Plant-Based Diets Are Not Enough? Understanding the Consumption of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Along Ultra-processed Foods in Different Dietary Patterns in Germany

Abstract

A low-processive plant-based diet is considered valuable for a sustainable diet profile—it is supposed to meet health as well as environmental concerns. However, there is a growing trend toward plant-based meat alternatives, most of which are to be classified as ultra-processed food (UPF). The paper aimed to understand the consumption of different ultra-processed foods to describe their relation to dietary patterns and sustainability. The objective was (1) to depict the status-quo of consumption of plant-based meat alternatives along with other UPF groups (i.e., convenience products, fast foods, snacks, ultra-processed beverages) in a German sample (n = 814) and (2) to investigate the extent to which all examined UPFs are represented in different dietary patterns (vegetarian, flexitarian, regular meat-eaters, high meat-eaters). UPF intake and dietary groups were determined using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Potential factors influencing UPF consumption, such as attitudes toward sustainability and healthy eating practices, were assessed using validated and fitted psychometric scales. Overall, the frequency of UPF consumption varies significantly along the product groups studied. Plant-based meat alternatives were the least consumed food (12.3%), followed by convenience products (57.4%), fast foods (55.9%), ultra-processed beverages (80.1%), and sweet and salty snacks (97.3%). Plant-based meat alternative consumption predominated within a vegetarian diet, while other UPFs, like convenience products, fast foods, sweet and salty snacks, and ultra-processed beverages, were mainly consumed by meat-eaters. Remarkably, flexitarian diets depict low consumption of all types of ultra-processed foods. In order to meet societal sustainability goals, diets and corresponding societal and political actions should emphasize not only plant orientation but also the increase of non- and low-processed foods.

Ultra-processing markers are more prevalent in plant-based meat products as compared to their meat-based counterparts in a German food market analysis

“…It needs to be elucidated in future analyses how increased ultra-processing and altered nutrient composition affect the nutritional quality of PBMP as compared to MBP. The current study supports recent evidence that plant-based diets are not necessarily healthy (39–41,46) . Besides ultra-processing and nutrient composition, further aspects of PBMP need to be assessed in future studies which include improving current production techniques, climate change and changing demographics (47,48) .…”

“…Two clusters, that is ‘convenience’ and ‘traditional’ are identified that consist of an array of ultra-processed vegan food items and represent almost half of the participants (40) . In a German sample of 814 participants, PBMP consumption is predominant within a vegetarian diet while other ultra-processed product groups such as convenience, fast foods, snacks and ultra-processed beverages are mainly consumed by meat eaters (41) . Of note, consumption of all types of UPF is lowest in flexitarians (41) .…”

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and its association with sustainable dietary behaviors, sociodemographic factors, and lifestyle: a cross-sectional study in US University students

“…The latter question was anticipated by the definitions of sustainable diets and planetary health plates provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) [ 52 ] and the EAT-Lancet Commission [ 53 ]. Lastly, adapting a question from the questionnaire developed by Ohlau and colleagues [ 54 ], participants were asked to report their frequency of consumption of ultra-processed plant-based meat alternative products. Specifically, a definition of what is meant by these products was provided in the item, along with examples in line with those most consumed in the US.…”

Plant‐based foods as meat and fat substitutes

“…Additionally, most of plant-based meat and fat alternatives have been classified as ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) as they are produced industrially from processed plant-based ingredients (Ohlau et al, 2022). The consumption of UPFs has been associated with an increased risk of obesity and other diet-related noncommunicable diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and diabetes; Monteiro et al, 2018), and as such, healthy nutrition is substantially jeopardized.…”