Whole plant foods healthiest, while all plant-based foods produce fewer GHG emissions than meat, study finds

The report, published on 28 August 2024, analysed 71 different plant-based protein alternatives, examining their nutritional, environmental and price credentials and comparing them both to meat and each other.

The products analysed were separated into three categories: new generation plant-based meat alternatives (including Beyond Meat, THIS, Quorn, Linda McCartney and Vivera products), processed traditional plant-based meat alternatives (tofu, tempeh and seitan) and less processed plant food meat alternatives (beans and grains).

Overall, researchers found that all plant-based meat alternative categories come with significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions and water footprints compared to meat, and contain fewer calories, lower levels of saturated fat and higher levels of fibre on average compared to meat products.

Processed plant-based meat alternatives are only marginally lower in protein relative to meat, but all qualify under the study’s definition of ultra processed foods (UPFs). They also contain 18% more salt than meat and three times as much salt as the traditional plant-based meat category.

According to The Food Foundation, less processed alternative proteins deliver the best results in terms of health and environmental factors, while they have lower amounts of saturated fat, calories and salt and the highest amount of fibre of all products.

In terms of cost, consumers pay a premium for more processed plant-based alternatives, with the new generation category 73% more expensive per 100g than the meat category. Meanwhile, the traditional category is 38% more expensive.

‘Huge variety of plant-based options’

Commenting on the findings, Rebecca Tobi, senior business and investor engagement manager at The Food Foundation, said that with concerns about the healthiness of plant-based food emerging among the public, the report has identified a “huge variety of options”​ that are now available for consumers looking to eat less meat.

"While plant-based  alternatives that mimic the taste of meat can play a really useful role in helping people to shift towards 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,” ​Tobi continued.

"They are also the most affordable alternative to meat by quite some way. 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."​

Sofia Condes, director of investor outreach at the FAIRR Initiative, believes that the report has helped “shine a light”​ on the possible health and environmental trade-offs involved in the transition to a plant-based diet.

Condes added: "We recognise that country-level analysis and guidance such as this one focused on the UK market is instrumental in supporting investors, policymakers, corporates and consumers.”​

Finally, SDG2 Advocacy Hub CEO Paul Newnham pointed to the Beans is How campaign, which is working to double global bean consumption by 2028 based on the findings of reports like this one from The Food Foundation.

"Beans are a simple, affordable climate smart solution to our nutritional, health and environmental challenges and there's huge potential for us to grow and eat more beans,” ​Newnham explained.

"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."​

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