I like the idea of plant based meat.
The issues it has are
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Cost
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Processing
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Market
The first problem is solved with more companies making more meat and competition so we can ignore that as it’s inevitable to come down.
Processing though is hard to ignore. 1 pound of ground beef is MORE HEALTHY for you than 1 pound of impossible burger. Just looking at fats and sodiums.
The final problem is market! Who is this for? Do you really think that something marketed as “just like meat in every way” has an appeal to a vegetarian or vegan that has been with their diet for 2+ years?? So meat eaters, are expected to make the LESS healthy and more expensive choice
Who is this for?
People who want to be vegetarian/vegan, but not give up on the taste and feel of meat products entirely. That is a lot of people.
Also, the whole “processed” thing is a bit overblown. Meat replacements are in large parts healthier than your typical highly processed foods.
Also, the whole “processed” thing is a bit overblown. Meat replacements are in large parts healthier than your typical highly processed foods.
Do you perhaps have a link to a study that says that converting peas into impossible burger yields food healthier than actual meat patty?
Because all I can find says otherwise.
Heck, there was even a SouthPark episode about it.
converting peas into impossible burger yields food healthier than actual meat patty
That is not what I claimed. My claim was merely that not all processed foods are equally unhealthy, as it depends a lot on the actual ingredients and additives, and meat replacements are often on the healthier side of that.
Meat replacements are in large parts healthier than your typical highly processed foods. While that may be true, are they healthier than regular meat?
To reduce the environmental impact of our diet, our family cut down; a few years back; from meat with every evening meal, to meat 3 nights a week. It didn’t take long to get used to the change, and out diet probably became healthier for it.
We are lucky, in that we have the time to prepare most foods from scratch. There is very little ultraprocessed food in out diet. These meat alternatives give me pause, I like the idea of plant based meat alternatives, but the amount of processing to generate the product is concerning.
As far as market goes there are plenty of people who want to become more vegan but just can’t completely kick meat. This is for them. You also have people like a friend of mine that have meat alergies but still miss being able to eat meat. All in all more oprions is never a bad thing.