Plant Based Meats Are Growing in Popularity
Plant-based meats are made from plants and manufactured to feel, taste, and appear like real meat. Plant-Based Meats are a Healthy Alternative for Meat Lovers. It’s not just the flavor that makes these products so popular—they’re also more environmentally friendly and better for your health.
What are Plant Based Meats?
Plant-based meats, also known as vegan meats or meat alternatives, are products designed to resemble traditional meat products, such as burgers, sausages, and chicken nuggets, but are made entirely from plant-based ingredients. They have gained popularity in recent years due to the increasing demand for meat alternatives, and people are looking for healthier, more sustainable, and ethical options.
10 Reasons Why Plant Based Meats Are Better
Here’s what you need to know about them:
- They’re Made From Plants Instead of Animals.
Animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of climate change because it requires large amounts of water and land to produce enough food to feed our growing population. Animal products require much more energy to process than those derived from plants, which means they use up more fossil fuels in their production. And when animals die on factory farms, they release methane into the atmosphere as well as other greenhouse gases.
Plant-based foods have none of these issues. Because they come from plants instead of animals, they don’t contribute any emissions or waste to the environment. Plus, since most people can eat all of their protein requirements with whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, beans, lentils, eggs, dairy, fish, poultry, and seafood, there isn’t really a reason to consume animal flesh at all.
- They Use Less Water and Land Than Regular Meats.
Growing crops takes a lot of time, space, and resources—and raising livestock uses even more. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the average cow eats 1,500 pounds of grain each day. That’s five times the amount an adult human needs per day! So if we stopped feeding cows altogether, we could save hundreds of millions of tons of grain every year. But that assumes no other changes take place. If you still want that steak, you’ll need to raise another 400 million cattle to meet your demand. This would mean using twice as many acres of grassland, taking up twice as much water, and producing four times the manure. Not only does this make farming less efficient, but it contributes significantly to global warming by releasing carbon dioxide back into the air from its decomposition.
In contrast, plants grow quickly, reproduce easily, and don’t require nearly as much maintenance. The Worldwatch Institute estimates that planting soybeans will create 10 times fewer environmental problems than raising beef cattle. In fact, the FAO reports that the world produces enough food to feed everyone without relying on animal products.
- They Are More Nutritious Than Their Real-Life Counterparts.
Meat is high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories, yet low in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids. Eating meat has been linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s Disease. These negative effects are largely due to meat being very concentrated in proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. When compared side by side with plant-based alternatives, meats aren’t really nutritionally superior. For example, a 3 oz serving of 80% lean ground turkey contains about 100 mg of iron, while a similar portion of chickpeas provides about 200 mg of iron. A cup of cooked brown rice contains almost three times more vitamin B12 than a burger patty, and two cups of spinach contain six times more calcium.
- They’re Good for Our Health.
The American Heart Association recommends eating less red and processed meat to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and premature death. Animal products also contain antibiotics and hormones that may cause inflammation in the body, which is associated with chronic illnesses like arthritis and asthma. On the other hand, plant-based foods are free of these harmful substances, making them healthier options overall.
These foods provide a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. In fact, the World Health Organization recommends that adults eat at least two and half servings of whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, beans, lentils, eggs, dairy, fish, poultry, and seafood each day.
- They Taste Better.
One of the main reasons people choose to eat meat over vegetables and grains is because they taste better. However, the truth is, these flavors can be reproduced with the right ingredients and cooking methods. Plant-based meats can often taste just as good, if not better, than their real counterparts. A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that lab-grown burgers were more popular with consumers than those made from animals. Click here to learn more.
- They’re Cheaper and Easier to Make Than Meat.
Making homemade meals from scratch can cost you money and time, especially if you don’t have the skills to cook from scratch. Plus, depending on where you live, the availability of fresh, affordable, local, and sustainable produce can vary. Plant-based meats, on the other hand, are more economical and easy to prepare. Plus, they’re usually more convenient because they can be stored indefinitely (unlike most fruits and veggies).
- They Help Save Animals from Suffering.
Animal agriculture causes immense suffering to animals, and animal cruelty is wrong no matter what the reason. According to Mercy for Animals, factory farms house billions of animals at a time, with 1.3 billion of those confined indoors. This means they spend their entire lives in tiny cages, unable to move around or even stretch out. They can’t see sunlight, and many of them don’t even have access to water. They end up living in filth, and even when they get sick, there isn’t much that can be done to help them.
When it comes to saving animals, animal products are the worst option. Instead of spending our resources on raising animals to feed us, we should invest in the plants that already grow naturally in the earth. And if we want to make sure we have enough food to go around, we need to start by feeding ourselves.
- They Reduce Carbon Emissions.
If we stopped producing meat altogether, the world would save an enormous amount of carbon emissions. According to the FAO, global livestock production accounts for 18 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the equivalent of adding another 5.3 gigatons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year. This number doesn’t even include the methane released from cows’ flatulence and manure.
- They Are Good for the Environment.
A 2015 report from the United Nations states that animal products are responsible for about 14.5% of global warming, while plant-based products contribute only 7.2%. The FAO also reports that animal products use up to 70 times more water than plants, and that raising cattle requires nine times as much land per pound of meat produced compared to growing crops.
- They’re Cheaper Than Real Meats.
The cost of meat is rising due to the demand from people like you. To keep prices low, producers often cut corners, which can lead to poor quality and safety standards. This means that you may end up with food that’s not as nutritious, safe, and tasty.
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