, JEAN HAILES NATUROPATH
Certain nutrients may be also be missed in a plant-based diet. “Iron, zinc and omega-3 levels can be lower, and so too with calcium if you’re also cutting out dairy,” she says.
Plant sources of iron and zinc include legumes, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and tofu. Ms Villella suggests boosting your iron absorption of these foods by combining them with vitamin C-rich foods.
“Add lemon juice to salads, red capsicum to bean dishes, add sliced tomato to your wholegrain toast for breakfast.”
Ms Villella says omega-3s can be found in linseeds, chia, walnuts, hemp and seaweed. “And for calcium, include calcium-fortifed milk substitutes, unhulled tahini, nuts and seeds, and leafy green vegetables,” she says.