Nutritional Assessment of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives: A Comparison of Nutritional Information of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives in Spanish Supermarkets

Abstract

Since the classification of processed meat as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015, an increase in consumption of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) has been observed worldwide. This occurs in a context characterized by concern for health, animal welfare, and sustainability; however, evidence of their nutritional quality is still limited. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the nutritional profile and processing degree of PBMAs available in Spain. In 2020, products from seven Spanish supermarkets were analyzed for their nutritional content and ingredients. Of the 148 products, the majority were low in sugars but moderate in carbohydrates, total and saturated fat, and high in salt. The main vegetable protein sources were soy (91/148) and wheat gluten (42/148). Comparatively, 43/148 contained animal protein, the most common being egg. Overall, PBMAs had a long list of ingredients and additives, and they were classified as ultra-processed foods (UPFs) according to the NOVA system. This study shows that the PBMAs available in Spanish supermarkets have a variable nutritional composition within and between categories. Further research is needed to determine if replacing meat with these UPFs could be a good alternative towards healthier and more sustainable dietary patterns.

Plant‐based meat alternatives in South Africa: An analysis of products on supermarket shelves

“…Globally, there are published studies that have assessed the market availability, nutritional content, and claims of PBMA products (Cole et al., 2021 ; Curtain & Grafenauer, 2019a ; Franca et al., 2022 ; Rizzolo‐Brime et al., 2023 ; Tonheim et al., 2022 ). In South Africa, however, there is currently no known published literature on the availability, product line offerings, nutritional content, and health impact assessment of PBMA products available in the retail market.…”

Development of the VEGANScreener, a Tool for a Quick Diet Quality Assessment among Vegans in Europe

“…Finally, respondents noted that the sub-question on the salt content of vegan meat alternatives could be difficult to answer with only "yes" and "no" options, as some respondents might not know whether they were choosing it or not. Given that our team's intention was to capture those who take care to choose products not overly high in sodium, we added a response "do not know" to the answer scheme, assuming that those who do not intentionally choose low-sodium products from the meat alternatives category are most likely consuming sodium-rich ones [62][63][64].…”

“…As already mentioned, some vegan cheese or vegan butter products are coconut oil-and/or shea butter-based and contain high amounts of saturated fats, making them potentially unhealthy [65]. Some vegan meat alternatives and snacks may also contain excessive amounts of sodium [62][63][64]. Finally, while many of these novel products are classified as ultra-processed foods [34,66], some of which are associated with adverse health outcomes in large studies [67,68], others are not [69].…”

Article Review: Role and Functionality of Ingredients in Plant-Based Meat Analogue Burgers

“…Animal-based burgers consist mainly of proteins and fats and to a lesser extent of seasoning, salt, and binders. Plant-based burgers follow relatively the same recipe however the nutritional composition can differ substantially [17,19,21,24]. The principal constituents of the plant-based burgers are texturized vegetable proteins and to a lesser extent, flours, protein concentrates or isolates, fats, and other minor components such as binders, seasonings, salt etc.…”