Is fake meat safe for metabolic health?

I’m willing to bet you’ve tried alternative meat products. With all the funding behind them, you’ve at least seen an ad or two. 

The question is, are they good for you? I’m not talking about taste or texture — I’m talking about the safety of your metabolic health.

As the research suggests, it’s likely not a safe bet.

I’ll show you the research so you can come to your own conclusions.

A fly-by look at artificial meats

Meat alternatives are nothing new. We’ve been pressing soybeans for tofu since 200 BCE. 

But modern technology has fast-tracked more processed alternatives. Today, we have hundreds of artificial meats designed to substitute chicken, beef, pork, and fish.

Let’s look at the most common options:

• Plant-based: Possibly the most well-known of the bunch. This includes brands like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.
• Fungus-based: As the name implies, these are made from mycoproteins. The most popular brand-name example is Quorn, which mainly uses a combination of Fusarium venenatum and egg whites. Calysta offers a similar meat alternative, although they rely on bacterial protein rather than fungal. 
• Lab-based: Lab-grown meat, AKA cell-derived meat, refers to proteins grown in an artificial environment. Scientists take stem cells from a donor animal, grow them in a bioreactor, then separate and rearrange them to build ‘meat.’ Lab-based meat isn’t sold in the US yet, but there are startups developing artificial chicken muscle and 3D-printed fish and beef.

Artificial meat has attracted thousands of investors, with a total value of around $10.33 billion worldwide. Even major health organizations have jumped on the bandwagon. Beyond Meat, for example, is recommended by the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association.

But considering plant-based meats are directly correlated with diabetes and heart disease, you might wonder how objective these ratings really are. It isn’t surprising if you look at their track record: the ADA’s guidelines for diabetics and the AHA’s dietary recommendations have been heavily criticized in recent years.

So the question is, just how safe is fake meat really?

Let’s take a peek behind the curtain.

The problems of ‘meat’ analogues

I’ll start with what we already know.

First: artificial meat is nutritionally empty. Vitamin B12 in red meat, for example, is created by bacteria in the animal’s stomach (rumen). This isn’t inherent to artificial meat, which usually requires some kind of additive or supplementation.

This isn’t unique to fake meat, however. Other plant-based alternatives like plant milk and artificial eggs are lower in nutrition and require supplementation to make them ’healthier.’ They’re also more likely to contain added sugar and preservatives, both of which are associated with poorer health outcomes.

So perhaps unsurprisingly, fake meat and real meat are polar opposites. There are many missing pieces beyond vitamins and minerals. 

Here’s a quick comparison for clarity:

We know that high-carb diets are linked to poorer health outcomes (think type 2 diabetes and hyperinsulinemia). We also know that high-fiber diets could potentially worsen chronic illness and autoimmune disease. 

And contrary to popular belief, saturated fat isn’t bad for you. It’s actually a far better alternative than the unsaturated fats found in fake meat. Vegetable oils and seed oils like sunflower and canola are directly associated with inflammation and heart disease. 

It’s true that artificial meat offers larger amounts of protein, but it’s still fairly modest compared to animal protein. A four-ounce serving offers 18 grams of protein compared to 21 grams in 85% ground beef. And keep in mind this is plant-based protein, which is less bioavailable than animal protein.

As for lab-grown meat, we have very little to go on. So far there have been no published studies discussing its quality, bioavailability, and nutrient quality. That said, experts indicate it may require significant processing to reach nutrient density, which doesn’t bode well for the health of the consumer.

It’s important to note that all fake meat requires heavy processing. This could be several days for extracting and emulsifying materials, or even months for growing fungus or cell proteins. Studies show that the more processed a food is, the less likely it is to benefit metabolic health. 

Even beyond its nutritional qualities, fake meat products have been shown to negatively affect metabolic health. In a study of British vegetarians, people who consumed plant-based meat alternatives had these outcomes:

• 42% more likely to be depressed
• More likely to suffer from inflammation
• Higher blood pressure
• Lower HDL (good) cholesterol

In other words, people who eat plant-based food only still fare significantly better than those who consume fake meat.

In other words, it doesn’t matter what diet you follow. Artificial meat won’t do your health any favors. 

Other reasons to avoid fake meat

As you can see, fake meat doesn’t offer many health benefits — and in many cases, it could negatively impact your metabolic health.

But there are many other reasons why it should be kept off your grocery list. For example:

• It’s not better for people. Switching to artificial meat benefits large-scale manufacturers — not the hardworking farmers producing the ingredients that go in it. If you want to eat plant-based, by all means purchase products from your local farmer’s market. You can even cook your own meat alternatives at home so you know exactly what’s on the ingredient’s list.
• It’s not better for your wallet. Plant-based meats are historically more expensive than real animal protein, with an average price of ~$6.70 per pound. Lab grown meat will be even more expensive, to the tune of $17 to $23 per pound (not including taxes or grocery store markups). Considering a pound of ground beef costs barely over $6, this is a ~350% price increase without any of the nutritional benefits.
• It’s not better for the planet. It might be a popular marketing message, but no: fake meat isn’t all that ‘green.’ One estimate found fake meat is 25 times more costly to the environment than traditionally farmed meat. It’s significantly worse than regenerative or silvopasture farming.

What to eat instead of fake meat

So, is fake meat safe?

Not according to the research.  

It’s a highly processed food with poor nutritional density, not to mention copious amounts of salt and seed oil. It’s also a driver of poor health outcomes, even for those following whole-food diets.

If you want my opinion, I’d say steer clear — whether you’re a vegan, a carnivore, or something in between.

Instead, I suggest eating:

• Whole, real foods that don’t have more than five things on the ingredient’s label
• A high protein diet with moderate fat and low carbohydrates
• Nutrient-dense seafood if red meat is off the table (think salmon, shrimp, mussels, etc)
• An unlimited number of eggs per day 

If you must have meat alternatives, go for whole, real options. Mushrooms are a popular choice, although some people enjoy unripe jackfruit too.

But at the end of the day, animal-based is best.

I wrote more about that in the following articles:

• You need to be careful of plant-based diets
• You’re not getting the truth about whole, real food
• The unspoken problem of vegan diets