The sinister fact about ‘pretend meat’

Demand for ‘fake meat’ has undeniably taken the world by storm.

Fuelled by a deluge of alarming reports into the dangers of eating too much red or processed meat, supermarket shelves and restaurant menus are now littered with vegan sausages, bacon and burgers.

Manufacturers insist their plant-based creations are just as succulent as real meat, not to mention healthier.  

But as Martin Freeman‘s recent admission that he has ditched vegetarianism after 38 years has highlighted, not all is as it seems when it comes to meat alternatives… 

While eating an Italian bolognese on the Dish podcast with Nick Grimshaw and professional chef Angela Hartnett, Martin, 52, said: ‘I’ve now, I’ve come off being a vegetarian. I started being a vegetarian in like January 1986.

‘It’s a funny one, because I like meat replacement things, but my reservation about them is that they can be very, very processed and I’m trying to eat less processed food.’ 

Fake-meats are, by their very nature, highly processed, containing a concoction of esoteric emulsifiers, stabilisers, flavour enhancers and artificial colourings designed to help them feel and taste and look like the real thing. 

They can also be packed with higher levels of salt, sugar and fat, all substances Brits have been advised to cut down on, than their animal derived counterparts. 

Nutritionists also fear some people, particularly vegans, who opt for fake meats are potentially harming their health in the false belief they are getting the same vitamins and minerals as the real thing.

Scientists have been warning about the ‘health halo’ of fake meats for years.

‘Health halo’ is a marketing term referencing how consumers might be led to believe a product is healthier than it actually is.

For example, we know vegetables are good for us and we should eat more of them, so a burger or sausage made of ‘plant-based’ alternatives must logically be better for us, right?

Not necessarily, experts say. 

Last month British researchers discovered plant-based meat products offer no ‘clear benefit’ for heart health. 

Even more worryingly, people who opted for fake sausages, burgers and mince also seemingly had worse blood pressure than their meat-consuming counterparts. 

Experts labelled the ‘health halo’ surrounding plant-based meats unjustifiable and urged the food industry to ‘re-evaluate the development of the next generation of meat alternatives’.

Study co-author Dr Sumanto Haldar, a lecturer in nutrition science at Bournemouth University, said: ‘At present, producing these plant-based meat alternatives often involves a substantial amount of processing.

‘The end products can be high in salt, saturated fat and additives in order to match the taste and texture of real meat products.’

Dr Halder’s team concluded that, as it stands, fake meats do not offer the same health advantages as a traditional vegetarian diet based on fresh fruit and vegetables. 

The Bournemouth study, which involved tracking health measures of 82 people on either a carnivorous or plant-based diet for eight weeks, is just the latest in a series to warn that the perceived health benefits aren’t what they seem. 

Another, published in January, found vegan fast-food meals were just as calorific as their animal based counterparts. 

Polish researchers analysed 1,868 meals including sandwiches, salads, noodles and pizza from 50 fast food chains across five countries, including the UK.

These included Wagamamas, Pret, Pizza Express, Leon and Burger King.

The team collected data on the calorie content, presence of allergens, and the quantities of nutrients, fibre and salt in each meal.

They found that plant-based meals had less protein and sodium, and higher levels of carbohydrates and sugar, compared to the meat-based meals.

Lead author Mikołaj Kamiński, from the Poznań University of Medical Sciences, said: ‘It exposes the illusion that plant-based alternatives of popular fast-food dishes are automatically a healthier choice.’

These findings also echo those from a MailOnline analysis in 2022 comparing meat-free versions of fast food favourites to their plant-based alternatives. 

This website found plant-based options contained up to 30 per cent more salt than their meat counterparts and eating one could give you up to half your recommended daily salt intake. 

Other meat-free meals were found to contain 20 per cent more sugar and 60 per cent more fat than their original versions. 

But the trend of fake meats containing higher levels of salt and sugar isn’t limited – it also affects items you buy in the supermarket. 

Australian researchers recently highlighted ‘large variations’ in the nutritional content of different plant-based meat alternatives available on supermarket shelves. 

One of the most concerning was salt.

Some products were found to have just 2.5mg of salt per 100g but others had 5g for the same serving size.

Brits are advised to eat no more than 6g of salt per day, meaning people could potentially get almost their entire daily salt intake from little over 100g of some brands of fake meat mince.

For comparison, an uncooked McDonalds Big Mac weighs about 240g and the final product contains 2.2g of salt.

Eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, putting people at increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

Fake-meats can also contain extremely high levels of saturated fats compared to traditional counterparts.

Multiple brands of plant-based burger patties, found in fresh and frozen section of UK supermarkets, contain almost 20g of saturated fat per patty.

This represents a British woman’s entire recommended daily intake of saturated fat (20g) and two thirds of a man’s (30g). 

Again, for comparison, an entire McDonalds Big Mac contains 8.8g of saturated fat. 

Eating too much saturated fat is linked to an increased level of bad cholesterol in the blood, a risk factor for heart disease and strokes.  

Ultra-processed foods, also called UPFs are also a rising health concern.

UPFs are foods that have undergone major industrial processing and include ready meals, crisps and cereals.

They have been blamed for contributing to the UK’s obesity crisis and have also been linked to issues like heart disease, some cancers, type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders. 

UPF critics have pointed to how such foods are usually packed with chemicals like emulsifiers and preservatives as well as higher levels of fat salt and sugar while lacking nutrients like vitamins and fibre as one potential mechanism. 

Plant-based fake-meats are by their very nature, UPFs, whilst raw meat is considered minimally processed as it has gone through a butchering process. 

One comparison found while a traditional beef burger could have as few as seven ingredients, including one preservative, a fake-meat version could have as many as 18 ingredients including a stabiliser and emulsifier.

Research has suggested some stabilisers, like the methyl cellulose (E461) found in some fake-meat burgers, are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease. 

However, experts say further research is needed to prove the cause and effect of this observation.

Research into UPFs and health is ongoing, with some scientists warning the field is muddied by the broad definition of UPFs and the fact people who eat a lot of them are generally poorer and unhealthier, which may influence or exacerbate the results. 

Another concerning problem regarding the fake-meat trend is that, as much as they may try to look, taste and feel like the real thing, nutritionally they can leave much to be desired.

Real meat contains a host of health benefits beyond just simple protein.

Red meat is also a key source of iron, zinc, B vitamins while oily fish is fantastic source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Vitamin B12, which keeps blood, nerve cells and DNA healthy, is a particular concern given how it is only found naturally in animal derived foods like meat, eggs and dairy, though it can be added to foods like cereals. 

Vegans are also at risk of missing out on other essential nutrients like iron, calcium, iodine and selenium which most other Brits easily get from animal products without even thinking about it.

Unlike vitamin B12, vegan sources of these nutrients do exist, but vegans must ensure they plan their diet appropriately to incorporate them or take supplements. 

Fake-meats frequently don’t contain any or only trace amounts of such nutrients though some are fortified to contain them additional quantities. 

Additionally, vegans must be carefully that their meat-free alternatives contain enough protein.

For example, jackfruit burgers, often used as a meat substitute, contain only around 4g of protein per 100g whereas those made of beef contain over 20g per 100g, five times as much.

The average British man or woman needs about 55g or 45g of protein per day, the equivalent of more than 10 jackfruit burgers. 

It should also be noted that plant-based meat versus real meat comparisons will always have exceptions, even when it comes to Martin’s beloved bolognese.

For example, a meat-based ready meal version of the Italian classic containing a host of artificial flavourings emulsifiers and packed with salt and sugar isn’t necessarily healthier for you than a homemade version that uses fake-meat mince. 

Likewise, amid discussions about a potential cancer risk and UPFs, it bears highlighting that consuming processed meats, like bacon and sausages, have been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer. 

So, some nutritionists advise that some plant-based versions of these products may in fact be the healthier option. 

Overall, experts urge people to not fall for the ‘health halo’ effect surrounding fake meats products and try to opt for both a healthy and balanced diet as much as possible. 

This means eating a wide variety of fruit and vegetables per day, preferably fresh, frozen, canned or dried and opting for wholemeal varieties of carbohydrates.

It also means consuming some dairy, fish, eggs and meat, opting for lower fat and leaner cuts. 

If avoiding these foods people should ensure they plan on how they are going to get essential nutrients by finding alternatives sources or supplements. 

Brits should also aim to eat less saturated fats, sugar and salt.