Are Plant-Based Alternatives Really All That Bad For You?

By: Erica Batad, Undergraduate Student in Dietetics & Nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Photo by Pexels/Cottonbro Studio

It is clear that there is an increased public interest in vegan and vegetarian diets. As a result soy based meat and dairy alternatives have been on the rise. One of the biggest criticisms of plant-based alternatives however, is that these types of products are unhealthy and ultra-processed. So this raises the question, are plant-based alternatives really all that bad for you?

What is considered ultra-processed?

Ultra-processed foods contain more calories per gram, cause a faster rise in blood glucose, can override one's ability to control how much they eat, and bring about difficulties in feeling satiated. Plant-based meat alternatives contain concentrated sources of soy protein like soy protein isolate and soy protein concentrate. Soy milks contain added sugars and emulsifiers. Based on this information, these soy based alternatives have been classified as ultra-processed foods. The idea of classifying soy based meat and dairy alternatives as ultra-processed heavily influences whether consumers accept these types of products as good enough to buy.  

The textural and structural changes that occur in processed foods may increase the rate at which ultra-processed foods are consumed. This may be linked to the notion that ultra-processed foods are less filling than minimally processed foods, so more needs to be consumed to feel full. However, evidence suggests that these attributes do not apply to alternatives that are soy-based. 

The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) stated that food-processing includes enrichment and fortification to add essential nutrients that otherwise would have been missing. In addition to that, “processed foods are nutritionally important to American diets because they contribute to food security, ensuring that sufficient food is available, and nutrition security, ensuring that food quality meets human nutrient needs” (Messina et al., 2022). This alone demonstrates that the degree to which a food is processed cannot automatically determine how “healthy” it is.

Soy protein

Of all the plant-based alternatives out there, a soy base is very common. Soy protein ingredients vary from soy protein isolate (SPI), soy protein concentrate (SPC), and soy flour, in which the amount of protein within each are 90%, 65-90%, and 50-65%, respectively.

The USDA requires that for a protein source to be considered high-quality, it must receive a score of at least 0.8 on the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). Studies have been done for years to examine the quality of soy protein. Soy protein isolate had scores that ranged from 0.95 to 1.02 and soy protein concentrate had scores ranging from 1.02 to 1.05, demonstrating that these soy protein ingredients are high-quality. 

Plant-based meat and dairy

With assessments on the effects of plant-based meat alternatives on diets, it has been found that these substitutes can provide roughly the same composition of nutrients that regular meat products offer. Plant-based substitutes containing soy were found to be more nutritionally adequate as an alternative for animal products in comparison to other plant-based substitutes. 

An experiment was conducted that compared the effects of consuming about 2.5 servings per day of pea- and soy protein-based meat alternatives for 8 weeks on nutrient intake and cardiovascular disease markers, in comparison to meat-based counterparts. With the plant-based alternatives, LDL cholesterol was reduced, saturated fat was lower, and fiber intake was higher. No differences were found in regards to sodium and protein intake. Based on these findings, it is safe to assume that plant-based meat alternatives do not impose a huge risk to overall health. 

One of the biggest differences between soy milk and cow milk is the carbohydrate content. Soy milk contains sucrose and about 2 grams of fiber per serving. It also has a lower percentage of calories from carbohydrates. Cow milk on the other hand does not contain fiber but does contain lactose (a protein often linked with an increased inflammatory response).

Summary

Plant-based meat and dairy alternatives are very convenient for vegans and vegetarians to substitute for animal products without having to compromise any meal patterns or food habits they had before switching diets. While plant-based meat alternatives can be great replacements for real meat, it is important to choose products that contain low sodium and sugar but are high in fiber, protein, and overall nutrient density. As far as soy milks, consumers should choose options that are protein rich, low in sugar, and fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Of course there are other dairy alternatives made up of different bases such as pea, almond, cashew, oat, and more. But for consumers that are looking for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives that are high in protein, soy-based products are recommended. If you have questions about what is right for you on your wellness journey consult a registered dietitian today.

References

Messina, M., Sievenpiper, J. L., Williamson, P., Kiel, J., & Erdman, J. W. Jr. (2022). Perspective: Soy-based Meat and Dairy Alternatives, Despite Classification as Ultra-processed Foods, Deliver High-quality Nutrition on par with Unprocessed or Minimally Processed Animal-based Counterparts. Advances in Nutrition, 13(3), 726-738. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac026