A recent study indicates that plant-based meats, while similar in taste and texture to animal products, generally contain more carbohydrates and less protein, with varying levels of amino acids and protein digestibility. The research suggests the need for greater consumer awareness of these nutritional differences.
Plant-based meats have impressively mimicked a range of animal products, from beef to seafood. However, the question remains: how do they stack up nutritionally? According to a recent study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry published by ACS, while some plant-based alternatives like “plant steaks” and “plant cold cuts” may rival real meats in certain aspects, they fall short in areas such as amino
Meat products (top left, veal; bottom left, bresaola) tend to contain more proteins and amino acids than their plant-based alternatives (right). Credit: Adapted from Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2024, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08956
Methodology and Initial Findings
The team, based in Italy, collected three different plant-based steaks and three different plant-based cold cuts. Veal steaks were used as a comparison point for the plant steaks, whereas ham and beef cold cuts were compared to their respective plant-based substitutes. The fat, salt and protein content of each was measured, then the samples underwent a simulated digestion in the lab to understand how well the proteins break down in a human’s digestive tract.
- The plant-based products contained more carbohydrates, less protein, and reduced amino acid content than their meat-based counterparts.
- Plant steaks and the veal samples were comparable in terms of essential amino acid content and digestibility.
- Plant cold cuts generally had less salt than the meats and contained fewer essential DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08956
The authors acknowledge funding from the Emilia Romagna Region of Italy for this work.