4 ketteringhealth.org Plant-based meat alternatives are all the rage in the United States. You may have noticed more brand names showing up in the grocery store aisles as producers look to join the trend. But is meatless meat worth the hype? Are these vegetarian or vegan options actually healthier than regular meat? The answer is mixed. Read the nutrition labels carefully Based on nutrition labels, plantbased options from companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat contain higher levels of fiber, calcium, and iron compared to traditional meat. The amount of protein and fat is about equal. However, plant-based alternatives contain a lot more sodium than regular meat. Some are also prepared with coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat. “You have to look at the nutrition label to determine which ones are healthiest for you, because some are highly processed and high in fat,” Is meatless meat worth a try? OR FABULOUS? says Alicia Buterbaugh, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with Kettering Health. “If you have high blood pressure or otherwise need to watch out for salt, you might be better off using lean ground meat or ground chicken instead.” Consider cooking your own If your goal is to eat healthier, Alicia recommends preparing your own plant-based “meats” with whole ingredients rather than buying processed alternatives. Foods like cauliflower, tofu, and certain mushrooms are good substitutes. Alicia says she likes to cook burgers in a skillet using canned black beans, rice, and other veggies. She also enjoys using chickpeas instead of meat in a traditional chicken salad recipe. How’s the taste? Do meatless alternatives taste like meat or have a similar texture? It depends on the brand or, if you’re cooking your own, the ingredients you use. “I cooked one baked ‘chicken’ patty for my college-age son, and he loved it,” says Alicia. “But when I bought a different brand of meatless chicken, he thought it was disgusting and that the texture was weird.” As for swapping out regular meat for plant-based alternatives in recipes, Alicia says there are some good options. She recommends using lentils in chili for a tasty change. She also says “hamburger” crumbles resemble the look and feel of ground meat and could be used in traditional recipes. MEATLESS AND DELICIOUS Find vegetarian, low-sodium, and more healthy recipes at healthlibrary.ketteringhealth.org/library
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