Vegans have traditionally been a healthy bunch, tucking into beans, legumes, lentils and other whole foods to nourish themselves.
But thanks to the food industry’s response to the plant-based eating trend, we’ve seen the rise of the ultra-processed vegan.
Yet diets high in red meat and processed meat (such as bacon and ham) also increase the risk of diseases such as colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
So which is healthier: eating meat and meat products such as pies, bacon, ham and sausage, or replacing them with their vegan alternatives, made from a range of plant proteins and soya?
Here, Rob Hobson, registered nutritionist, consultant for supplement brand Healthspan and author of Unprocess Your Life: Break Free From Ultra-Processed Foods for Good, takes a look…
100% BEEF BURGER vs. PLANT BURGER (made with pea and rice protein)
HOBSON’S VERDICT: The plant burger is slightly higher in energy, but both provide a good source of protein.
The vegan burger uses a combination of vegetable proteins that provide all essential amino acids, just like beef does.
The beef option contains fewer ingredients and a preservative to help extend the product’s shelf life, while the vegan option requires stabilizers and emulsifiers to provide the right texture and mouthfeel (and extend shelf life).
The plant burger is unlikely to provide significant amounts of iron and B12 found in the beef burger.
Research published in the BMJ showed that higher intake of emulsifiers, including methylcellulose (E461), was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, although more research is needed to prove cause and effect.
The plant-based option is no healthier nutritionally than the beef burger and is more ultra-processed.
The winner: BEEF BURGER
CHICKEN NUGGETS vs. VEGETABLE NUGGETS (made with soy protein)
HOBSON’S VERDICT: The chicken nuggets used in this analysis are a very inexpensive brand, which is much more ultra-processed than some of the more expensive brands that contain fewer ingredients and additives.
Regardless of cost, vegan brands tend to contain more ingredients and additives.
Nutritionally, the vegan options contain only slightly more calories, but the nutritional profile is quite similar (although they will lack some of the nutritional density of the chicken versions), as many of the ingredients used in the vegan nuggets have very little nutritional value. .
The winner: CHICKEN NUGGETS
HAM vs. MEAT-FREE HAM (made with soy and pea protein)
HOBSON’S VERDICT: Nutritionally, these two products are not that different, except that the meat version contains more salt.
Like many UPF vegan foods, the ingredient list is much longer than the meat version and contains more additives needed to create the right texture.
Carrageenan gum is used extensively in ultra-processed foods to make a product thicker and more stable. Questions have been raised about the pro-inflammatory effect of this food additive and the impact it has on the gut microbiome, although more research is needed.
The World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting consumption of processed meat as it is associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer due to the nitrites used to preserve the meat.
A large systematic review of prospective studies found that processed meat consumption was associated with a 21 percent increased risk of colon cancer and 22 percent increased risk of rectal cancer.
I think there are pros and cons to both products, but personally I would tend to avoid processed meat in this case.
The winner: VEGAN HAM
CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE VEGAN ‘CHICKEN’ AND MUSHROOM PIE (made with soy protein)
HOBSON’S VERDICT: There is little difference between these two versions of a chicken and mushroom pie.
Nutritionally, these are similar and have the characteristics of ultra-processed foods that are high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, as well as having a very long ingredient list with additives that you wouldn’t find in your own kitchen.
In this case, flavor enhancers such as monosodium glutamate provide an intense taste or savoriness, which can make food super digestible.
This is even more true when combined with other ingredients such as hydrogenated oils and soy lecithin, which are used to create texture and mouthfeel, as they have a creamy texture and likely contribute to the flakiness of the dough in these pies.
The super palatability of UPFs is why it’s hard to stop eating and a reason why UPFs are associated with overconsumption and obesity. In this case, one is not better than the other.
The winner: NONE – BOTH ARE BAD
CHICKEN TENDERS VS VEGAN ‘CHICKEN’ TENDERS (made with soy protein)
HOBSON’S VERDICT: The nutritional profile of these two versions of chicken tenders is relatively similar, although the vegan option contains more ingredients.
Both contain a stabilizer or thickener used to help improve the texture and stability of the food to maintain the product’s shelf life.
Research has suggested that consuming large amounts of cellulose in particular may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but this is not definitive and more research is needed.
However, the vegan option has a much longer ingredient list, so I would opt for the chicken option here.
The winner: CHICKEN TENDERS
Give your vegan diet some va-va voom!
Rob Hobson on how to make sure you get all the nutrients you need on a whole plant-based diet…
Despite all the health benefits of vegan or plant-based eating, both plans can leave you deficient in important nutrients.
The key to eating well as a vegan is careful planning; batch cooking ensures you have a supply of home-cooked meals and prevents last-minute purchases of UPFs.
Make sure your cupboards are stocked with plenty of beans, legumes, lentils, Quorn, cans of tomatoes, herbs and spices.
Even the most diligent vegan must plan carefully to ensure that no nutrient deficiencies are left in their diet.
Tofu, for example, is a good source of omega-3. However, this form of omega-3 – or alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) – is more difficult for the body to process.
Eating only plants can also mean that you are not getting enough protein.
Some foods are sold as meat alternatives, such as jackfruit burgers. Even though they are essentially a protein substitute, some contain no protein.
Meanwhile, vitamin B12, which keeps blood, nerve cells and DNA healthy, is not found in plant foods and so must be taken as a supplement, as from Healthspan Elite Vitamin B12.
Also, the type of iron found in plant foods (non-heme iron) is not as easily absorbed by the body.
Calcium is another nutrient that can be difficult to obtain on a vegan diet if it is not properly designed.