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By now youve definitely heard of (and probably tried)Beyond MeatandImpossible Foodsburgers.
These brands shook up the fast food world with alt-beef.
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Taco Bell is testingusing pulled oatsfor vegan pulled chickenin certain locations in Europe.
Canned tuna giant Bumble Beejust announced a partnershipto distribute and market the vegan alt-fish brandGood Catch.
And Nestle announced its own vegan tuna saladin partnership withfood science brand Burcon.
But do all alt-meat products necessarily trump their real-world counterparts in terms of nutrition and environmental sustainability?
The reality is nuanced.
Are meat alternatives better for the environment?
Animal farming requires huge amounts of land, grains, and water.
That creates un-resilient farms that cant withstand climate change, says Bergen.
I hope these companies will put real thought into their options, Bergen says.
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Are alt-meat burgers better for your health than the real thing?
The nutritional argument for alt-meat is more complex.
However, many alt-meat products use coconut oilwhich is equally high in saturated fat, note nutritionists.
The American Heart Association recommends2300 mg of sodium total daily, which adds up quickly.
Youre getting such a mix of additives and preservatives…to get to make it taste good.
Thus, when you choose any alt-meat product, check the ingredients list.
Want to add a bit of alt-meat to your diet?
Beef is the biggest greenhouse gas contributor in our diets.
However poultry farming creates water pollution that has been linked todead zones in the Chesapeake Bay.
If youre craving alt-chicken, enjoy it once in a while.
While fish overall has a smaller climate impact than cattle or poultry, theseafood industry negatively impacts ocean ecosystems.
Many species of tuna are endangered by overfishing, says Bergen.
Cook up your own using fish, beans, or lentils.
If youre making it yourself, you dont need extra salt to preserve shelf-life, says Zeitlin.
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