tag:theconversation.com,2011:/id/topics/plant-based-diet-37268/articlesPlant-based diet – The Conversation2024-03-11T21:26:04Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2217202024-03-11T21:26:04Z2024-03-11T21:26:04ZAllergen warning: “Vegan” foods may contain milk and eggs<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570731/original/file-20240112-29-t9z77z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C0%2C989%2C667&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">When buying pre-packaged foods, consumers with allergies rely on the declarations in the list of ingredients to identify safe foods.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The popularity of vegan diets continues to increase around the world. Indeed, in 2023, the vegan food market grew to <a href="https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/vegan-food-market">more than US$27 billion</a>.</p>
<p>The term “vegan” usually refers to foods that contain no animal ingredients (meat, poultry, eggs, milk, fish, seafood).</p>
<p>While some consumers consider them to be healthier, vegan foods are also an interesting alternative for consumers concerned about the environment, sustainable development, and animal welfare.</p>
<p>But another type of consumer may be turning to these products for a completely different reason: people who are allergic to proteins of animal origin, such as cow’s milk and eggs.</p>
<p>In view of this, <a href="https://parera.ulaval.ca">our research group</a>, a leader in food allergen risk analysis in Canada, decided to explore <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13223-023-00836-w">the following two questions</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Do consumers who are allergic to animal proteins consider vegan products to be safe?</p></li>
<li><p>And, if so, are these products truly safe for them?</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>What’s in it for consumers with allergies?</h2>
<p>The answers to these questions are crucial for people with food allergies who risk suffering potentially severe reactions (anaphylaxis) from consuming these products.</p>
<p>Food allergies affect around <a href="https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(19)30912-2/fulltext">six per cent of Canadians</a>, including 0.8 per cent who are allergic to eggs, and 1.1 per cent to milk.</p>
<p>Despite the fact that different forms <a href="https://foodallergycanada.ca/living-with-allergies/allergy-treatments-and-therapies/treatments-and-therapies/">of immunotherapy or allergen desensitization</a> have shown promising results, the most effective strategy for avoiding allergic reactions is still to refrain from eating foods that may contain allergens.</p>
<p>When buying pre-packaged foods, consumers with allergies rely on declarations in the list of ingredients to identify foods that are safe for them. Regulatory authorities who are responsible for the quality and safety of food recognize the importance of accurate ingredients declarations for allergic consumers. Thus, it is <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-labelling/allergen-labelling.html">mandatory</a> to list every allergen that has been voluntarily added to a pre-packaged food item.</p>
<p>However, when it comes to ingredients that may be unintentionally present — for example, as due to cross-contact during food processing — there is a regulatory gap. These ingredients are generally identified with the warning “may contain,” which is used (or sometimes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213219818300102">overused</a>) voluntarily and randomly by food processors.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the term “vegan” is neither standardized nor defined in Canadian regulations. In fact, <a href="https://inspection.canada.ca/food-labels/labelling/industry/composition-and-quality/eng/1625516122300/1625516122800?chap=2">the Canadian Food Inspection Agency</a> notes that, with regard to the use of the term “vegan,”</p>
<blockquote>
<p>…companies can apply additional criteria or standards that take account of other factors in addition to the ingredients of the food.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, details or examples of these elements are not provided. This lack of a precise regulatory definition prevents the implementation of compliance requirements.</p>
<p>Yet, most <a href="https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/search/site?search_api_fulltext=vegan">recalls</a> of products marketed as “vegan” are due to the presence of undeclared ingredients of animal origin, in particular milk and eggs.</p>
<h2>What do consumers with food allergies say?</h2>
<p>In this context, and as part of a <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2583779/v1">survey</a> of consumers with allergies conducted in collaboration with <a href="https://foodallergycanada.ca">Food Allergy Canada</a>, we asked participants who indicated that they were allergic (or were the parents of a child who was allergic) to eggs or milk if they bought products marketed as “vegan.”</p>
<p>Of the 337 respondents, 72 per cent said they sometimes included these products in their purchases, 14 per cent said they always did, and 14 per cent never.</p>
<p>These <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13223-023-00836-w">results</a> suggest that these consumers do, indeed, consider the claim “vegan” as an indicator of the absence of animal proteins — an absence which, again, is not supported by any regulatory requirement or definition.</p>
<p>Since the absence of these ingredients is not guaranteed, these consumption habits could put people who are allergic to eggs and/or milk at risk.</p>
<p>An education campaign to clarify that the term “vegan” is an indicator of dietary <em>preferences</em> and not <em>risks</em> would therefore be important for this community.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="dark chocolate" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569134/original/file-20240112-29-5nq5bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some dark chocolate bars marketed as ‘certified vegan’ contain milk proteins.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Do vegan products contain ingredients of animal origin?</h2>
<p>The fact that 86 per cent of survey respondents buy “vegan” products suggests that the incidence of allergic reactions linked to these foods is potentially rare.</p>
<p>We therefore <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13223-023-00836-w">analyzed</a> the egg and milk protein content of “vegan” and “plant-based” products marketed in Québec.</p>
<p>A total of 124 products were analyzed for the presence of egg (64) and/or milk (87) proteins.</p>
<p>Egg protein was not detected in any samples, but five samples contained milk proteins: these included four dark chocolate bars marketed as “certified vegan” and a supermarket brand chestnut cake.</p>
<p>These five products declared the potential presence of milk with a warning, “may contain milk.”</p>
<p>We used the concentrations of milk proteins quantified in these products, combined with the quantities of the food that would be consumed in a single eating occasion, to calculate an exposure dose, in milligrams of allergen protein. We then estimated the probability of these doses provoking a reaction in the allergic populations concerned by using <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691520307213">correlation models</a>. Our results show that the calculated doses could trigger reactions in six per cent of milk-allergic consumers, for the chocolate bars, and one per cent, for the cake.</p>
<h2>How can consumers with food allergies protect themselves?</h2>
<p>Although this level of risk may be perceived as low, it is likely to vary without notice. And this will remain the case until regulatory requirements are put in place.</p>
<p>In fact, rather than attributing it to the presence of a “vegan” or “plant-based” claim, this level of risk most likely reflects <a href="https://www.cell.com/heliyon/pdf/S2405-8440(22)02590-7.pdf">good allergen management practices</a>, characteristic of the North American food manufacturing sector.</p>
<p>Thus, even if a statement “may contain milk” seems contradictory in a “vegan” or “plant-based” product, people allergic to milk should interpret it as an indication that this product may pose a risk to their health.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221720/count.gif" alt="La Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Samuel Godefroy's research activities are funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Foreign Agriculture Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, R-Biopharm GmbH and R-Biopharm Canada Inc. He acts as an expert advisor to members of the food and beverage industry, international organizations (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the World Bank), international food regulatory bodies such as the China National Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment and consumer organizations such as Food Allergy Canada. Godefroy is Chairman of the Board of the Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jérémie Théolier et Silvia Dominguez ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur poste universitaire.</span></em></p>Vegan foods are considered by most consumers to have no ingredients of animal origin, but they may actually contain milk proteins.Silvia Dominguez, Professionnelle de recherche en sciences des aliments, Université LavalJérémie Théolier, Professionel de recherche en sciences des aliments, Université LavalSamuel Godefroy, Professeur titulaire - Sciences des aliments, Université LavalLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2229912024-02-22T19:21:00Z2024-02-22T19:21:00ZWe looked at 700 plant-based foods to see how healthy they really are. Here’s what we found<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/576089/original/file-20240215-24-n2yy4i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C1%2C998%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/womans-hand-holding-homemade-vegan-burger-1963150717">YesPhotographers/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you’re thinking about buying plant-based foods, a trip to the supermarket can leave you bewildered.</p>
<p>There are plant-based burgers, sausages and mince. The fridges are loaded with non-dairy milk, cheese and yoghurt. Then there are the tins of beans and packets of tofu.</p>
<p>But how much is actually healthy?</p>
<p>Our nutritional audit of more than 700 plant-based foods for sale in Australian supermarkets has just been <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157524000516">published</a>. We found some products are so high in salt or saturated fat, we’d struggle to call them “healthy”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-vegans-are-coming-whats-fuelling-the-interest-in-plant-based-eating-123869">The vegans are coming! What's fuelling the interest in plant-based eating?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>We took (several) trips to the supermarket</h2>
<p>In 2022, we visited two of each of four major supermarket retailers across Melbourne to collect information on the available range of plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy products.</p>
<p>We took pictures of the products and their nutrition labels.</p>
<p>We then analysed the nutrition information on the packaging of more than 700 of these products. This included 236 meat substitutes, 169 legumes and pulses, 50 baked beans, 157 dairy milk substitutes, 52 cheese substitutes and 40 non-dairy yoghurts.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/4-plant-based-foods-to-eat-every-week-and-why-science-suggests-theyre-good-for-you-157235">4 plant-based foods to eat every week (and why science suggests they're good for you)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Plant-based meats were surprisingly salty</h2>
<p>We found a wide range of plant-based meats for sale. So, it’s not surprising we found large variations in their nutrition content. </p>
<p>Sodium, found in added salt and which contributes to <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/bundles/healthy-living-and-eating/salt-and-heart-health">high blood pressure</a>, was our greatest concern.</p>
<p>The sodium content varied from 1 milligram per 100 grams in products such as tofu, to 2,000mg per 100g in items such as plant-based mince products.</p>
<p>This means we could eat our entire <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/salt">daily recommended sodium intake</a> in just one bowl of plant-based mince. </p>
<p>An <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09637486.2022.2137786">audit</a> of 66 plant-based meat products in Australian supermarkets conducted in 2014 found sodium ranged from 316mg in legume-based products to 640mg in tofu products, per 100g. In a <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/11/2603">2019 audit</a> of 137 products, the range was up to 1,200mg per 100g.</p>
<p>In other words, the results of our audit seems to show a consistent trend of plant-based meats <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09637486.2022.2137786">getting saltier</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C5%2C998%2C733&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Plant-based meat on supermarket shelves" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C5%2C998%2C733&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575850/original/file-20240215-20-m7vzdu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Looking for plant-based meat? Check the label for the sodium content.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/beyond-meat-impossible-foods-burger-patties-1981692338">Michael Vi/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/remind-me-again-why-is-salt-bad-for-you-179768">Remind me again, why is salt bad for you?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What about plant-based milks?</h2>
<p>Some 70% of the plant-based milks we audited were fortified with calcium, a nutrient important for <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/calcium">bone health</a>.</p>
<p>This is good news as a <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/5/1254">2019-2020 audit</a> of 115 plant-based milks from Melbourne and Sydney found only 43% of plant-based milks were fortified with calcium.</p>
<p>Of the fortified milks in our audit, almost three-quarters (73%) contained the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/milk-yoghurt-cheese-andor-their-alternatives-mostly-reduced-fat">recommended amount of calcium</a> – at least 100mg per 100mL.</p>
<p>We also looked at the saturated fat content of plant-based milks. </p>
<p>Coconut-based milks had on average up to six times higher saturated fat content than almond, oat or soy milks. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/5/1254">Previous audits</a> also found coconut-based milks were much higher in saturated fat than all other categories of milks.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Supermarket shelves of plant-based milks" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/575851/original/file-20240215-18-f937ou.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some plant-based milks were healthier than others.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/penang-malaysia-8-mar-2021-various-1932932891">TY Lim/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/soy-oat-almond-rice-coconut-dairy-which-milk-is-best-for-our-health-146869">Soy, oat, almond, rice, coconut, dairy: which 'milk' is best for our health?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A first look at cheese and yoghurt alternatives</h2>
<p>Our audit is the first study to identify the range of cheese and yoghurt alternatives available in Australian supermarkets. </p>
<p>Calcium was only labelled on a third of plant-based yoghurts, and only 20% of supermarket options met the recommended 100mg of calcium per 100g. </p>
<p>For plant-based cheeses, most (92%) were not fortified with calcium. Their sodium content varied from 390mg to 1,400mg per 100g, and saturated fat ranged from 0g to 28g per 100g.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/plain-greek-low-fat-how-to-choose-a-healthy-yoghurt-94295">Plain, Greek, low-fat? How to choose a healthy yoghurt</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So, what should we consider when shopping?</h2>
<p>As a general principle, try to choose whole plant foods, such as unprocessed legumes, beans or tofu. These foods are packed with vitamins and minerals. They’re also high in dietary fibre, which is good for your gut health and keeps you fuller for longer.</p>
<p>If opting for a processed plant-based food, here are five tips for choosing a healthier option.</p>
<p><strong>1. Watch the sodium</strong></p>
<p>Plant-based meat alternatives can be high in sodium, so look for products that have <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/how-understand-food-labels/food-labels-what-look">around</a> 150-250mg sodium per 100g. </p>
<p><strong>2. Pick canned beans and legumes</strong></p>
<p>Canned chickpeas, lentils and beans can be healthy and low-cost <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/71522940-decf-436a-ba44-cd890dc18036/Meat-Free-Recipe-Booklet.pdf">additions to many meals</a>. Where you can, choose canned varieties with no added salt, especially when buying baked beans.</p>
<p><strong>3. Add herbs and spices to your tofu</strong></p>
<p>Tofu can be a great alternative to meat. Check the label and pick the option with the highest calcium content. We found flavoured tofu was higher in salt and sugar content than minimally processed tofu. So it’s best to pick an unflavoured option and add your own flavours with spices and herbs.</p>
<p><strong>4. Check the calcium</strong></p>
<p>When choosing a non-dairy alternative to milk, such as those made from soy, oat, or rice, check it is fortified with calcium. A good alternative to traditional dairy will have at least 100mg of calcium per 100g. </p>
<p><strong>5. Watch for saturated fat</strong></p>
<p>If looking for a lower saturated fat option, almond, soy, rice and oat varieties of milk and yoghurt alternatives have much lower saturated fat content than coconut options. Pick those with less than 3g per 100g.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222991/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Marchese receives funding from a Deakin University Postgraduate Research Scholarship and a CSIRO R+ top-up scholarship. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Katherine Livingstone receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP117380) and the National Heart Foundation (ID106800). </span></em></p>You might be surprised how salty or fatty some plant-based foods are. Not so healthy now, are they?Laura Marchese, PhD Student at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin UniversityKatherine Livingstone, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2209212024-01-23T17:16:13Z2024-01-23T17:16:13ZMeat and dairy industry giants hold the plant power behind many vegan brands<p>“Cast a vote for a greener planet, lower food bills, better health and kindness to animals. And you don’t even have to wait for a general election,” states the global <a href="https://veganuary.com/">Veganuary</a> campaign that encourages people to eat plant-based throughout January. </p>
<p>Transforming the world’s food system through large-scale reduction in meat production is essential if we are to preserve the planet’s natural ecosystems. But I don’t believe Veganuary’s solution is the way to do that. </p>
<p>While the switch to eating vegan food may seem empowering, it places an unrealistic pressure upon consumers to drive the shift to plant-based foods. By failing to highlight the state-backed corporate power at the heart of the food system, Veganuary arguably disempowers its followers. </p>
<p>In collaboration with Charis Davis, MA student in development studies at SOAS University of London, I researched the ownership structure and marketing strategies of several plant-based food companies. We found that many brands that are celebrated for sustainable plant-based food production are owned by giant meat and dairy companies implicated in allegations of large-scale environmental destruction. </p>
<p>Take <a href="https://vivera.com/">Vivera</a>, a pioneer in plant-based food. The Dutch company produces a wide range of vegetarian and vegan food, such as vegan hot dogs, plant salmon fillets, Tex Mex strips and vegan steak. The Vivera website suggests that consumers should buy vegan products to “make a huge difference for human health and the wellbeing of the planet” and states that “you can improve the world with every bite you take by eating plant-based foods”.</p>
<p>However, Vivera’s online marketing and product packaging do not highlight to consumers that it is owned by JBS, the world’s largest meat producer. Every day <a href="https://www.iatp.org/documents/behind-curtain-jbs-net-zero-pledge">JBS’s global operations slaughter</a> 8.7 million birds, 92,600 hogs and 42,700 head of cattle, according to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, a US-based thinktank.</p>
<p>JBS’s purchase of Vivera in 2021 does not signify a move away from meat. Shortly after acquiring the plant-based food company, it announced plans to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/brazils-jbs-buy-plant-based-meat-company-vivera-341-mln-euros-filing-2021-04-19/">invest US$130 million</a> in two of its US beef processing plants, to increase cattle slaughtering capacity by around 300,000 a year. <a href="https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/big-beef-watch/">JBS</a> is the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/climate/amazon-deforestation-jbs.html&source=gmail-imap&ust=1705593311000000&usg=AOvVaw2DSZS3UHuMbEwdH97G0uqM">biggest purchaser</a> of cattle from the Amazon, and therefore a major contributor to deforestation. </p>
<p>Another case in point is Alpro. The well-known manufacturer of vegan dairy products was bought by Danone in 2017 <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/danone-switch-dairy-factory-plant-based-alpro-diets-shift-2021-11-17/">in response to the growing popularity of milk alternatives</a>. But the language on <a href="https://www.alpro.com/uk/good-for-the-planet/">Alpro’s website</a>, for example “doing your bit with every bite or sip”, seems at odds with <a href="https://www.danone.com/brands/dairy-plant-based-products/strategy-and-key-figures.html">Danone’s claims</a> to be the number one leading brand worldwide for fresh dairy products.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Row of cows in shed eating from pile of food." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some vegan dairy products are owned by traditional dairy producers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cows-on-farm-winter-dairy-cowshed-1895146129">SGr/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Cow’s milk creates three times more greenhouse gas emissions, uses ten times as much land and twice as much freshwater than plant-based alternatives, according to calculations by the website <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impact-milks">Our World in Data</a>. </p>
<p>While Danone is expanding into the plant-based market, this does not imply a retreat from its core dairy product lines. As one <a href="https://www.fooddive.com/news/danones-big-runway-for-growth-is-built-on-brand-relevance-n-america-ce/593897/">food industry newsletter</a> put it: “The company … is looking to cross-promote its plant-based and traditional dairy beverages to households where individuals dabble in both categories.”</p>
<p>Both cases exemplify a broader trend where giant meat and dairy-based conglomerates, including JBS and Danone, are buying up smaller plant-based food companies as part of their corporate expansion strategies, according to a 2022 <a href="https://www.ipes-food.org/pages/politicsofprotein">report by IPES-Food</a>, a coalition of food system experts. </p>
<p>At present, meat and dairy producers are supported by mega state subsidies. In the EU and US, livestock farmers receive about <a href="https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(23)00347-0">1,000 times more</a> subsidies than plant-based and cultivated meat producers. </p>
<p>Yet Veganuary’s apolitical stance ignores the support the meat and dairy industries receive from rich-country governments. While the planet desperately needs a major shift away from meat production and consumption, mega food corporations probably won’t be the ones to lead the transition to a greener planet. </p>
<h2>How to support plant-based food production</h2>
<p>A significant step change would require governments to do at least three things. First, they should impose hefty fines upon and potentially confiscate the land of corporations that damage the environment through meat and dairy production. </p>
<p>Second, governments should reorient subsidies into plant-based food production instead of supporting agro-industrial meat production. Third, they should expand public welfare to help cash-strapped consumers to buy plant-based products. </p>
<p>Such moves may seem farfetched, but in the context of the existential threat of climate breakdown, they are arguably quite moderate. However, success requires strong political leadership, something that has been sidelined by Veganuary’s celebration of consumer power. </p>
<p>We urgently need to channel the growing public awareness of the environmental damage wrought by the current food system, through voting and large-scale social movements, into a political force that paves a way forward for genuinely climate-friendly diets.</p>
<p><em>In response to the issues raised by this article, a spokesperson for Danone said:
“At Danone, we stand by the fact that both dairy and plant-based foods can contribute to a healthy sustainable diet. With many more people choosing to diversify their food choices, our portfolio allows us to provide a wide range of dairy and plant-based options to best meet their different needs and inspire healthy and sustainable choices in both categories.”</em></p>
<p><em>Veganuary and JBS were both approached for comment but no response has been received.</em></p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Benjamin Selwyn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A sustainable food system starts with a fairer corporate structure. It won’t simply come from a shift in consumer habits during Veganuary’s push for people to eat a more plant-based diet. Here’s why.Benjamin Selwyn, Professor of International Relations and International Development, Department of International Relations, University of SussexLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2210622024-01-23T17:16:11Z2024-01-23T17:16:11ZVeganuary’s impact has been huge – here are the stats to prove it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570658/original/file-20240122-27-aqeohr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Is the Veganuary campaign really driving changes in British eating habits?</span> </figcaption></figure><p>Since launching in 2014, Veganuary has <a href="https://veganuary.com/en-us/record-number-of-people-worldwide-participate-in-veganuary-2023/">boasted increasing sign-ups</a> year on year. But what’s the evidence that the campaign that encourages people to adopt a vegan diet during January is really taking a bite out of the meat market?</p>
<p>More than 700,000 people signed up in 2023, and it’s likely that these figures – which only account for people who officially signed up on the Veganuary website – represent just a fraction of all those who took part without signing up.</p>
<p>Veganuary is a campaign which encourages people to try veganism in January. The Veganuary charity, a UK-based non-profit behind the campaign, counts Deborah Meaden, Joaquin Phoenix and Chris Packham among its ambassadors. </p>
<p>In a paper we <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329323000484">published last year</a>, we highlighted Veganuary as the most well-known and participated-in meat-free challenge. More than three quarters of British people have heard of Veganuary. </p>
<p>One in ten have considered taking part, and 6% claim to have taken part. That equates to around four million people – significantly more than the official participation numbers.</p>
<p>So why has Veganuary succeeded where so many other efforts to curb our problematic meat consumption have failed? There are two reasons, as outlined in our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666321007194">recent study</a>. </p>
<p>First, Veganuary invites people to try a vegan diet at a time of year when people are often open to trying healthy new habits. Capitalising on an annual time of change can help to overcome any inertia that normally prevents people trying vegan diets.</p>
<p>Second, Veganuary is a social experience. People can connect with others attempting the same challenge. The sense of camaraderie and community is something that Veganuary participants frequently comment on having enjoyed.</p>
<p>Encouragingly, Veganuary’s survey of participants indicates that 98% would recommend the experience to a friend. Moreover, 78% of participants intended to cut their previous animal product consumption at least in half beyond the end of January, and 25% said they intend to stay vegan.</p>
<p>So, Veganuary makes sense in terms of social psychology. Lots of people have taken part, and plenty say they’ll cut down on meat in the longer term. But what evidence is there that Veganuary has made a real impact on dietary habits?</p>
<p>Veganuary’s rapid rise has been concurrent with a broader trend towards veganism and meat reduction in the UK. Total per capita meat consumption <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00228-X/fulltext">fell 17% from 2008 to 2019</a>, at the same time as <a href="https://bryantresearch.co.uk/insight-items/uk-protein-transition/">sales of vegetarian food increased significantly</a>. </p>
<p>The recent increase in the number of people embracing meat-free diets in the UK is shown in the graph below – in particular, the number of vegans has <a href="https://www.finder.com/uk/uk-diet-trends">increased 370%</a> in the past five years.</p>
<p>So Veganuary came to exist and grew rapidly during a time of increasing UK interest in veganism. Could that have been a simple coincidence?</p>
<p>Researchers at the London School of Economics looked at <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/3626EAA8987FBD49CB1841ECE4C74B5C/S2398063X23000271a.pdf/effects_of_veganuary_on_meal_choices_in_workplace_cafeterias_an_interrupted_time_series_analysis.pdf">more than 2 million meals</a> sold in workplace cafeterias between 2016 and 2022. Crucially, the workplaces began their Veganuary campaigns halfway through this period, in 2019. The researchers estimated that Veganuary increased sales of vegan products by 86–113% in the the 2019-2022 campaigns, and had a lasting impact on sales of vegan products</p>
<p>Sales data from <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/76">200 UK supermarkets</a> indicate that, during Veganuary 2023, sales increased for plant-based foods which were on promotion, but not for those which were not on promotion, according to a University of Oxford study. </p>
<p>Veganuary has also increased sales of plant-based products at UK grocery stores. A team at the University of Surrey studied <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/does-promoting-plantbased-products-in-veganuary-lead-to-increased-sales-and-a-reduction-in-meat-sales-a-natural-experiment-in-a-supermarket-setting/CB44968AAD1E86856D01CA47A7BC884D">sales of plant-based and animal products</a> at 154 UK grocery stores from November 2020 until March 2021 and found that Veganuary increased sales of plant-based products by a huge 57% during January. </p>
<p>Sales also remained 15% higher after Veganuary compared to before the month-long campaign. That said, there was no significant change in meat consumption observed during the same period.</p>
<p>Curious about Veganuary’s far-reaching impact, I searched Google News to estimate the number of published news stories about veganism during January compared to the rest of the year. In January, there was an average 66% increase in the number of media articles about veganism compared to other months between 2015 and 2020 – evidence that Veganuary increases public attention on veganism-related issues.</p>
<p>Next, I used Google Trends to investigate seasonal trends in the number of people actively seeking out information on veganism. The data in the graph shows some of the clearest evidence yet for the Veganuary effect, with clear spikes in search activity every January. Moreover, interest appears to begin rising right around the time that Veganuary began in 2014.</p>
<p>Finally, I tracked down the dataset from an unpublished <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/culture/engineer-predicts-uk-vegan-2030/">survey of vegans conducted in 2019</a>, because I knew it contained data on a very specific question. The survey, which the researcher kindly shared with me, asked more than 2,000 vegans when they changed their diet, to the nearest three-month period. </p>
<p>Using this data, I created this graph, which shows clear spikes, with more people turning vegan in the first quarter of the year, and an increase starting around (or slightly before) Veganuary began in 2014.</p>
<p>One piece of data stands out most of all. When Veganuary asked participants about their number one motivation for taking part, 18% said the environment, and 21% said their health – but 40% said animal welfare.</p>
<p>Indeed, the data indicates that the messages inspiring the most dietary change are not about carbon emissions, but <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/get-involved/research/research-news/animal-cruelty-messages">about animal cruelty</a>. Almost nobody in the UK views common animal farming practices <a href="https://bryantresearch.co.uk/insight-items/acceptability-of-farming/">as acceptable</a>, yet while cow burps are within the range of acceptable dinner party conversation, knives in throats typically are not.</p>
<p>Meat consumption largely remains a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666321007194">social norm</a> but that may well be about to shift. The <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.aas8827">social tipping point</a> whereby enough people adopt a new norm for it to catch on is estimated to be around 25%. In the UK, the number of people consuming meat-free diets is now <a href="https://www.finder.com/uk/uk-diet-trends">up to 14%</a>. Veganuary could soon nudge us towards a vital cultural tipping point.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Bryant is the Director of Bryant Research, which works with alternative protein companies and animal protection non-profits to advance the protein transition. </span></em></p>As the plant-based campaign celebrates its tenth anniversary, researchers are analysing how Veganuary could be having a substantial impact on British diets.Chris Bryant, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of BathLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2088132024-01-04T12:51:28Z2024-01-04T12:51:28ZHow living like a hunter-gatherer could improve your health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567858/original/file-20240104-27-obn36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/camping-time-mixed-race-group-friends-1536037751">Prostock-studio/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many of us want to live long, happy and healthy lives. Yet it’s often confusing to know the best way to achieve this, and many aspects of modern, westernised living conspire to keep us from achieving this goal.</p>
<p>The solution may be to step back in time. For the bulk of our existence, we evolved following a <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/pre-history/hunter-gatherers">hunter-gatherer lifestyle</a> of foraging for food and hunting animals. Today, only a few hunter-gatherer communities still exist, such as <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b08x4s4v">the Hadza</a> of Tanzania. </p>
<p>Research shows that many of the health problems that plague modern society, such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27723159/">cardiovascular disease</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330161/#:%7E:text=A%2520correlation%2520between%2520depression%2520and,needed%2520to%2520assess%2520this%2520possibility">poor mental health</a>, have very low prevalence among hunter-gatherer societies of both past and present day. This suggests there’s much we can learn from hunter-gatherers to improve our lives.</p>
<h2>Building connections</h2>
<p>Hunter-gatherers knew the best strategy for survival was connecting and staying together. </p>
<p>With finite resources, they are <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2801707?casa_token=pcjIHZdOAnsAAAAA%3AnpywT8hkOd3IVhmsJpWZP382NK1SQPJVw7JGFTSJhRktDBsxM7I1Z_Vc6qLFON8hcr1pUOL3DyvpFo1i9SzHM1h69mQKimkbkJWbFiTObEv9YnOPR1gO">egalitarian by nature</a>. Each member contributes, shares equally and belongs to a collective greater than themselves. Life has meaning and purpose. </p>
<p>According to James Woodburn, an anthropologist who studied the Hadza, tribe members “value their life as hunter-gatherers, they regard it as a wonderful life. They have a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08x4s4v">living which makes sense</a>.” </p>
<p>The Japanese call this <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2734064">fundamental reason for being</a> “ikigai”, which can add quality years to your life. Living in small communities of around 20-30 people creates close relationships and a strong social support network.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ict.2023.29074.jha">Close meaningful relationships</a> are key drivers of <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Good-Life/Robert-Waldinger/9781982166694">health and happiness</a> across our lifespan. In fact, our brains are so wired to connect that our <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-09689-000">wellbeing depends on it</a>.</p>
<p>Many aspects of modern society, such as <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/pan3.10451">urbanisation</a>, the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rstb.2020.0020#:%7E:text=Instead%2C%20the%20%E2%80%98traditional%E2%80%99%20family%20is%20widely%20regarded%20to,are%20solely%20responsible%20for%20%E2%80%98breadwinning%E2%80%99%20and%20women%20%E2%80%98homemaking%E2%80%99">nuclear family</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X22000495">consumerism</a>, mean many of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jan/17/lost-connections-johann-hari-review">connections inherent</a> to hunter-gatherer society have been eroded.</p>
<p>But there are many evidence-based ways to reconnect with hunter-gatherer ethos and improve mental wellbeing. </p>
<p>Examples include reconnecting with people and your community (such as through <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10159229/">volunteering</a>) or getting involved in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10705422.2011.550260">a cooperative</a>. The NHS has even introduced a long-term <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/social-prescribing/">social prescribing strategy</a>, which helps people get involved with these kinds of initiatives and connect with those in their community. </p>
<p>Exercising in <a href="https://extremephysiolmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2046-7648-2-3">green spaces</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679190/">practising mindfulness</a> are also great ways of connecting with the present and boosting mental health.</p>
<h2>Eating well</h2>
<p>Hunter-gatherers eat what nature and the land offer. This at times can be scarce, requiring <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5783752/#:%7E:text=Knowledge%20of%20early%20human%20evolution,with%20little%20or%20no%20food">periods of fasting</a>. Diets primarily consist of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19350623">plant-based foods</a>, such as tubers, berries and fruit that are readily available. </p>
<p>Many studies have shown that plant-based diets and fasting can have many benefits for health.</p>
<p>For example, research on people living in so-called “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33391847/">blue zones</a>” – geographic areas that have unusually high life expectancies – suggests their predominantly plant-based diets may contribute to their <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32204974/">long lifespans</a>.</p>
<p>Intermittent fasting helps to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32673591/">reduce calorie intake</a> and can lower the risk of <a href="https://sa1s3.patientpop.com/assets/docs/151222.pdf">cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes</a> by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5783752/#:%7E:text=Knowledge%20of%20early%20human%20evolution,with%20little%20or%20no%20food">increasing metabolic flexibiltiy</a> – our ability to effectively use both carbs and fat for energy. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/does-it-matter-what-time-of-day-i-eat-and-can-intermittent-fasting-improve-my-health-heres-what-the-science-says-203762">Does it matter what time of day I eat? And can intermittent fasting improve my health? Here's what the science says</a>
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<p>Because hunter-gatherers eat what nature offers, this means their diets consist mainly of whole foods. Yet in the UK and US, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34647997/">ultra-processed foods</a> (such as ready-made meals) now make up a large proportion of people’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29747447/">daily calorie intake</a>.</p>
<p>These foods typically contain lots of sugar, salt, saturated fat and artificial additives. Research has linked these foods with a range of health problems, including <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/obr.13146">obesity</a> and <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00017-2/fulltext">cancer</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman holding a bowl of vegetarian or vegan foods." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567543/original/file-20240102-15-i8che2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567543/original/file-20240102-15-i8che2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567543/original/file-20240102-15-i8che2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567543/original/file-20240102-15-i8che2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567543/original/file-20240102-15-i8che2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567543/original/file-20240102-15-i8che2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567543/original/file-20240102-15-i8che2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Try to eat a primarily plant-based diet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nutritious-healthy-roasted-veggie-vegan-homemade-1782846293">Cavan-Images/ Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Limiting intake of ultra-processed foods and <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet">adopting a diet</a> more akin to those followed by hunter-gatherers can help improve your health. </p>
<h2>Moving more</h2>
<p>Hunter-gatherers <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20843503/">evolved to move</a>. Their nomadic lifestyle of hunting and foraging meant they consistently covered distances from six to 16km daily. </p>
<p>But modern lifestyles are far more sedentary. Combined with diets high in ultra-processed foods, this means many of us consume more calories each day than we use, leading to weight gain. </p>
<p>To address this imbalance, we need to move more – and move how hunter-gatherers do. </p>
<p>It’s recommended adults get at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (such as brisk walking) or at least 75-150 minutes of vigorous <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">physical activity</a> (such as running or dancing) per week. While this isn’t quite as much movement as hunter-gatherers would get daily, it will still improve cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, which is important for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8628304/">better health</a> and longer lifespan. </p>
<p>Being active regularly doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go to the gym. Walking to the shops, climbing stairs and cleaning can all have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24167194/#:%7E:text=Conclusions%3A%20A%20generally%20active%20daily,and%20longevity%20in%20older%20adults">positive effect</a> on your cardiovascular health and longevity. </p>
<p>But if you really want to mimic hunter-gatherers’ activity more closely, you might consider trying <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20843503/">interval training</a>. This involves alternating periods of moderate- or high-intensity physical activity with low-intensity activity – such as sprinting for 30 seconds on the treadmill then jogging for a minute in between to catch your breath. This mimics the vigorous kind of physical activity hunter-gatherers would have done when hunting. Interval training is also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-023-01863-8">beneficial for cardiovascular health</a>.</p>
<p>We can also benefit from moving more like hunter-gatherers. Movements such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35034060/">squatting</a> and getting <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2047487312471759">up and down from the ground</a>, mimic how they’d move when foraging for food. These functional movements help preserve physical independence and may add <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24225329/">years to your life</a>. </p>
<p>While our modern society certainly doesn’t make it easy to live a lifestyle more aligned with how we evolved, that doesn’t mean there aren’t many small, easy changes we can make to be healthier. Making time to socialise, focusing on getting more plants in our diets and moving more often are all things we can do daily to live more like hunter-gatherers – and look after our health.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208813/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Clayton has received research funding from the British Nutrition Foundation, the Society for Endocrinology, Innovate UK and the Turmeric Co. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span><a href="mailto:m.bertotti@uel.ac.uk">m.bertotti@uel.ac.uk</a> currently receives funding from the National Institute for Health Research, the European Commission and the British Academy. In the past, he has received grants from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, UK Research and Innovation, Department for Health and Social Care and the National Health Service. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicholas Bourne does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Making just a few small changes in our daily lives can help improve our health and help us live more aligned with how we evolved.Nicholas Bourne, Senior Lecturer, Applied Sport and Exercise Science, University of East LondonDavid Clayton, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Nottingham Trent UniversityMarcello Bertotti, Reader in Community Health, University of East LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2034552023-04-13T13:40:50Z2023-04-13T13:40:50ZGrand National protests: Animal Rising campaigners reveal how exploiting animals harms us too<p>Britain’s 175th annual <a href="https://www.grandnational.org.uk/">Grand National</a> horse race is set to take place on Saturday April 15. The protest group <a href="https://www.animalrising.org/who-we-are">Animal Rising</a> (formerly known as Animal Rebellion), an offshoot of the larger climate movement <a href="https://extinctionrebellion.uk/">Extinction Rebellion</a>, plans to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/apr/02/climate-activists-grand-national-animal-rebellion-horse-racing">disrupt</a> it with direct-action tactics, including activists gluing themselves to the track before the race commences.</p>
<p>The group’s opposition to the spectacle is about much more than the numerous <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/10/eclair-surf-becomes-second-horse-to-die-after-grand-national">injuries and deaths</a> that horses sustain during races. Animal Rising stands opposed to what it sees as the systemic exploitation of other species which reduces non-human beings to expendable commodities. Crucially, the group also seeks to highlight the inextricable link between the exploitation of other species, ecosystems and the escalating climate crisis. </p>
<p>Animal Rising emerged in the UK in 2019 with a refreshingly holistic perspective, arguing that the systematic exploitation of other species isn’t just ethically unacceptable but also fuels <a href="https://www.unep.org/facts-about-climate-emergency">climate change</a>. The group targets animal farming and fishing as particularly devastating devourers of “<a href="https://www.animalrising.org/who-we-are">ecosystems and lives</a>”. Their repertoire of non-violent direct-action tactics include <a href="https://www.plantbasedfuture.animalrebellion.org/post/the-last-animal-rebellion-action-ever-supermarket-aisles-blocked-in-national-action">blocking meat and dairy aisles</a> in supermarkets. In 2019, 400 activists <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-49976197">occupied the Smithfield meat market</a> in London for 18 hours.</p>
<p>Animal Rising’s attempts to draw attention to the disastrous climate impacts of industrial animal agriculture and fishing are laudable. But is an absolute shift to plant-based subsistence, as the group advocates, the answer?</p>
<p>The treatment of other species as means for human ends stems from <a href="https://theconversation.com/humanity-and-nature-are-not-separate-we-must-see-them-as-one-to-fix-the-climate-crisis-122110">anthropocentric worldviews</a> prominent in western societies which frame humans as separate from and superior to nature and other species. Reduced to such an inferior status, other species become prime candidates for exploitation, as seen in <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/animalresearch/why-animal-research.html">medical testing</a>, sport and entertainment and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/25/industrial-farming-one-worst-crimes-history-ethical-question">horrors of factory farming</a>. </p>
<p>Animal agriculture is <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000010&fbclid=IwAR33T-YJBBLV35epl0z7dDo-org_XxyQnWdG3vgX18NyRTGQX-DfOXliH68">one of the largest</a> contributors to climate change. Livestock are a major emitter of greenhouse gases including methane, which is around 25 times more effective than CO₂ at trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere. And acquiring land to rear these captive animals drives tropical deforestation, resulting in the further loss of vital <a href="https://www.clientearth.org/latest/latest-updates/stories/what-is-a-carbon-sink/?gclid=CjwKCAjwitShBhA6EiwAq3RqA0b3sHdxbTlC_RvoyCZetl5LI2Jfs0nbEidwYRd7nGU_GIelHNFsNBoCYswQAvD_BwE">carbon sinks</a> and biodiversity. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-023-01631-6">Recent research</a> has underscored the role that animals in the wild play in keeping climate-warming gases like CO₂ out of the atmosphere. For instance, wildebeest migrating across Africa’s Serengeti consume large amounts of grassland carbon, which is returned as dung and incorporated into the soil by insects. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A herd of wildebeest on a yellow African plain dotted with shrubs and trees." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520799/original/file-20230413-26-uvey6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520799/original/file-20230413-26-uvey6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520799/original/file-20230413-26-uvey6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520799/original/file-20230413-26-uvey6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520799/original/file-20230413-26-uvey6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520799/original/file-20230413-26-uvey6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520799/original/file-20230413-26-uvey6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rewilding animal populations could accelerate the drawing down of carbon from the air.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/pt/image-photo/beautiful-african-landscape-masai-mara-kenya-292335302">Oleg Znamenskiy/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Animal Rising is right to claim that liberating other species and <a href="https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/explore-rewilding/what-is-rewilding">rewilding</a> the <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/global-land-for-agriculture">three-quarters of farmland</a> used for livestock production would significantly aid the fight against climate breakdown. But the group’s demand for a plant-based future lacks important nuance.</p>
<h2>Plant-based solutions?</h2>
<p>The campaigners call the urgent transition to plant-based food systems “<a href="https://www.animalrising.org/our-history">the key solution</a>” to contemporary environmental crises and an essential component of a more just and sustainable world. The world’s foremost experts would tend to agree. In a recent report the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) repeatedly called for a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02409-7">reduction in meat consumption</a>, especially in wealthy countries, highlighting the considerable <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/chapter/chapter-5/5-5-mitigation-options-challenges-and-opportunities/5-5-2-demand-side-mitigation-options/5-5-2-1-mitigation-potential-of-different-diets/figure-5-12/">climate benefits</a> of vegan, vegetarian and <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-flexitarian-diet">flexitarian</a> diets.</p>
<p>My work looks at how we can ethically reshape our relations to nature and other species along more harmonious and sustainable lines. An absolute ban on consuming other animals, while plants remain fair game, constitutes another arbitrary boundary akin to that used to separate humans from other animals. All animals must take life in order to survive, as we cannot produce our own nutrients or energy. This fundamental aspect of our entangled lives with others is <a href="https://theconversation.com/go-vegan-because-of-mass-exploitation-of-animals-not-because-eating-them-is-wrong-110628">not inherently problematic</a>. </p>
<p>But how we use others in the business of living matters considerably. There’s a world of difference between small-scale subsistence fishing and farming and the profit-driven, industrial-scale extraction under global capitalism. Similarly, plant-based food systems which turn habitats into chemical wastelands <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/rise-and-fall-monoculture-farming">devoid of biodiversity</a> are far from ethical or sustainable. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A lone fisher casts a wide net over shallow water at sunset." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520800/original/file-20230413-16-mmi1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520800/original/file-20230413-16-mmi1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520800/original/file-20230413-16-mmi1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520800/original/file-20230413-16-mmi1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520800/original/file-20230413-16-mmi1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520800/original/file-20230413-16-mmi1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520800/original/file-20230413-16-mmi1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Subsistence farmers and fishers can harvest food sustainably.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/pt/image-photo/asian-fishermen-throwing-fishing-net-during-1523805494">Worawit_j/Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p><a href="https://www.un.org/en/fight-racism/vulnerable-groups/indigenous-peoples">Indigenous peoples</a> the world over explain how to live more ethically and sustainably. Robin Wall Kimmerer, environmental scientist and citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, refers to the “<a href="https://guides.nyu.edu/nyu-reads/braiding-sweetgrass/the-honorable-harvest">honourable harvest</a>”: when deciding anything, from how and where to build homes to how to produce food and source energy, principles to live by include taking only what we need, always leaving some for others, and sustaining those who sustain us.</p>
<p>Some indigenous communities in <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-ethnobiology/volume-38/issue-3/0278-0771-38.2.314/Everything-We-Do-Its-Cedar--First-Nation-and-Ecologically/10.2993/0278-0771-38.2.314.full">northwestern North America</a> practice partial harvesting of trees instead of clear-cutting. By only removing certain parts, the trees continue living and sustaining the wider ecosystem. In the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259033222030350X">Ekuri community-managed forest</a> in southeastern Nigeria, hunting endangered species and commercial timber extraction is prohibited. These considerate relations to the land and other species are among the reasons why biodiversity tends to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901119301042?casa_token=tEhgr7K5dL0AAAAA:wr1qSSaNovwsOAcC8d-prVQdujHpbMZYr1lSeWOvTgmcPTlgnb0ZR0NVTC6dOJ6GnXC-4xTnGw">thrive</a> on indigenous-managed lands worldwide.</p>
<p>Animal Rising’s fight for a future devoid of exploitation is essential. A substantial shift towards plant-based food systems in wealthy countries could work wonders in that direction, and Animal Rising is right to target these excesses. Let this be the beginning of <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/sydney-environment-institute/news/2023/03/27/a-future-of-political-theory--when-justice-is-multispecies.html">collective resistance</a> to all forms of exploitation and domination.</p>
<p>As Kimmerer has said, only by <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/443658/the-democracy-of-species-by-kimmerer-robin-wall/9780141997049">respecting and sustaining those who sustain us</a> can the Earth last forever.</p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Heather Alberro does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The horse race is likely to be disrupted by activists from the Extinction Rebellion offshoot.Heather Alberro, Lecturer in Global Sustainable Development, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2002282023-03-19T11:51:51Z2023-03-19T11:51:51Z3 ways to unlock the power of food to promote heart health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515920/original/file-20230316-2393-gn90tf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=172%2C111%2C5146%2C3700&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Heart-healthy approaches to eating include the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet and the Portfolio diet.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Your diet — the foods and drinks you eat, not short-term restrictive programs — can impact your heart disease risk. Evidence-based approaches to eating are used by dietitians and physicians to prevent and treat cardiovascular (heart) disease. </p>
<p>National Nutrition Month, with its 2023 theme of <a href="https://www.dietitians.ca/Advocacy/Nutrition-Month/Nutrition-Month-2023?lang=en-CA">Unlock the Potential of Food</a>, is an ideal opportunity to learn more about these approaches and adopt more heart-friendly behaviours.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2016.07.510">Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) Clinical Practice Guidelines</a> recommend three main dietary patterns for lowering heart disease risk: the Mediterranean Diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the Portfolio Diet.</p>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>The Mediterranean Diet</strong> is rich in colourful vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, olive oil and seafood. Research studies have shown that this diet <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1800389">reduces risk of having a heart attack or stroke</a>, even <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(22)00122-2">if you already have heart disease</a>, and provides several other health benefits. <a href="https://www.dietitians.ca/DietitiansOfCanada/media/Documents/Mediterranean%20Diet%20Toolkit/Mediterranean-Diet-Toolkit-A-Guide-to-Healthy-Eating-(handout).pdf">Dietitians of Canada has created a resource</a> that summarizes the details of this approach to eating. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>The DASH Diet</strong> focuses on eating plenty of vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, whole grains and nuts, while limiting red and processed meats, foods with added sugar, and sodium. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11020338">Originally developed to treat high blood pressure</a>, this diet can also lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C — the unhealthy type of cholesterol) and provides several other health benefits. <a href="https://www.heartandstroke.ca/healthy-living/healthy-eating/dash-diet">Heart & Stroke has several resources</a> on this approach to eating. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>The Portfolio Diet</strong> was originally developed in Canada to treat high cholesterol. It emphasises plant proteins (for example, soy and other legumes); nuts; viscous (or “sticky”) fibre sources such as oats, barley and psyllium; plant sterols; and healthy oils like olive oil, canola oil and avocado. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2018.05.004">Many research studies</a> have shown that this diet can lower LDL-C, and provides several other health benefits. Research shows that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.121.021515">even small additions of Portfolio Diet heart-healthy foods</a> can make a difference; the more you consume of these recommended foods, the greater your reductions in LDL-C and heart disease risk. The <a href="https://ccs.ca/app/uploads/2020/11/Portfolio_Diet_Scroll_editable_eng.pdf">Canadian Cardiovascular Society has an infographic</a> on how to follow the Portfolio Diet. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>A common theme among these three approaches to eating is that they are all considered plant-based, and small changes can make a difference in your overall heart disease risk. “Plant based” does not necessarily mean you have to be 100 per cent vegan or vegetarian to get their benefits. Plant-based diets can range from entirely vegan to diets that include small to moderate amounts of animal products.</p>
<p>Knowledge of healthy eating approaches is key, but behaviours unlock the power of food. Below are three strategies to use to apply the potential of food to promote heart health. They show that by combining the power of nutrition and psychology, you can <a href="https://www.newharbinger.com/9781684033331/healthy-habits-suck/">improve your chances of making long-term changes</a>.</p>
<p>You don’t need to do this alone. We recommend requesting a referral from your physician (this helps with getting the appointment covered by your insurance) to work with a registered dietitian and/or psychologist (behaviourist) to co-create your own ways to unlock the potential of food. </p>
<h2>3 ways to unlock the power of food</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman in a white coat holding an apple, with a bowl of fresh produce on her desk, consulting with a woman who has her back to the camera" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516092/original/file-20230317-4846-oh3wlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516092/original/file-20230317-4846-oh3wlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516092/original/file-20230317-4846-oh3wlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516092/original/file-20230317-4846-oh3wlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516092/original/file-20230317-4846-oh3wlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516092/original/file-20230317-4846-oh3wlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516092/original/file-20230317-4846-oh3wlb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Working with a registered dietitian or psychologist (behaviourist) can help you create a personalized plan to unlock the potential of food. A physician’s referral can help with getting the appointment covered by insurance.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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</figure>
<h2>1. Master and conquer the 90 per cent goal</h2>
<p>Pick a goal you’re 90 per cent sure you can succeed at, while creating a plan to meet larger and harder goals in the future. This approach will help you build confidence in your skills and give you valuable information about what does and does not work for you.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.newharbinger.com/9781608824342/the-abcs-of-human-behavior/">Research shows</a> starting with 90 per cent goals makes it more likely we meet future goals. A 90 per cent goal could be swapping out animal protein for plant protein — such as tofu or beans — at lunch on Mondays (<a href="https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/meatless-monday">Meatless Mondays</a>). Another example: use a meal delivery service that provides measured ingredients with plant-based recipes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so you can get some new ideas about how to incorporate more plants into your meals.</p>
<h2>2. Why eliminate and restrict, when you can substitute?</h2>
<p>Pick a “do instead” goal or work with a registered dietitian to substitute healthier choices for your current foods and drinks. Avoid setting goals that may <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2010.03.001">make you focus MORE on the foods you’re trying to avoid</a> (for example, “stop eating sugar”).</p>
<p>Instead, the substitution approach can include things like choosing lower-sodium soup or purchasing pre-cut vegetables with the aim of reducing your starch portion at meals by half. <a href="https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/make-healthy-meals-with-the-eat-well-plate/">Canada’s Food Guide</a>, <a href="https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/basic-meal-planning">Diabetes Canada</a> and <a href="https://www.heartandstroke.ca/-/media/pdf-files/what-we-do/publications/living-well-with-heart-disease/chapter-3.ashx?rev=bae93023086643e8873730f4bd29b946">Heart & Stroke</a> recommend that half your plate be vegetables.</p>
<h2>3. Set value-based goals</h2>
<p>Connect your goal to something that deeply matters to you. While long-term outcomes (such as heart disease) may be the impetus for change, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197550076.013.18">research shows that things that matter to us right now motivate us most</a>. Picking personal and meaningful reasons for change will help with sustained change.</p>
<p>For example, choose to cook one meal that incorporates a vegetable with a close friend or family member, so you can share the experience and spend time together. This example may be rooted in the following values: kindness, relational values, cultural values, empathy, courage.</p>
<h2>Unlock the power of food</h2>
<p><a href="https://obesitycanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/10-Psych-Interventions-2-v7-with-links-1.pdf">Research shows</a> a key to changing diet is focusing on changing eating habits and food behaviours, one at a time. The support of a nutrition professional, such as a registered dietitian and/or a psychologist, can help you make informed choices and plans, tailored to your unique needs, situation, preferences, traditions, abilities and capacity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200228/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shannan M. Grant has received funding from Diabetes Canada, Dietitians of Canada and currently holds funding from Medavie, Tri-Council Funding Programs, Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research, IWK Health, Mount Saint Vincent University. She is affiliated with Mount Saint Vincent University, IWK Health, Dalhousie University, Dietitians of Canada, Diabetes Canada, People in Pain (PIPN), and Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley and Associates.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrea J. Glenn receives postdoctoral research funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). She has received honoraria from the Soy Nutrition Institute (2020) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2022). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dayna Lee-Baggley, Ph.D, Registered Psychologist owns shares in Dr. Lee-Baggley and Associates. She has received funding in the past from the Kidney Foundation of Canada (research grant), QEII Foundation (research grant), CIHR (research grant), SSHRC (research grant) and honoraria/speaking fees from Tobacco Free Nova Scotia, Bausch Health, and Novo Nordisk. She receives royalties from New Harbinger. </span></em></p>Research shows the key to changing your diet is focusing on changing eating habits and food behaviours, one at a time.Shannan M. Grant, Associate Professor, Registered Dietitian, Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Mount Saint Vincent UniversityAndrea J. Glenn, Postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard UniversityDayna Lee-Baggley, Adjunct professor, Department of Family Medicine & Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1978212023-01-31T17:15:10Z2023-01-31T17:15:10ZLong COVID: a range of diets are said to help manage symptoms – here’s what the evidence tells us<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505844/original/file-20230123-13-gznfp8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=53%2C0%2C6000%2C3997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/healthy-eating-plate-vegan-vegetarian-food-2214062919">Creative Cat Studio/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most people who contract COVID recover within a few weeks. But for some people, symptoms can develop later, or persist for a long time after the initial infection. A recent <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2">review of the evidence</a> on long COVID suggests the condition affects at least 65 million people around the world, occurring after at least 10% of COVID infections, and affecting all age groups.</p>
<p>Common <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng188/resources/covid19-rapid-guideline-managing-the-longterm-effects-of-covid19-pdf-51035515742">long COVID symptoms</a> include fatigue, shortness of breath, and difficulties with memory and concentration (“brain fog”). Symptoms can worsen with physical or mental exertion. We’re still learning about long COVID, and treatment options are very limited.</p>
<p>Recently, some people, for example <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@anakaciamarie/video/7084306065348889902?is_from_webapp=v1">on social media</a>, have been talking about a variety of diets as ways to manage long COVID symptoms. But what are these diets, and what does the evidence say?</p>
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<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-it-like-being-a-young-person-with-long-covid-you-might-feel-like-a-failure-but-youre-not-192060?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">What’s it like being a young person with long COVID? You might feel like a failure (but you’re not)</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/binge-eating-disorder-is-more-common-than-many-realise-yet-its-rarely-discussed-heres-what-you-need-to-know-190587?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/smartwatches-could-help-detect-and-track-covid-heres-what-the-research-shows-181479?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Smartwatches could help detect and track COVID – here’s what the research shows</a></em></p>
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<h2>The anti-inflammatory diet</h2>
<p>The process by which the immune system protects us from harmful pathogens is called inflammation. But too much inflammation can be a bad thing. Scientists believe that many of the symptoms associated with long COVID arise from <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/long-covid-symptoms-linked-inflammation">chronic inflammation</a>.</p>
<p>We know that some foods <a href="https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/12/5/1681/6238545?login=false">can promote inflammation</a>, while studies have shown that components of certain foods may have anti-inflammatory effects.</p>
<p>So <a href="https://aspenjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0884533617700353">an anti-inflammatory</a> diet involves avoiding foods that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15447916/">elicit inflammation</a>, such as fried foods, refined carbohydrates, sugar, red and processed meats, and lard.</p>
<p>Instead it focuses on foods that reduce inflammation, such as tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fatty fish and fruits such as strawberries and blueberries. These foods are high in antioxidants and compounds which help <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15234425/">protect against inflammation</a>. </p>
<p>If you’re looking for a diet that closely follows the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating, consider <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-mediterranean-diet-and-why-is-it-good-for-you-12656">the Mediterranean diet</a>. Following a Mediterranean diet means eating lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and healthy oils. This diet is rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, and has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7359750/">an anti-inflammatory effect</a> in the gut.</p>
<p>Researchers have suggested <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7833284/">the Mediterranean diet</a> may have benefits in reducing the severity of a COVID infection in the short term, as well as in addressing longer-term symptoms.</p>
<h2>The low histamine diet</h2>
<p>Histamine is a compound released by cells, often in response to an injury or an allergic reaction. If we have hay fever or are stung by a bee, we might take an antihistamine.</p>
<p>Histamine can lead to inflammation and can be a problem when we can’t break it down properly, and levels get <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1081186">too high</a>. Symptoms when this happens can include headaches, diarrhoea, wheezing and fatigue.</p>
<p>Many of these symptoms are similar to those reported with long COVID. Some scientists have proposed that the increased inflammatory responses <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00011-022-01589-9">seen with long COVID</a> could be caused by increased histamine release by dysfunctional immune cells, which we’ve seen before with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308327/">other conditions</a>.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1081186">low histamine diet</a> involves restricting the intake of food and drinks considered high in histamine for several weeks, before gradually reintroducing them to test tolerance. These include alcohol, fermented foods, dairy products, shellfish, processed meats and aged cheese, as well as wheat germ and a range of <a href="https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-histamine">fruit and vegetables</a>. </p>
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<img alt="A young man eats a bowl of cereal." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505853/original/file-20230123-19-fo8huf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505853/original/file-20230123-19-fo8huf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505853/original/file-20230123-19-fo8huf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505853/original/file-20230123-19-fo8huf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505853/original/file-20230123-19-fo8huf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505853/original/file-20230123-19-fo8huf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505853/original/file-20230123-19-fo8huf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Could a certain diet help to manage the symptoms of long COVID?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/handsome-man-having-breakfast-eating-cereals-1453256840">Shift Drive/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>However, there appears to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7463562/">lack of consensus</a> on which foods are truly high in histamine. And as the foods are wide ranging, this can be a tricky diet to implement without potentially causing nutritional deficiencies. </p>
<p>Although some people have reported <a href="https://twitter.com/drpeterbagshaw/status/1313546908321886208">an improvement</a> in their symptoms by following a low histamine diet, there have been no studies published in this area. Given the <a href="https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/caution-advised-with-low-histamine-diets-for-long-covid.html">lack of evidence</a> and the associated challenges, elimination of dietary histamine is not currently recommended for long COVID.</p>
<h2>The plant-based diet</h2>
<p>Plant-based eating refers to diets where the majority of energy is derived from plant foods, such as vegan and vegetarian diets. Plant-based diets are <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/7/2308">beneficial</a> to markers of inflammation and may favourably alter immune function.</p>
<p>More specifically, a well-balanced <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/5/2455">plant-based diet</a> is high in fibre, antioxidants, good fatty acids and a range of vitamins and minerals, which positively affect several types of cells implicated in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8429479/">immune function</a> and may exhibit direct antiviral properties. </p>
<p>For example, compounds called polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables may improve the functionality and activity of <a href="https://www.immunology.org/public-information/bitesized-immunology/cells/natural-killer-cells">natural killer cells</a>, an immune cell that patrols the body recognising abnormal cells. </p>
<p>Though some long COVID sufferers have touted the benefits of a plant-based diet, its usefulness to alleviate long COVID symptoms has not yet been examined <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-021-00369-x">in clinical trials</a>. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, evidence from studies done before the pandemic suggests a plant-based diet may benefit <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8429479/">some conditions</a> that can also affect people with long COVID – including fatigue, headaches, anxiety, depression and muscle pain.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-and-your-gut-how-a-healthy-microbiome-can-reduce-the-severity-of-infection-and-vice-versa-195132">COVID and your gut: how a healthy microbiome can reduce the severity of infection – and vice versa</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>Take-home message</h2>
<p>Some diets, such as a low histamine diet, are not currently backed up by enough data when it comes to the management of long COVID. </p>
<p>But a varied Mediterranean diet or well managed plant-based diet can provide <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmv.25707">certain nutrients</a> which have positive effects on immune function and may protect against chronic inflammation. That said, more research is still needed as to how these diets may affect long COVID.</p>
<p>If you’re considering changing your diet to manage long COVID symptoms, it’s best to consult your GP first to ensure you can do so safely.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197821/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>From low histamine to anti-inflammatory diets, people on social media have been touting a variety of eating patterns to help manage long COVID.Samuel J. White, Senior Lecturer in Genetic Immunology, Nottingham Trent UniversityPhilippe B. Wilson, Professor of One Health, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1908432022-11-01T22:37:10Z2022-11-01T22:37:10ZFeeling bloated, hungry or bored after salad? These tips might help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485779/original/file-20220921-25-27uhle.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C90%2C6016%2C3917&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/nnN2I7oG6iY">Photo by Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Salads are great for our health.</p>
<p>They are nutritious, packed full of gut-loving fibre, micronutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.</p>
<p>However, some people can experience certain downsides after eating salad, including feeling bored, bloated or even still hungry. </p>
<p>Here are some tips to help you make the most of your salad-eating habits as the weather warms up.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-home-brand-foods-healthy-if-you-read-the-label-you-may-be-pleasantly-surprised-189445">Are home-brand foods healthy? If you read the label, you may be pleasantly surprised</a>
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<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C11%2C1920%2C1264&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A salad sits on a table near an olive oil carafe" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C11%2C1920%2C1264&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485777/original/file-20220921-16-tbz6j6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Salads are great for our health.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Keep yourself fuller for longer</h2>
<p>Salads are naturally low in calories or kilojoules. This is because salads mostly contain vegetables, which have a high water content. </p>
<p>This may mean you don’t feel very satisfied after eating your salad – making it hard to stay full until your next meal.</p>
<p>Instead of eating a salad and then later reaching for something less healthy to fill up on, you can stay fuller for longer by including all three macronutrients in your salad:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>a healthy carbohydrate source (pumpkin, sweet potato, parsnips, taro, brown rice, quinoa, barley or brown pasta)</p></li>
<li><p>a healthy fat source (avocado, olive oil, toasted seeds or nuts)</p></li>
<li><p>a lean protein source (eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, tempeh, lentils or legumes).</p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A salad with avocado and brown bread sits on a table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485780/original/file-20220921-26-5jlath.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You can stay fuller for longer by including all three macronutrients in your salad.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/vegetable-salad-with-wheat-bread-on-the-side-1213710/">Photo by Dana Tentis/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Reduce bloating</h2>
<p>Many people experience bloating and/or gut upset when they eat a lot of salad.</p>
<p>This commonly occurs if someone is going quickly from a less healthy, low-fibre diet to a healthier, high-fibre diet. </p>
<p>It happens because your gut microbes are multiplying and producing lots of plant-digesting enzymes (which is great for your gut health!).</p>
<p>However, your gut needs some time to adapt and adjust over time. You can help alleviate any discomfort by: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>taking a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01649-4">short walk</a> or doing some stretching after eating your salad. This has been shown to reduce bloating as it loosens up the gut muscles and helps release any trapped gas </p></li>
<li><p>being <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7219460/">mindful</a> of how you are preparing lentils and legumes. Ensure they are thoroughly rinsed and only include ¼ cup of them (soaked) to begin with if they are something new in your diet</p></li>
<li><p>eating your salad mindfully. A non-relaxed, uptight gut or a gut that has recently been irritated by an illness can mean your gut is not as efficient in absorbing gas. This can trigger bloating as the gas gets “trapped”</p></li>
<li><p>cooking some of the vegetables in your salad. Applying temperature or heat to your vegetables can help break them down and make them easier to digest</p></li>
<li><p>considering your symptoms. If you experience extreme abdominal pain, irregular bowel habits (including chronic diarrhoea or constipation, or alternating diarrhoea and constipation) and a bloated stomach after eating salad it may indicate you are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Please see an accredited practising dietitian who can make an assessment and diagnose IBS, help you identify your triggers and manage your symptoms </p></li>
<li><p>being mindful of your current health conditions or treatments. For example, if you are undergoing chemotherapy treatment, some drugs can slow down your digestion. This may mean some vegetables and other high-fibre foods in your salad upset your gut. Again, speaking with an accredited practising dietitian is the best way to receive evidence-based advice on how to manage this. </p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A person tears up kale leaves to drop them in a salad." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/485781/original/file-20220921-24-a4hdau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Consider cooking some of the ingredients in your salad.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/0geTqSZ76Xg">Photo by Max Delsid on Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Keep salad boredom at bay</h2>
<p>Stuck on what makes a good salad? Here’s Lauren’s tried and tested formula, based on six categories of ingredients: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>leaves, such as lettuce, rocket or spinach</p></li>
<li><p>something sweet and juicy, such as tomato, pear, mango, peach or whatever is in season</p></li>
<li><p>something with crunch, such as carrot, capsicum or broccolini</p></li>
<li><p>a type of nut, such as cashew or macadamia</p></li>
<li><p>a cheese, such as feta, bocconcini, mature cheddar, parmesan, edam</p></li>
<li><p>something fragrant, such as mint, parsley, basil or coriander.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>To make the salad into a complete meal, add a healthy carbohydrate, fat and protein source (the three macronutrients we mentioned earlier).</p>
<p>The bottom line? Eating salads is a great way to have a healthy, diverse diet. With these tweaks, you can make the most of the summer weather ahead!</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-are-sugar-rushes-real-161494">Curious Kids: are sugar rushes real?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/190843/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lauren Ball receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Queensland Health. She is a Director of Dietitians Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emily Burch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>No, you’re not imagining it. Some people really do experience bloating or gut upset when they eat a lot of salad.Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of QueenslandEmily Burch, Dietitian and Researcher, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1847642022-06-22T13:51:43Z2022-06-22T13:51:43ZVegan cheese: what you should know<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470297/original/file-20220622-11-6cs40r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C0%2C5582%2C3732&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Vegan cheese made with cashew nuts is a healthier option.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/vegan-cashew-cheese-dried-tomatoes-spices-2082105367">Nina Firsova/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For many people who go vegan, one of the hardest things to give up is cheese. Fortunately, thanks to the increasing popularity of veganism, food manufacturers have begun producing a greater variety of vegan cheeses – with some success in replicating everything people love most about cheese, including its texture and taste. However, not all vegan cheeses are equal – and many have little nutritional value. </p>
<p>People who buy vegan cheese may <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35334904/">expect it</a> to be as nutritious as dairy cheese. But because many manufacturers are focused on making the cheese taste, look and even melt like dairy cheese, this is rarely the case. The main ingredients in many vegan cheeses are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34579169/">starch and vegetable oils</a> – usually coconut oil, or sometimes palm oil.</p>
<p>Starch and oil may give vegan cheeses their texture, but they are of little nutritional value. For instance, when we eat starch, it is broken down in our gut into sugar. Over time, too much starch could potentially lead to weight gain or diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.</p>
<p>The vegetable oils in vegan cheese are even worse. Coconut oil is composed <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nbu.12188">almost entirely</a> of saturated fats. Some types of saturated fat raise blood levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, which can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28620111/">increase the risk</a> of heart disease. </p>
<p>This is the case with lauric acid, the main type of saturated fat in coconut oil. Despite some claims online that coconut is healthy, lauric acid significantly <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31928080/">increases the levels</a> of LDL cholesterol. It also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27881409/">increases the risk</a> of coronary heart disease. Because of the high levels of coconut oil in some vegan cheeses, even a modest-sized portion (30g) is around a third of a person’s total recommended daily allowance for saturated fat.</p>
<p>Palm oil, found in some vegan cheeses, fares little better as an alternative ingredient. About half of the fat in palm oil is saturated fat – mostly a type of saturated fat called palmitic acid. Like lauric acid, this also increases the risk of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27881409/">coronary heart disease</a>. And although some manufacturers claim to use “sustainable” palm oil, it’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30359800/">uncertain how sustainable</a> these products actually are.</p>
<p>While dairy cheeses are also high in saturated fat, there’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28374228/">good evidence</a> that consuming them is not linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s unclear why this is the case, but it may be that the saturated fats in dairy cheese are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26907978/">not absorbed</a> by the body as much as those in other foods, such as meat or coconut oil.</p>
<h2>Nutritional content</h2>
<p>Many people might also expect vegan cheese, like dairy cheese, to be a good source of protein. But vegan cheeses consisting of vegetable oils and starch have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35334904/">little to no protein</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A mother and daughter shopping in the refrigerated foods section of a supermarket." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470324/original/file-20220622-3398-vqs3j4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/470324/original/file-20220622-3398-vqs3j4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470324/original/file-20220622-3398-vqs3j4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470324/original/file-20220622-3398-vqs3j4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470324/original/file-20220622-3398-vqs3j4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470324/original/file-20220622-3398-vqs3j4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/470324/original/file-20220622-3398-vqs3j4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Not all vegan cheeses are the same nutritionally.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mother-daughter-shopping-supermarket-young-people-1669913029">Naty.M/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The amounts and types of vitamins and minerals that vegan cheeses contain also vary significantly, as it’s up to the manufacturer to add these during production. As a result, unlike dairy cheese, most vegan cheeses contain <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35334904/">little or no calcium</a>. They also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35334904/">often lack</a> other important micronutrients found in dairy cheese, such as iodine, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. </p>
<p>While the occasional slice of vegan cheese is unlikely to do any harm, relying on it as a replacement for dairy could have costs to your health. In <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32939557/">one clinical study</a>, people who replaced animal-based dairy and eggs with vegan alternatives for 12 weeks had poorer bone health at the end of the study, compared with those who ate animal-based dairy and eggs. This was probably due to lower vitamin D and calcium intake. However, more studies like this are needed to better establish the long-term health consequences for vegans who don’t consume dairy. </p>
<p>It’s not quite all bad news, though. Some vegan cheeses may be healthier than others depending on their ingredients – for instance, those that use cashew nuts. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8952881/">These products</a> usually have higher levels of protein and lower levels of sodium and saturated fat than other types of vegan cheese. However, they may also be more expensive than those other types. </p>
<p>Of course, there are many reasons why a person may want to adopt a vegan diet – including for environmental reasons or to improve their health. But while <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26853923/">numerous studies</a> have found that vegan diets can be healthy, this is typically only true for people whose diets are high in natural foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and pulses.</p>
<p>As such, it’s important for vegans to watch the number of ultra-processed food alternatives they eat (such as vegan cheese) as these could have many of the same <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33167080/">negative health effects</a> (such as heart disease and cancer) that ultra-processed foods have for non-vegans.</p>
<p>This means checking the contents of vegan cheese products (and other vegan alternatives) carefully to minimise the number of harmful ingredients, such as saturated fats, that vegans regularly consume. Vegans should also focus on getting essential micronutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin D from vitamin supplements or whole foods.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184764/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>I am the author of two books on the Mediterranean diet: The Mediterranean Diet: Health and Science (2011) and More Healthy Years - Why a Mediterranean Diet is best for you and for the planet (2020).</span></em></p>Most vegan cheeses have little nutritional value.Richard Hoffman, Associate lecturer, Nutritional Biochemistry, University of HertfordshireLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1835612022-05-27T12:50:25Z2022-05-27T12:50:25ZVegan and vegetarian diets may lack certain nutrients – here’s how to get more of them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465720/original/file-20220527-11-h3yqf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=9%2C0%2C6312%2C4217&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Vitamin supplements may help you avoid deficiencies. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/smiling-girl-bottle-vitamins-sitting-kitchen-1572303289">YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Vegan and vegetarian diets are certainly trendy, with more people than ever before <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics">making the switch</a>. While some people are choosing to go plant-based for environmental reasons, others are adopting these diets because of their health benefits. It’s hardly surprising, given studies have linked vegetarian and vegan diets to a lower body mass index (BMI) and a lower risk of certain diseases – including <a href="https://theconversation.com/vegetarian-pescatarian-or-low-meat-diets-may-reduce-cancer-risk-new-research-177787">cancer</a>, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039">type 2 diabetes</a>, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109717375216?via%253Dihub">heart disease</a>.</p>
<hr>
<iframe id="noa-web-audio-player" style="border: none" src="https://embed-player.newsoveraudio.com/v4?key=x84olp&id=https://theconversation.com/vegan-and-vegetarian-diets-may-lack-certain-nutrients-heres-how-to-get-more-of-them-183561&bgColor=F5F5F5&color=D8352A&playColor=D8352A" width="100%" height="110px"></iframe>
<p><em>You can listen to more articles from The Conversation, narrated by Noa, <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/audio-narrated-99682">here</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>But while plant-based diets may have many health benefits, they can, without some planning, also result in nutrient deficiencies. In fact, <a href="https://www.hsis.org/vegetarian-and-vegan-trends-pushing-more-people-into-deficiency-risk/">one survey</a> suggests around 28% of vegans and 13% of vegetarians show one or more nutrient deficiencies. This is because many plant-based diets don’t contain high levels of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261561420306567#bib5">certain nutrients</a>, such as vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, calcium, selenium, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/ndns-results-from-years-9-to-11-2016-to-2017-and-2018-to-2019/ndns-results-from-years-9-to-11-combined-statistical-summary">iron</a> and zinc. </p>
<p>Research shows that veganism in particular is linked with <a href="https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(20)30656-7/fulltext">significantly low intakes</a> of vitamin B12 and calcium – especially in people who aren’t taking any vitamin supplements. Intakes of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261561420306567?via%3Dihub">selenium, zinc</a>, vitamin D and iodine are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35010904/">also low</a> in this group.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/do-these-three-popular-anti-ageing-skincare-ingredients-work-heres-what-the-evidence-says-182200?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Do these three popular anti-ageing skincare ingredients work? Here’s what the evidence says</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/barbell-exercises-arent-essential-for-getting-fit-heres-what-you-can-do-instead-181743?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Barbell exercises aren’t essential for getting fit – here’s what you can do instead</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/five-tips-for-young-people-dealing-with-long-covid-from-a-gp-180464?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Five tips for young people dealing with long COVID – from a GP</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>While <a href="https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(20)30101-1/fulltext">vegetarian diets</a> may contain slightly higher levels of amino acids, B12, calcium and protein compared to vegan diets, intake may still be lower than when following an omnivorous diet. </p>
<h2>Proper planning</h2>
<p>Vitamins and minerals are important for good health. For example, vitamin B12 is important for brain function and producing red blood cells. But our body doesn’t naturally produce many important vitamins and minerals (including vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and iodine) which is why it’s essential to get them from the foods we eat.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A person's hands. One hand is open with two tablets held in the palm, while the other holds a medicine bottle." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465721/original/file-20220527-23-bhvjss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465721/original/file-20220527-23-bhvjss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465721/original/file-20220527-23-bhvjss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465721/original/file-20220527-23-bhvjss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465721/original/file-20220527-23-bhvjss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465721/original/file-20220527-23-bhvjss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465721/original/file-20220527-23-bhvjss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Be sure to consult your GP before taking any supplements.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hands-young-women-holding-medicine-herbs-1989054578">Gumbariya/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But not getting enough of these important vitamins and minerals can lead to deficiencies. These can have a range of side effects, including excessive tiredness and brain fog. If left untreated, over time, this can lead to serious <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/plantbased-diets-and-longterm-health-findings-from-the-epicoxford-study/771ED5439481A68AD92BF40E8B1EF7E6">nervous, skeletal and blood disorders</a>.</p>
<p>If you’re someone who’s thinking of making the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet, here are a few things to consider to avoid vitamin deficiencies: </p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Seek expert advice</strong> to help you plan your diet to ensure that it contains all the essential nutrients you need, especially if you’re transitioning from a vegetarian diet to a vegan diet, if you are or may become pregnant, or if you’re older than 60 years of age. </li>
<li><strong>Focus on your nutrients.</strong> Aim to pick plant-based food products that have been fortified with important vitamins and minerals, or foods that naturally contain high amounts of important nutrients. For example, Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, while seaweed is a good source of vitamin B12 and iodine. </li>
<li><strong>Eat a varied diet.</strong> This is especially important when it comes to the plant-based proteins you eat to ensure you get all the essential amino acids from your diet. Some foods that contain these include lentils, pulses, beans, soy, tofu, nuts and seeds.</li>
<li><strong>Pair certain nutrients.</strong> Certain nutrients can help others be better absorbed into the body. For example, vitamin C can increase iron absorption. Vitamin B12 supplements should also be taken with food to help the body absorb it more easily.</li>
<li><strong>Keep an eye on your health.</strong> If you start experiencing fatigue, memory problems, or even low mood, it might be a sign of a vitamin deficiency. Be sure to consult a doctor before taking any supplements to be sure you’re taking the right ones. </li>
</ol>
<p>If you need to use a vitamin supplement, be sure to look for supplements that are labelled <a href="https://ispe.org/initiatives/regulatory-resources/gmp">GMP certified</a>, as these will contain proper nutrition. But long-term supplement use <a href="https://theconversation.com/vitamins-and-minerals-arent-risk-free-here-are-6-ways-they-can-cause-harm-165399">may have its downsides</a>, such as being costly or interacting with certain drugs. There is also a danger of over-supplementation, which can lead to an accumulation of certain unmetabolised nutrients in our body. It’s currently unknown how common this is and what the long-term effects might be. For all of these reasons, it’s important to consult a GP before taking any supplements. </p>
<p>A well-planned, plant-based diet can be good for both your health and the planet. But it’s important to keep an eye on what foods and nutrients you might be eating to avoid deficiencies of essential nutrients.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183561/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Martin Warren receives funding from the BBSRC and the Royal Society. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kourosh Ahmadi has received funding from BBSRC, MRC, Welcome Trust, Chronic Diseases Research Foundation and the Royal Society. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Liangzi Zhang works for Quadram Institute.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maria Traka receives funding currently from BBSRC, Horizon2020 and EITfood, and previously from Prostate Cancer Foundation.</span></em></p>Plant-based diets may lack a number of important nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and iodine.Martin Warren, Chief Scientific Officer and Group Leader, Synthetic Biology and Biosynthetic Pathways, Quadram InstituteKourosh Ahmadi, Reader in Precision Nutrition, University of SurreyLiangzi Zhang, Research scientist, Food Composition and Dietary Assessment, Quadram InstituteMaria Traka, Research Leader, Personalised Nutrition and Gut Microbiome, Quadram InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1787452022-04-20T15:00:09Z2022-04-20T15:00:09ZAt the centre of controversies: Why do we love to hate and hate to love meat?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456625/original/file-20220406-16-hijbaz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C0%2C5168%2C3453&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Meat has been a marker of class and gender divides and has sparked scientific revolutions.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/at-the-centre-of-controversies--why-do-we-love-to-hate-and-hate-to-love-meat" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>When was the last time you ate meat? Today? This week? Ten years ago? Never? Have you ever had an <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-do-angry-vegans-meat-eaters-fight-so-much-2020-2">argument about meat consumption with someone</a>, whether it was over environmental impact or the ethics of eating animals? Are you confused when it comes to the conflicting information on meat’s health implications? Do you feel guilty eating meat but still continue to do so? </p>
<p>From the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/carnivore-diet#what-it-is">controversial carnivore diet</a> to plant-based “<a href="https://thenextweb.com/news/plant-based-filet-mignon-gave-me-a-taste-of-meatless-future">meat</a>” and <a href="https://theconversation.com/topics/cell-cultured-meat-58477">lab grown meat</a>, meat is everywhere. </p>
<p>Many of us consume, or used to consume meat — except those who were raised plant-based because of family or culture. Even those of us who follow a plant-based diet might still eat plant-based meat to enjoy the that familiar, meaty taste. </p>
<p>Science journalist Marta Zaraska refers to this centrality of meat in diets as “<a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2075985-meathooked-how-eating-meat-became-a-global-obsession/">meathooked</a>.” </p>
<p>Afterall, meat is one of the oldest items of consumption, with records of early humans butchering animals around <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/evidence-for-meat-eating-by-early-humans-103874273">2.6 million years ago</a>. And ever since, it has become part of family rituals, spiritual celebrations and social gatherings. Meat ties us together but not without objections and contradictions. </p>
<p>How did meat become so contested? Why do we hate to love it and love to hate it?</p>
<p>As marketing researchers, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10253866.2022.2037574">we recently</a> delved deeper into the root of these contradictions and found that meat has been at the centre of controversies around morality, ecology, gender, class and health since the 14th century in the Global North.</p>
<h2>Meat: At the centre of the gender divide</h2>
<p>Despite the <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-is-masculine-how-food-advertising-perpetuates-harmful-gender-stereotypes-119004">stereotype</a> of <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2018.00559">meat being the domain of men</a>, a recent discovery of a female body found with hunting tools <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/in-the-early-americas-female-hunters-pursued-big-game-study-suggests/">at a 9,000-year-old burial site </a> suggests society might be wrong about its assumptions about who hunts for food. </p>
<p>Yet, meat is <a href="https://nationalpost.com/life/food/why-are-we-programmed-to-think-meat-is-for-men">culturally shaped as a gendered product</a>, and this is a division seen both in its production and consumption. </p>
<p>Gender stereotypes about hunting and butchering are prevalent to the extent that they shape professional aspirations for women, creating a lack of representation with only a <a href="https://thecounter.org/yes-i-am-a-female-butcher/">few women choosing meat-centric</a> professions. Men are also subject to gendered expectations about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023119831801">eating meat to uphold masculinity</a>. </p>
<p>Think about meat-focused shows like <a href="https://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2011/11/24/gender-culture-and-cooking-on-the-internet/"><em>Epic Meal Time</em></a> and how they perpetuate a hyper-masculine gender performance. This portrayal helps illuminate why plant-based diets are seen as less manly, and why <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-and-masculinity-why-some-men-just-cant-stomach-plant-based-food-174785">some men resist plant-based food</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/URl4oYD__-w?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">YouTube account Epic Meal Time builds a ‘20 pound meat lovers sushi roll’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Meat reflects who has power and money</h2>
<p>The consumption of meat, both in quantity and quality, has marked the symbolic divisions across social classes since Medieval times. As author Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat describes in her book <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444305135"><em>History of Food</em></a>, nobles and the elite consumed better cuts of meat, rarer meat that we no longer consider food <a href="https://theoutline.com/post/8164/why-dont-we-eat-swans">(like swans)</a>, and specific parts of the animal (like the eyes) — until the 16th century, they were considered gastronomical delicacies.</p>
<p>On the other hand the working class consumed lower quality meat with less variety and frequency. However <a href="https://stacker.com/stories/4402/history-americas-meat-processing-industry">slaughterhouses and factory farming</a> helped meat become more accessible to the masses. The quantity of meat consumed was no longer a reflection of social class, but rather its quality. </p>
<p>More recently, factory farming has <a href="https://thehumaneleague.org/article/what-is-factory-farming">sparked discussions around the ethics and sustainability</a> of meat production as well as its ecological impact. </p>
<p>Mass meat production destroys <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22287498/meat-wildlife-biodiversity-species-plantbased">natural habitats and biodiversity</a>, it is exploitative and <a href="https://caroljadams.com/spom-the-book">objectifying</a> to both animals and <a href="https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/alberta-meat-plant-workers-vulnerable-to-dangerous-conditions-new-research">workers</a> and affects the <a href="https://theconversation.com/rural-americans-struggles-against-factory-farm-pollution-find-traction-in-court-98226">quality of rural life</a>. </p>
<p>A future that includes less meat is a sentiment shared by animal activists, <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/life/new-canadas-food-guide-not-about-portion-but-about-proportion">governments</a> and even the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02409-7">United Nations</a> as part of their strategy towards a more meatless society. But many might think this is not a realistic goal, because, after all, we are meathooked.</p>
<h2>Rethinking a world without meat</h2>
<p>Meat has been a marker of class and gender divides and has sparked scientific revolutions, but <a href="https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/consumption/foods-and-beverages/world-consumption-of-meat/story">data shows</a> people aren’t letting meat go. </p>
<p>While ideal meatless meat is expected to look, taste and feel like meat, scientists aren’t sure if it can replace meat and <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/2/22/18235189/lab-grown-meat-cultured-environment-climate-change">solve our problems</a>. And the deeply entrenched cultural contradictions and conflicts associated with meat will continue to shape our controversial relations with it, the symbols it represents and the moral discussions around it. </p>
<p>For these reasons, meat — and its substitutes — will continue to be loved and hated. We can imagine a meatless future, but we might not be able to escape the cultural baggage brought by meat’s past.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/178745/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Meat has been a marker of class and gender divides, sparked scientific revolutions and has been at the centre of wars.Zeynep Arsel, Concordia University Chair in Consumption, Markets, and Society, Concordia UniversityAya Aboelenien, Assistant Professor of Marketing, HEC MontréalLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1772972022-03-29T14:11:26Z2022-03-29T14:11:26ZOffering more plant-based choices on menus can speed up diet change<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454987/original/file-20220329-13-dpwjgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5472%2C3645&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cheerful-couple-menu-restaurant-making-order-674037814">UfaBizPhoto/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Rearing meat contributes more <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652616303584">greenhouse gas emissions</a> than the production of any other foodstuff. And eating red and processed meat can increase your risk of developing <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)32225-6/fulltext">colorectal cancers</a>.</p>
<p>If eating less meat is good for you and the planet, then <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00228-X/fulltext">recent research</a> has some good news: meat consumption – particularly red meat – is <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-eating-drops-by-17-over-a-decade-in-the-uk-new-research-168626">slowly falling</a> in the UK. But for diet changes to really pick up the pace, it needs to be easier for everyone to make more sustainable and healthy choices. </p>
<p>Surveys suggest that despite <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2017/04/06/over-half-happy-have-meat-free-meals">increasing support</a> for the idea of eating less meat, the UK public has <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/food/articles-reports/2019/01/18/one-four-britons-want-cut-back-red-meat-year">little appetite</a> for interventions by the government to achieve this, whether that might be taxes, labelling or a media campaign.</p>
<p>So what if shops and restaurants took the lead by providing more meat-free options to choose from? Would this make people more likely to eschew meat? It’s not guaranteed – there are strong social influences and cultural norms that reinforce the appeal and habit of eating meat. For example, when asked why they eat meat, people often tend to describe meat as being “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666315001518">necessary, natural, normal and nice</a>”.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, in three studies, my research team and I tested the effect of <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-021-01239-z">increasing meat-free options</a> on the meals people choose.</p>
<p>First, we looked at sales in a university cafeteria that changed the menu to offer two plant-based and one meat option, instead of one plant-based and two meat options, for four months. When a third of the options were meat-free, around 40% of the meals diners bought were meat-free. This rose to around 60% when two-thirds were meat-free.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A gloved hand reaches for broccoli at a cafeteria serving hatch." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454979/original/file-20220329-25-1mnsjao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454979/original/file-20220329-25-1mnsjao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454979/original/file-20220329-25-1mnsjao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454979/original/file-20220329-25-1mnsjao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454979/original/file-20220329-25-1mnsjao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454979/original/file-20220329-25-1mnsjao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454979/original/file-20220329-25-1mnsjao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Making plant-based options more prominent on menus makes them seem less niche.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/chef-standing-behind-full-lunch-service-1090719347">PJjaruwan/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the second study, a nationwide catering company put more plant-based options on their list of meals for cafeteria managers to create their menus with. We analysed sales in 18 worksite cafeterias supplied by this company for the eight weeks before and eight weeks after the new list of meal options was available. Where there was a small increase in the number of plant-based meal options, sales of plant-based meals overall increased by a small amount, but only around half of the chefs took up the new menu options.</p>
<p>In the third study, we recruited 2,205 UK adults to take part in an online questionnaire. We divided them into three groups, each having four main meals to choose from. Of these four options, either one, two or three were meat-free. Faced with three meat options, just 12% chose the meat-free meal, but when there were three meat-free options, 48% made that choice. Where options were equal, 28% opted for the meat-free choice.</p>
<h2>Less meat or meat-less</h2>
<p>To identify interventions that could help everyone eat less meat and not just those who already eat less than most, we looked at whether increasing meat-free options in our online study had a different effect on particular groups.</p>
<p>Regardless of their usual meat consumption, everyone ate less meat when there were more meat-free options. This is encouraging, as it’s possible to reduce meat consumption the most when everyone can cut back a bit, instead of a few people cutting back a lot or becoming vegetarian (though one person being vegan could potentially offset others taking no action).</p>
<p>Having more meat-free meals on menus or in stores may have other benefits too. Without a wide enough range of meat-free options in shops and restaurants, other measures such as ecolabels – labelling food with its environmental impact to help people buy more sustainable products – may lose their bite. After all, how much can we expect labelling to change food choices if all the options have low ratings? We have research on this topic in the pipeline.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/food-and-drink-products-with-pro-environment-ecolabels-are-more-appealing-to-shoppers-new-research-157260">Food and drink products with pro-environment 'ecolabels' are more appealing to shoppers – new research</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<p>Making plant-based options more prominent may also begin to reverse public perceptions of meat-eating as the norm. Increasing the number of vegetarian options may signal that choosing a vegetarian meal is more commonly done by others and subconsciously nudge people to follow the trend. If just one of four options is meat-free, this could be seen as an option just for vegetarians. If half are meat-free, people have a choice of dishes which suggests plant-based food is in demand more generally, rather than being a niche choice. Of course, there is also a greater chance of there being one they would like.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A refrigerator section in a supermarket with meat and plant-based meat alternatives." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454982/original/file-20220329-27-1u41hny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454982/original/file-20220329-27-1u41hny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454982/original/file-20220329-27-1u41hny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454982/original/file-20220329-27-1u41hny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454982/original/file-20220329-27-1u41hny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454982/original/file-20220329-27-1u41hny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454982/original/file-20220329-27-1u41hny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Plant-based meat alternatives are increasingly popular.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/alameda-ca-july-28-2020-grocery-1786349348">Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Meat the deadline</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nationalfoodstrategy.org/the-report/">National Food Strategy</a> recommended that people in the UK eat 30% less meat by the end of the decade to reach net zero by 2050. People have ingrained habits, so it’s important to find ways to help them make more sustainable food choices and to keep making them.</p>
<p>Nearly <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/research-projects/healthy-and-sustainable-diets-consumer-poll">three in four people</a> believe it’s important to buy sustainable food. Simple changes, such as providing more plant-based options in shops and restaurants, could help people to meet this goal. </p>
<p>Adding appealing plant-based or vegetarian options to menus could get the ball rolling on the urgent changes needed, as well as enhance the impact of promising, but perhaps harder-to-implement measures, like ecolabels.</p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rachel Pechey receives funding from Wellcome Trust. </span></em></p>In three different experiments, plant-based meal sales rose when there were more menu options.Rachel Pechey, Research Fellow in Behavioural Science, University of OxfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1767362022-03-06T12:15:19Z2022-03-06T12:15:19ZTop 3 reasons to add plant-based proteins into your diet<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447544/original/file-20220221-27-1h8t1z4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=141%2C0%2C4138%2C2765&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Meatless Monday inspiration: Lentil bolognese, from the Guelph Family Health Study's plant-based proteins cookbook.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Social by Nature)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Fostering sustainable food systems is an <a href="https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/eat-lancet-commission-summary-report/">urgent global priority</a>. <a href="https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/eat-lancet-commission-summary-report/">Sustainable diets</a> are a part of food systems with important implications for human and environmental health. </p>
<p>While definitions of sustainable diets are still evolving, increasing plant-based protein consumption is a common theme among recommendations, including <a href="https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/make-it-a-habit-to-eat-vegetables-fruit-whole-grains-and-protein-foods/eat-protein-foods/">Canada’s Dietary Guidelines</a> and the <a href="https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/eat-lancet-commission-summary-report/">EAT-Lancet Report</a>. </p>
<p>Plant-based proteins are protein-containing foods that come from plants instead of animals. Common plant-based proteins include foods such as beans, nuts, seeds and tofu. </p>
<p>Despite this increased global and national focus on sustainability, not very many of us are eating a sustainable diet — only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020003444">five per cent of Canadians have indicated that they follow a plant-based diet</a> and <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2018004-eng.htm">just 14 per cent of Canadians</a> reported eating legumes on any particular day. </p>
<h2>Benefits of eating more plant proteins</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A snack bar on a square white plate" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449867/original/file-20220303-6135-1udjoft.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Homemade chocolate chip puff bars are a delicious source of fibre and protein, without the extra sugar and salt that is often found in processed snack foods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Social by Nature)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Adding more plant-based proteins to your diet can provide multiple benefits. Key among these include:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>Improving your health</strong>. Canada’s Dietary Guidelines recommend eating plant-based proteins, which tend to contain higher quantities of fibre and lower amounts of unhealthy fats compared to animal-based foods. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.11.007">Research shows</a> that plant-based protein intake is associated with a reduced risk of death from cancer, heart disease and all causes.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Improving the health of the planet</strong>. Eating more plant-based proteins can also help protect the environment. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(18)30206-7">For example</a>, in high-income countries like Canada, consuming a balanced, low-meat diet can reduce the environmental impacts of the food system by lowering emissions of greenhouse gases, use of nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers, and use of land and water. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Reducing your grocery bill</strong>. According to the <a href="https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sites/agri-food/Food%20Price%20Report%20-%20EN%202022.pdf">Canada Food Price Report 2022</a>, the cost of food is predicted to rise by five to seven per cent this year. Although food prices vary across Canada, plant-based proteins such as beans and tofu are typically more cost-effective compared to animal-based proteins like red meat. By purchasing plant-based proteins more often, you may reduce your grocery bill despite the rising costs of food. </p></li>
</ol>
<h2>Where to start?</h2>
<p>If plant-based eating is associated with significant benefits, why aren’t we consuming more plant-based foods? While there are many factors that influence eating habits, a key barrier relates to food literacy. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2021-0414">Our research</a> shows that people are unsure how to prepare plant-based proteins. </p>
<p>To address this barrier, we developed a cookbook to support Canadian families in replacing some of their animal-based proteins with plant-based proteins. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Tukey chili in a white bowl" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449868/original/file-20220303-23-gb9lyh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Turkey chili: Chicken and turkey are leaner proteins and contain less unhealthy fat than most red meats.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Social by Nature)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Our free online cookbook, <a href="https://guelphfamilyhealthstudy.com/cookbooks/"><em>Plant-based proteins: Recipes made easy-peasy!</em></a>, was created in collaboration with Health Canada, George Brown College and the Canadian Nutrition Society. The first section of the cookbook is an educational resource that provides information about plant-based proteins. The second half includes delicious, easy to prepare, family-friendly recipes. </p>
<p>While some recipes are solely plant-based, others introduce plant-based proteins alongside animal-based foods, ensuring that there are recipes everyone will enjoy!</p>
<p>Tips from our cookbook that may help you to start adding more plant-based proteins into your diet include:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>Try a “Meatless Monday</strong>.” Meatless Mondays can be helpful for starting your plant-based journey by encouraging you to plan one day a week when you try a plant-based meal. Check out our lentil Bolognese pasta recipe for inspiration.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Add some plant-based proteins alongside more familiar animal-based foods</strong>. This is a helpful approach for those who hope to try to eat more plant-based foods without completely removing meat from their meals. For example, our beef and bean burger is a tasty option that provides both animal protein and plant-based goodness. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Replace highly processed snack foods with a plant-based option</strong>. Homemade snacks like our chocolate chip puff bars are a delicious source of fibre and protein, without the extra sugar and salt that is often found in processed snack foods. The fibre and plant-based protein in our puff bars will help keep you feeling full and satisfied between meals. They are sure to be a lunch box favourite!</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Replace red meat with more environmentally friendly animal protein</strong>, like chicken or turkey. <a href="https://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/meateaters/pdf/methodology_ewg_meat_eaters_guide_to_health_and_climate_2011.pdf?_ga=2.235548481.134140016.1644622780-1537055229.1644622779">The carbon emissions</a> from chicken and turkey production are much lower than those of their red meat counterparts. Not only are these proteins better for the planet, they are also better for our bodies. Chicken and turkey are leaner proteins and contain less unhealthy fat than most red meats. Give turkey a try and warm up with a big batch of turkey chili. Leftovers can be frozen for a quick meal on a busy day. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Finding strategies that can work in your home to increase plant-based proteins can be a delicious and easy way to improve your health and the health of the planet, as well as to save money at the grocery store.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176736/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Katherine Eckert receives scholarship funding from the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jess Haines receives funding from Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Danone Institute International, and Public Health Agency of Canada. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Wedde does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Why is plant-based eating important? There are health, environmental and financial benefits of plant-based diets. Here are some great ways to start eating more plant-based foods.Katherine Eckert, Ph.D. Candidate & Registered Dietitian , University of GuelphJess Haines, Associate Professor of Applied Nutrition, University of GuelphSarah Wedde, MSc Candidate & Registered Dietitian, University of GuelphLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1769482022-03-01T13:41:30Z2022-03-01T13:41:30Z1 in 10 Americans say they don’t eat meat – a growing share of the population<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448139/original/file-20220223-13-12bokpo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=68%2C37%2C4981%2C2997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Where's the beef?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/in-this-photo-illustration-the-new-impossible-whopper-sits-news-photo/1160320536?adppopup=true">Drew Angerer/Getty Images News</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448136/original/file-20220223-15-1s5zape.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p>About 10% of Americans over the age of 18 consider themselves vegan or vegetarian as of January 2022.</p>
<p>That’s the main finding of an online survey <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dykK7FsAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">we</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=it_QO7EAAAAJ">administered</a> to 930 Americans, <a href="https://www.kantar.com/north-america">selected to be representative</a> of the U.S population in terms of gender, education, age and income. The margin of error is plus or minus 2%.</p>
<p>Based on our findings, which will be published in a forthcoming academic journal article, we believe that this group of people, numbering some 16.5 million, is evenly split between vegetarians and vegans. <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism">Vegans don’t eat anything derived from animals</a>, including eggs, milk and honey. <a href="https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/vegetarian-and-special-diets/vegetarianism-the-basic-facts">Vegetarians avoid eating the flesh of animals</a>, including beef, pork, poultry, fish and seafood.</p>
<h2>Changing rationales</h2>
<p>Until fairly recently most people who said they avoided eating meat cited <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/world-cultures-and-religions-plant-based-vegetarian-vegan-diet/">religious and cultural beliefs</a>, <a href="https://navs-online.org/articles/veganism-animal-rights/">animal welfare concerns</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003889">personal health precautions</a>. Newer motives have arisen.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-eating-meat-affects-the-environment-but-cows-are-not-killing-the-climate-94968">Environmental activists</a> urge Americans to shun meat. And adopting a vegan diet is increasingly fashionable because of the <a href="https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/vegan-celebrities/">growing list of celebrities</a> such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Stevie Wonder and Natalie Portman who say they refrain from eating animal products.</p>
<p>The swift growth of <a href="https://storebrands.com/plant-based-meat-market-boom-2030">plant-based meats</a>, now widely sold at grocery stores and served at <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/best-plant-based-meat-items-from-fast-food-chains">fast-food restaurants</a>, could be making these diets more convenient and easier to maintain.</p>
<p>To be sure, the average American still consumes a lot of meat and poultry: <a href="https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2021/05/an-overview-of-meat-consumption-in-the-united-states.html">more than 250 pounds per person every year</a>, plus another <a href="https://www.intrafish.com/markets/us-seafood-per-capita-consumption-sets-record-but-thats-not-the-full-story/2-1-1013749">20 pounds of fish and shellfish</a>. But additional evidence does suggest that the share of Americans on plant-based diets is rising.</p>
<p>When Purdue University agricultural economist <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_bMtEckAAAAJ&hl=en">Jayson Lusk</a> led a survey of over 1,000 Americans monthly from 2013 to 2017, he found that only about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.07.005">5% of Americans considered themselves vegan or vegetarian</a>. That matched the results of a <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/267074/percentage-americans-vegetarian.aspx">2018 Gallup poll</a>. </p>
<p>A more recent version of this survey using similar methods, now headed by <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=pCG-KYIAAAAJ">Glynn Tonsor</a>, a Kansas State University agricultural economist, has found that this <a href="https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/meat-demand/monthly-meat-demand-monitor-survey-data/meat-demand-monitor-january-2022">proportion now stands at about 10%</a> in January 2022. That’s the same as our estimate, and it offers further evidence that the share of Americans who are vegans or vegetarians has doubled in recent years.</p>
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<h2>Partial vegetarians</h2>
<p>However, not everyone who identifies as vegan or vegetarian sticks with their diet all the time.</p>
<p>A minor scandal arose when New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a self-proclaimed vegan, <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2022/2/8/22921907/vegan-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-under-fire-eats-fish">confessed that he occasionally eats fish</a>. But Adams is no anomaly. It’s common for people who describe themselves as vegetarian to occasionally eat fish or meat. Food researchers like us call them <a href="https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/part-time-vegetarian">partial vegetarians</a>, but they might refer to themselves as <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-the-flexitarian-diet/">flexitarians</a>. </p>
<p>And there are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.07.005">probably more partial than true vegetarians</a> in the U.S. </p>
<p>We see two good explanations for that. Some people eat so little meat they truly are more of a vegetarian than a nonvegetarian, so when asked in a survey they select the identity that best describes them. Another explanation could be the common tendency to <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.addbeh.2017.05.005">misrepresent your own behavior</a> in line with what you believe others will find virtuous.</p>
<p>Will this trend toward more vegans and vegetarians continue? Only time will tell, but food companies will certainly be watching.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176948/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Courtney Bir receives funding from the USDA. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>F. Bailey Norwood does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Plentiful meat substitutes might be making plant-based diets more popular.F. Bailey Norwood, Professor of Agribusiness, Oklahoma State UniversityCourtney Bir, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1777872022-02-24T15:24:09Z2022-02-24T15:24:09ZVegetarian, pescatarian or low meat diets may reduce cancer risk – new research<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448337/original/file-20220224-33175-nyx8j2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=51%2C0%2C5760%2C3837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Vegetarians had a 14% lower risk of developing all types of cancer compared to people who regularly eat meat.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/family-lunch-party-home-vegetarian-meal-1662594976">Dejan Dundjerski/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A growing number of people are choosing to eat less meat. There are many reasons people may choose to make this shift, but health is often cited as a popular motive.</p>
<p>A large body of research has shown that plant-based diets can have many health benefits – including lowering the risk of chronic diseases, such as <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039">type 2 diabetes</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109717375216?via%3Dihub">heart disease</a>. Two large studies – <a href="http://www.epic-oxford.org/">EPIC-Oxford</a> and the <a href="https://adventisthealthstudy.org/studies/AHS-2">Adventist Health Study-2</a> – have also suggested vegetarian or pescatarian diets (where the only meat a person eats is fish or seafood) may be linked to a slightly lower overall cancer risk. </p>
<p>Limited research has shown whether these diets could lower risk of developing specific types of cancer. This is what our <a href="https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-022-02256-w">recent study</a> aimed to uncover. We found that eating less meat lower a person’s risk of developing cancer – even the most common types of cancer.</p>
<p>We conducted a large-scale analysis of diet and cancer risk using data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> study (a database of detailed genetic and health information from nearly 500,000 British people). When participants were recruited between 2006 and 2010, they completed questionnaires about their diet – including how often they ate foods such as meat and fish. We then tracked participants for 11 years using their medical records to understand how their health had changed during this time.</p>
<p>Participants were then categorised into four groups depending on their diet. Around 53% were regular meat-eaters (meaning they ate meat more than five times a week). A further 44% of participants were low meat-eaters (eating meat five or less times a week). Just over 2% were pescatarians, while just under 2% of participants were classified as vegetarians. We included vegans with the vegetarian group as there weren’t enough to study them separately.</p>
<p>Our analyses were also adjusted to ensure other factors that might increase risk of cancer – such as age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption and sociodemographic status – were taken into account.</p>
<p>Compared with regular meat-eaters, we found the risk of developing any type of cancer was 2% lower for low meat-eaters, 10% lower in pescatarians and 14% lower in vegetarians.</p>
<h2>Specific cancer risk</h2>
<p>We also wanted to know how diet affected risk of developing the three most common types of cancer seen in the UK. </p>
<p>We found that low meat-eaters had a 9% lower risk of colorectal cancer compared with regular meat-eaters. <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(15)00444-1/fulltext">Previous research</a> has also shown that a higher intake of processed meat in particular is associated with higher colorectal cancer risk. We also found that vegetarians and pescatarians had a lower risk of colorectal cancer, however this was not statistically significant. </p>
<p>We also found that women who ate a vegetarian diet had an 18% lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in comparison to regular meat-eaters. However, this association was largely due to the lower average body weight seen in vegetarian women. Previous studies have shown that being overweight or obese after menopause increases <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/breast-cancer/">risk of breast cancer</a>. No significant associations were observed between postmenopausal breast cancer risk among pescatarians and low meat-eaters.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman holds a bowl of vegetarian foods." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448338/original/file-20220224-5831-pbrr7g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/448338/original/file-20220224-5831-pbrr7g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448338/original/file-20220224-5831-pbrr7g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448338/original/file-20220224-5831-pbrr7g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448338/original/file-20220224-5831-pbrr7g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448338/original/file-20220224-5831-pbrr7g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/448338/original/file-20220224-5831-pbrr7g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Vegetarian diets were linked with lower breast cancer risk in women.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/healthy-vegetarian-dinner-woman-jeans-warm-1317602774">Foxys Forest Manufacture/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Pescatarians and vegetarians also had a lower risk of prostate cancer (20% and 31% less respectively) in comparison to regular meat-eaters. But it’s not clear whether this is because of diet, or if it’s due to other factors – such as whether or not a person sought cancer screening. </p>
<p>As this was an observational study (meaning we only observed changes to a participant’s health without asking them to make changes to their diet), this means we can’t know for sure if the links we’ve seen are directly caused by diet, or if they’re due to other factors. Although we adjusted the results carefully to take into account other important causes of cancer, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, it’s still possible other factors may still have influenced the results we observed. </p>
<p>Another limitation of our study is that most of the participants <strong>(around 94%)</strong> were white. This means we don’t know whether the same link will be seen in other ethnic groups. It will also be important for future studies to look at a more diverse population, as well as larger numbers of vegetarians, pescatarians and vegans to explore whether this link between lower cancer risk and these types of diets is as strong as we observed. </p>
<p>It’s important to note that simply eliminating meat doesn’t necessarily make your diet healthier. For example, some people who follow a vegetarian or pescatarian diet may still eat low amounts of fruits and vegetables and high amounts of refined and processed foods, which might lead to poor health.</p>
<p>Most evidence showing an association between lower cancer risk and vegetarian or pescatarian diets also seems to suggest that greater consumption of vegetables, fruits and whole grains may explain this lower risk. These groups also don’t consume red and processed meat, which is linked with <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/meat-fish-and-dairy/">higher colorectal cancer risk</a>. But more evidence will be needed to fully explore the reasons for the results we observed.</p>
<p>The links between red and processed meat and cancer risk are well known – which is why it’s <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/diet-and-cancer/cancer-prevention-recommendations/">widely recommended</a> people aim to limit the amount of these foods they consume as part of their diet. It’s also recommended that people consume a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans as well as maintain a healthy body weight in order to reduce their risk of cancer.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177787/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cody Watling receives funding from Nuffield Department of Population Health Doctoral Scholarship.
The authors would like to thank Dr. Caroline Wood for her writing assistance, language editing, and proofreading of this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Aurora Perez-Cornago receives funding from Cancer Research UK and the World Cancer Research Fund. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tim Key receives funding from Cancer Research UK, Wellcome
</span></em></p>Eating less meat was also linked with a lower risk of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer.Cody Watling, PhD Researcher, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of OxfordAurora Perez-Cornago, Senior Nutritional Epidemiologist, University of OxfordTim Key, Professor of Epidemiology, University of OxfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1739922022-01-14T13:35:45Z2022-01-14T13:35:45ZSugar detox? Cutting carbs? A doctor explains why you should keep fruit on the menu<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440471/original/file-20220112-25-egh65j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=270%2C457%2C4193%2C2828&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Ripe berries and sugar crystals are both sweet, but one offers much more than just calories.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/sugar-sprinkling-down-onto-a-spoonful-of-strawberries-taken-news-photo/138203565">Chris George/PhotoPlus Magazine/Future via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>One of my patients – who had been struggling with obesity, uncontrolled diabetes and the cost of her medications – agreed in June 2019 to adopt a more whole-food plant-based diet.</p>
<p>Excited by the challenge, she did a remarkable job. She increased her fresh fruit and vegetable intake, stopped eating candy, cookies and cakes and cut down on foods from animal sources. Over six months, she lost 19 pounds and her HbA1c – a measure of her <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/managing-blood-sugar/a1c.html">average blood sugar</a> – dropped from 11.5% to 7.6%.</p>
<p>She was doing so well, I expected that her HbA1c would continue to drop and she would be one of our plant-based successes who had reversed diabetes.</p>
<p>Her three-month follow-up visit in March 2020 was canceled because of COVID-19 lockdowns. When I eventually saw her again in May 2021, she’d regained some of the weight and her HbA1c had climbed to 10.4%. She explained that her diabetes doctor and a diabetes nurse educator had told her that she was eating too much “sugar” on the plant-based diet.</p>
<p>She’d been advised to limit carbohydrates by cutting back on fruits and starchy vegetables and eating more fish and chicken. Sugar-free candy, cakes, cookies and artificial sweeteners were encouraged. In the face of conflicting medical advice, she fell back on conventional wisdom that “sugar” is bad and should be avoided whenever possible, especially if you have diabetes. </p>
<p>I’m a physician, board certified in preventive medicine with a <a href="https://lifestylemedicine.org/What-is-Lifestyle-Medicine">lifestyle medicine</a> clinic at Morehouse Healthcare in Atlanta. This emerging medical specialty focuses on helping patients make healthy lifestyle behavior modifications. Patients who adopt whole-food plant-based diets increase carbohydrate intake and often see reversal of chronic diseases including diabetes and hypertension. In my clinical experience, myths about “sugar” and carbohydrates are common among patients and health professionals. </p>
<h2>Fruit vs. sugar</h2>
<p>Your body runs on glucose. It is the simple sugar that cells use for energy.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="molecular diagrams for glucose, fructose and galactose" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440472/original/file-20220112-19-1a13b8z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">These molecules are the three kinds of simple sugars, found in starches, fruit and milk.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/biology-diagram-show-structure-and-formation-royalty-free-illustration/1247905133">Trinset/ iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Glucose is a molecular building block of <a href="https://open.oregonstate.education/animalnutrition/chapter/chapter-3/">carbohydrates</a>, one of the three essential <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468865/">macronutrients</a>. The other two are fat and protein. Starches are long, branching chains of glucose.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="molecular diagram of chain of glucoses together" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=78&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=78&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=78&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=98&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=98&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440473/original/file-20220112-21-k525qd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=98&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chains of simple sugar molecules linked together form starches and other carbohydrates.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/biology-diagram-show-structure-and-formation-royalty-free-illustration/1247905133">Trinset/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Naturally occurring carbohydrates travel in nutrient-dense packages such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. </p>
<p>Humans <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-taste-for-sweet-an-anthropologist-explains-the-evolutionary-origins-of-why-youre-programmed-to-love-sugar-173197">evolved to crave sweet tastes</a> to get the nutrients needed to survive. A daily supply of vitamins, minerals and fiber is needed because our bodies cannot make them. The best source of these substances for our ancient ancestors was sweet, ripe, delicious fruit. In addition, fruits contain <a href="https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/what-are-phytochemicals/">phytonutrients</a> and <a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/antioxidants-in-depth">antioxidants</a>, chemicals produced only by plants. Phytonutrients such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/fqsafe/fyx023">ellagic acid in strawberries</a> have cancer-fighting properties and promote heart health. </p>
<p>Refined sugars, on the other hand, are highly processed and stripped of all nutrients except calories. They’re a concentrated form of carbohydrates. The food industry produces refined sugars in many forms. The most common are sucrose crystals, which you’d recognize as table sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup, which is found in many processed foods and sweetened beverages. </p>
<p>If you continually satisfy your taste for sweet with foods that contain refined sugar – rather than the nutrient-rich fruits at the core of this craving passed on by evolution – you <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/openhrt-2016-000469">may not get all the nutrients you need</a>. Over time, this deficit may create a vicious cycle of overeating that leads to obesity and obesity-related health problems. Women who eat the most fruit <a href="https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.114.199158">tend to have lower rates of obesity</a>.</p>
<h2>Sugar toxicity</h2>
<p>Refined sugars are not directly toxic to cells, but they can combine with proteins and fats in food and in the bloodstream to produce toxic substances such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.008433">advanced glycation end products</a> (AGEs). High blood glucose levels may produce <a href="https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1432-1033.2002.03017.x">glycated low-density lipoproteins</a>. High levels of these and other glucose-related toxic substances are associated with an increased risk of a wide range of chronic health problems, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.2337/dc17-1740">cardiovascular disease and diabetes</a>.</p>
<p>[<em>You’re smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation’s authors and editors.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-youresmart">You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>The disease most commonly associated with sugar is Type 2 diabetes. A surprising number of people, including health professionals, incorrectly believe that eating sugar causes Type 2 diabetes. This myth leads to a focus on lowering blood sugar and “counting carbs” while ignoring the real cause: progressive <a href="https://doi.org/10.2337/dcS13-2008">loss of pancreatic beta cell function</a>. At diagnosis, a patient may have lost between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(20)30022-X">40% and 60%</a> of their beta cells, which are responsible for producing insulin. </p>
<p>Insulin is a hormone that controls how much glucose is in the bloodstream by blocking glucose production in the liver and driving it into fat and muscle cells. Loss of beta cell function means not enough insulin gets produced, resulting in the high blood glucose levels characteristic of Type 2 diabetes.</p>
<p>Beta cells have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-010-0862-9">low levels of antioxidants and are susceptible to attack</a> by metabolic and dietary oxidized free radicals and AGEs. Antioxidants in fruit can protect beta cells. Researchers have found that eating <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5001">whole fruit decreases the risk of Type 2 diabetes</a>, with those who <a href="https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab335">eat the most fruit having the lowest risk</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="hands pouring sugar into a bowl with strawberries in the background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/440475/original/file-20220112-19-1uy72hg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">As you consume less refined sugar, you may notice more nuance in fruits’ flavors.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/christine-burns-rudalevige-pours-sugar-into-the-strawberry-news-photo/806582004">Brianna Soukup/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Detoxing from sugar</h2>
<p>People interested in losing weight and improving health often ask if they should do a “sugar detox.” In my opinion this is a waste of time, because it is not possible to eliminate sugar from the body. For instance, if you ate only baked chicken breasts, your liver would convert protein to glucose in a process called <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541119/">gluconeogenesis</a>.</p>
<p>Low-carb diets may lead to weight loss, but at the expense of health. Diets that significantly reduce carbohydrates are associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-7-24">nutrient deficiencies</a> and higher <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0055030">risk of death from any cause</a>. On low-carbohydrate <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/">ketogenic</a> diets the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020374">body will break down muscles</a> and turn their protein into glucose. The lack of fiber causes constipation.</p>
<p>Eliminating foods sweetened with refined sugar is a worthy goal. But don’t think of it as a “detox” – it should be a permanent lifestyle change. The safest way to go on a refined sugar “detox” is to increase your intake of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Once you eliminate refined sugar, you’ll likely find that your taste buds become more sensitive to – and appreciative of – the natural sweetness of fruits.</p>
<p></p><hr> <p></p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439239/original/file-20220103-48418-1p7tcpi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439239/original/file-20220103-48418-1p7tcpi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439239/original/file-20220103-48418-1p7tcpi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439239/original/file-20220103-48418-1p7tcpi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439239/original/file-20220103-48418-1p7tcpi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439239/original/file-20220103-48418-1p7tcpi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439239/original/file-20220103-48418-1p7tcpi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em>This article is part of a series examining sugar’s effects on human health and culture. <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/sugar-2022-114641">You can read the articles on theconversation.com.</a></em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173992/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jennifer Rooke works for Morehouse School of Medicine. This is stated in the article.</span></em></p>Sugar gets a bad rap, but exactly which sugar is meant? Nutrient-dense sweet ripe fruits are a far cry from refined table sugar – and their differences can have big health implications.Jennifer Rooke, Assistant Professor of Community Health & Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of MedicineLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1572352022-01-04T19:13:15Z2022-01-04T19:13:15Z4 plant-based foods to eat every week (and why science suggests they’re good for you)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436253/original/file-20211208-140109-1hurlbt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4500%2C2997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As a laureate professor in nutrition and dietetics people often ask – what do you eat? </p>
<p>Plant-based foods are good sources of healthy nutrients. These include different types of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and a range of “<a href="https://theconversation.com/phytonutrients-can-boost-your-health-here-are-4-and-where-to-find-them-including-in-your-next-cup-of-coffee-132100">phytonutrients</a>”, which plants produce to help them grow or protect them from pathogens and pests.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33951994/">review of research published in May 2021</a> looked at 12 studies with more than 500,000 people who were followed for up to 25 years. It found those who ate the most plant foods were less likely to die from any cause over follow-up time periods that varied across the studies from five to 25 years, compared to those who ate the least.</p>
<p>Here are four versatile and tasty plant foods I have on my weekly grocery list, and the research showing why they’re good for you.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/plant-rich-diets-may-help-prevent-depression-new-evidence-103898">Plant-rich diets may help prevent depression – new evidence</a>
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</em>
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<h2>1. Tomatoes</h2>
<p>Tomatoes are a berry fruit (not a vegetable). They’re rich in vitamin C and “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopene">lycopene</a>”, which is a carotenoid. Carotenoids are pigments produced by plants and give vegetables their bright colours. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32243013/">review of six trials</a> asked people to consume tomato products equivalent to 1-1.5 large tomatoes or 1-1.5 cups of tomato juice daily for about six weeks.</p>
<p>The researchers found people who did this had reduced blood levels of triglycerides (a type of fat in your blood that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31530008/">increases heart disease risk</a>), as well as lower total and “bad” cholesterol levels, compared to those who didn’t have any tomatoes.</p>
<p>These people also had increased levels of “good cholesterol”.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/love-meat-too-much-to-be-vegetarian-go-flexitarian-73741">Love meat too much to be vegetarian? Go 'flexitarian'</a>
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<p>Another review of 11 studies tested the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33676812/">effect of tomatoes and lycopene on blood pressure</a>.</p>
<p>Researchers found consuming any tomato products led to a large decrease in systolic blood pressure (the first number that measures the pressure at which the heart pumps blood).</p>
<p>However, there was no effect on the diastolic pressure (the second number which is the pressure in the heart when it relaxes).</p>
<p>In the group who had high blood pressure to begin with, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased after eating tomato products compared to placebos.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Tomatoes" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435741/original/file-20211206-25-1dfc2id.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435741/original/file-20211206-25-1dfc2id.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435741/original/file-20211206-25-1dfc2id.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435741/original/file-20211206-25-1dfc2id.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435741/original/file-20211206-25-1dfc2id.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435741/original/file-20211206-25-1dfc2id.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435741/original/file-20211206-25-1dfc2id.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and other important healthy nutrients.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29317772/">review of studies</a> included a total of 260,000 men and found those with the highest intakes of cooked tomatoes, tomato sauces and tomato-based foods (equivalent to around one cup per week) had a 15-20% lower risk of developing prostate cancer compared to those with the lowest tomato intakes. Keep in mind correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation, though. </p>
<p><strong>Recipe tips</strong></p>
<p>Keep canned tomatoes in the cupboard and add to pasta sauce, casseroles and soup. Make your own sauce by roasting tomatoes and red capsicum with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then puree with a spoon of chilli paste or herbs of your choice. Keep in the fridge.</p>
<p>Try our fast tomato <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/filter/keywords--tomato">recipes at No Money No Time</a>, a site full of dietary advice and recipes founded by my team at the University of Newcastle. </p>
<h2>2. Pumpkin</h2>
<p>Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, which is also a carotenoid (plant pigment). It gets converted into vitamin A in the body and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24782580/">is used in the production of antibodies that fight infection</a>. It’s also needed to maintain the integrity of cells in eyes, skin, lungs and the gut. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30475962/">review of studies that followed people over time</a> looked at associations between what people ate, blood concentrations of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-Carotene">beta-carotene</a> and health outcomes.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/carrots-and-pumpkin-might-reduce-your-risk-of-cancer-but-beware-taking-them-in-pill-form-75537">Carrots and pumpkin might reduce your risk of cancer, but beware taking them in pill form</a>
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</p>
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<p>People who had the highest intakes of foods rich in beta-carotene (such as pumpkin, carrots, sweet potato and leafy greens) had an 8-19% lower relative risk of having coronary heart disease, stroke, or dying from any cause in studies over 10 years or more compared to those with the lowest intakes.</p>
<p><strong>Recipe tips</strong></p>
<p>Pumpkin soup is a favourite. Try our <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/design-your-own-pumpkin-soup">design-your-own</a> soup recipe.</p>
<p>Heat oven to 180°C, chop the pumpkin into wedges, drizzle with olive oil, roast till golden. Speed it up by microwaving cut pumpkin for a couple of minutes before roasting.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Carrots, pumpkins, sweet potato and other vegetables" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435743/original/file-20211206-27-12a8ug6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435743/original/file-20211206-27-12a8ug6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435743/original/file-20211206-27-12a8ug6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435743/original/file-20211206-27-12a8ug6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435743/original/file-20211206-27-12a8ug6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=528&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435743/original/file-20211206-27-12a8ug6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=528&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/435743/original/file-20211206-27-12a8ug6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=528&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Pumpkins, carrots and sweet potato have high levels of beta-carotene, which has health benefits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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</figure>
<h2>3. Mushrooms</h2>
<p>Mushrooms are rich in nutrients with strong antioxidant properties.</p>
<p>The body’s usual processes create <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/antioxidants">oxidative stress</a>, which generates “free radicals”. These are small particles that damage cells walls and cause the cells to die.</p>
<p>If these aren’t neutralised by antioxidants, they can trigger inflammation, contribute to ageing and development of some cancers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-antioxidants-and-are-they-truly-good-for-us-86062">What are antioxidants? And are they truly good for us?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33724299/">review of 17 studies on mushrooms and health</a> found people who ate the most mushrooms had a 34% lower risk of developing any type of cancer compared to those with lowest intakes. For breast cancer, the risk was 35% lower. Though, again, correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation.</p>
<p>Across the studies, a high mushroom intake was equivalent to eating a button mushroom a day (roughly 18 grams).</p>
<p><strong>Recipe tips</strong></p>
<p>Check out our <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/basic-mushroom-baby-spinach-side">mushroom and baby spinach stir-fry recipe</a>. It makes a tasty side dish to serve with scrambled or poached eggs on toast. </p>
<h2>4. Oats</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33296453/">review of ten studies</a> tested the effects on blood sugar and insulin levels from eating intact oat kernels, thick rolled oats or quick rolled oats compared to refined grains.</p>
<p>These found eating intact oat kernels and thick rolled oats led to significant reductions in blood glucose and insulin responses, but not after eating quick rolled oats.</p>
<p>This is likely due to the longer time it takes for your body to digest and absorb the less-processed oats. So it’s better to eat whole grain oats, called groats, or rolled oats rather then quick rolled oats.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/phytonutrients-can-boost-your-health-here-are-4-and-where-to-find-them-including-in-your-next-cup-of-coffee-132100">Phytonutrients can boost your health. Here are 4 and where to find them (including in your next cup of coffee)</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Oats are a good sources of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34828872/">beta-glucan</a>, a soluble fibre shown to help lower blood cholesterol levels.</p>
<p>Across <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27724985/">58 studies where people were fed a special diet</a> containing about 3.5 grams of oat beta-glucan a day, “bad” cholesterol levels were significantly lower compared with control groups.</p>
<p>The impact of oats <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25668347/">on blood pressure has been tested in five intervention trials</a> which showed a small, but important, drop in blood pressure.</p>
<p><strong>Recipe tips</strong></p>
<p>You can eat rolled oats for breakfast year round.</p>
<p>Eat them as <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/filter/keywords--oats">muesli in summer or porridge in winter</a>, add to meat patties, mix with breadcrumbs for coatings or add to fruit crumble toppings.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157235/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, WA Dept. Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>As a laureate professor in nutrition and dietetics, people often ask me what I eat. Here are four plant-based foods I have on my weekly grocery list.Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1733032022-01-02T12:58:04Z2022-01-02T12:58:04ZPlant-based doesn’t always mean healthy<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438082/original/file-20211216-15-1e2b7k8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C0%2C5742%2C3837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Some plant-based foods are high in calories and sodium content.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As we ring in the new year and people announce their resolutions and goals for 2022, many opt for getting healthy, cutting out drinking or starting a new hobby. <a href="https://chooseveg.com/blog/new-years-resolution-go-vegan-advice/">Vegan magazines</a> and organizations are pushing plant-based diets — calling it the “<a href="https://www.peta.org/features/ultimate-new-years-resolution-go-vegan/">ultimate new year’s resolution</a>.”</p>
<p>But plant-based meats are often high in sodium, ultra-processed and not any healthier than the meat they imitate. Meanwhile, <a href="https://foodinsight.org/consumer-survey-plant-alternatives-to-meat/">nearly half of the consumers</a> think they are more nutritious. So if your resolution is related to health, you may want to reconsider switching to a plant-based diet if it involves plant-based meat.</p>
<p>The Impossible Burger, for example, is an impressive meat-free mix of soy, potato proteins, coconut and sunflower oils. It even bleeds like the real thing. At the same time its <a href="https://impossiblefoods.com/ca/burger">calorie count</a> and saturated fat levels mirror a McDonald’s <a href="https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/about-our-food/nutrition-calculator.html">quarter-pounder</a> patty, and it has six times more sodium.</p>
<p>The global market for plant-based meat is projected to explode to <a href="https://www.ubs.com/global/en/wealth-management/insights/chief-investment-office/sustainable-investing/2019/food-revolution.html">US$85 billion</a> in 2030. And grocery stores are taking note, featuring an array of burgers, sausages, nuggets, ground meat and seafood options all without any trace of animal products.</p>
<h2>What’s the nutritional benefit?</h2>
<p>According <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082527">to one recent study</a>, the nutritional benefit of plant-based foods is minimal. Researchers from the Singapore Institute for Food and Biotechnology Innovation modelled the outcome of replacing bacon, chicken, beef burgers and ice cream with animal-free versions. </p>
<p>Diets that substituted animal products with the plant-based alternative were below the daily recommendations for vitamin B12, calcium, potassium, zinc and magnesium, and higher in sodium, sugar and saturated fat. </p>
<p>Even with <a href="https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2021/04/27/Beyond-Meat-unveils-the-Beyond-Burger-3.0-with-likeability-scoring-on-par-with-80-20-ground-beef-burgers">added vitamins and minerals</a>, these products are not nutritionally interchangeable, says Stephan van Vliet, a postdoctoral associate at the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute. “Meat made from plants isn’t meat made from cows and meat made from cows isn’t meat made from plants,” he says. </p>
<p>Animal sources like meat, milk and eggs are complete proteins, meaning they contain enough of the <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002222.htm">nine essential amino acids</a> we must get from our diets every day. Plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains often lack one or more of these amino acids and need to be eaten in combination. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Plant based meal prep, three tupperware containers are shown with rice, corn, avocado, tomato, beans and olives" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438080/original/file-20211216-19-1f2vktg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438080/original/file-20211216-19-1f2vktg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438080/original/file-20211216-19-1f2vktg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438080/original/file-20211216-19-1f2vktg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438080/original/file-20211216-19-1f2vktg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438080/original/file-20211216-19-1f2vktg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438080/original/file-20211216-19-1f2vktg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Simply focusing on protein is insufficient.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Unsplash/Ella Olsson)</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Plant-based meat manufacturers argue their products contain similar amounts of protein that are <a href="https://faq.impossiblefoods.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034898454-Is-plant-based-protein-as-high-quality-as-animal-derived-protein-">comparable in quality to animal protein</a>. But focusing on protein is too “simplistic,” says van Vliet. “Foods contain hundreds to thousands of compounds that are capable of impacting human metabolism and health.”</p>
<p>Van Vliet and colleagues <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93100-3">compared 190 molecules</a> in plant-based meat alternatives with grass-fed ground beef and found that 90 per cent of them were different. Plant-based meat alternatives lacked certain amino acids and derivatives, like creatine, taurine and anserine, “which can all have an impact on our health and potentially brain function as well as muscle function,” he says. </p>
<p>Other <a href="https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-are-Metabolites.aspx">metabolites</a> like polyphenols and antioxidants were found in greater quantities or exclusively in plant-based meats. He sees plant and animal source foods as complementary in our diet, where some nutrients are better obtained from animal sources and others from plants. </p>
<h2>The term plant-based</h2>
<p>“People opt for a plant-based burger for a variety of reasons,” says Rosie Schwartz, a Toronto-based consulting dietitian, “including reducing meat intake.” But she argues that consumers should rethink their reasoning if it’s because of health.</p>
<p>“To substitute something plant-based as a substitute because it’s called plant-based is really steering us in the wrong direction,” says Schwartz. </p>
<p>According to nutrition scientists and <a href="https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/">Canada’s Food Guide</a>, plant-based is the recommended way we should be eating. Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits, and the other half with whole grains and proteins. </p>
<p>But “plant-based” also refers to anything from meat to paint to pillowcases, as long as they were made mostly or completely of plants, according to the <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/words-were-watching-plant-based">Merriam-Webster dictionary</a>. </p>
<p>Just because it’s made from plants, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. “I do think it’s very confusing for the consumer,” says van Vliet. “It’s probably not the chicken, but everything else that comes with the chicken nugget that is probably detrimental to our health.” </p>
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<img alt="A woman blows into a ladle as she lifts it out of a pot of soup, vegetables are on a cutting board in front of her" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438081/original/file-20211216-13-1lb8ftk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C0%2C5725%2C3828&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438081/original/file-20211216-13-1lb8ftk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438081/original/file-20211216-13-1lb8ftk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438081/original/file-20211216-13-1lb8ftk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438081/original/file-20211216-13-1lb8ftk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438081/original/file-20211216-13-1lb8ftk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438081/original/file-20211216-13-1lb8ftk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If you’re opting for plant-based because of health, you should probably reconsider.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<h2>The future of plant-based meats</h2>
<p>Up until this point, plant-based meat companies focused on the taste, texture and appearance of its products. These companies targeted meat eaters by creating plant-based marvels meant to look, taste and feel like the real thing.</p>
<p>Impossible Foods, the creator of the Impossible Burger, says <a href="https://impossiblefoods.com/blog/why-does-impossible-burger-taste-like-meat">90 per cent</a> of their customers are still meat eaters. It isn’t in the business of converting salad and tempeh-eating veggie lovers into fake meat consumers. </p>
<p>“The whole mission of Impossible Foods is to create plant-based products that compete directly against animal meat,” said Esther Cohn, communications manager at Impossible Foods. “If you eat five beef burgers a week, we want you to swap, even just try swapping one out for an Impossible Burger.”</p>
<p>With a booming market and <a href="https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2021-10-21/fake-meat-cultured-meat-plant-based-protein">new animal-free proteins</a> made from cells in a lab or fungi in fermentation tanks, the options are endless. Can they be adapted to be healthier as well? We’ll have to wait and see.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173303/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Meghan McGee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As new year’s resolutions start pouring in, you may want to reconsider a plant-based diet if your motivation is health.Meghan McGee, Nutrition Scientist, Dalla Lana Fellow, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1657712021-09-20T12:29:08Z2021-09-20T12:29:08ZFive ways going vegan could change your social life – not just your health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421867/original/file-20210917-17-173n9d4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=98%2C62%2C5892%2C3925&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-young-people-buying-organic-food-1506833060">silverkblackstock/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As veganism grows in popularity, researchers are documenting its positive impacts on <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-surprising-benefits-of-a-plant-based-diet-130902">individual health</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-plant-based-diets-could-help-prevent-the-next-covid-19-159308">public health</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/go-vegan-because-of-mass-exploitation-of-animals-not-because-eating-them-is-wrong-110628">animal welfare</a> and even <a href="https://theconversation.com/vegan-leather-made-from-mushrooms-could-mould-the-future-of-sustainable-fashion-143988">the fashion industry</a>. </p>
<p>In 2018, <a href="https://vegnews.com/2019/1/one-in-six-food-launches-in-the-uk-is-vegan">one in six</a> new food products in the UK was vegan, and the “Veganuary” campaign has become <a href="https://veganuary.com/veganuary-2021-survey-results/#:%7E:text=More%20than%20582%2C000%20people%20from,2021%2C%20breaking%20all%20previous%20records">increasingly popular</a>. These market trends attest to veganism’s staying power.</p>
<p>Beyond the well-documented <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200122-are-there-health-benefits-to-going-vegan">health</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-gooders-conservatives-and-reluctant-recyclers-how-personal-morals-can-be-harnessed-for-climate-action-164599">environmental</a> benefits, going vegan can also affect our social relationships. </p>
<p>In my <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2021.1975164">recently published research</a>, I interviewed 16 vegans in Britain about how veganism changed their lives. I learned that vegans are constantly finding that their new lifestyle choices can clash with their life before veganism – especially in social interactions. Here are five ways this manifests:</p>
<h2>Your veganism might be dismissed as a ‘fad’</h2>
<p>Just a few years ago, when veganism was largely unheard of, celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow were the public face of plant-based eating.</p>
<p>Celebrities often cite the vegan diet as the reason they stay slim, beautiful and feel good, but are also <a href="https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/vegan-lifestyle/vegan-celebrities/celebrities-who-quit-being-vegan/">quick to give it up</a>. </p>
<p>A widely cited statistic claims 84% of people will give up on veganism, but these claims have <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/do-84-vegans-and-vegetarians-give-up-diets/">been refuted</a>. A <a href="http://www.epic-oxford.org/introduction/">major investigation</a> by the World Health Organization and Oxford University found almost the reverse to be true: 85% of people continued to be vegan after 20 years.</p>
<p>It’s no surprise then, with these confusing narratives, that people continue to dismiss veganism as a fad diet. One person told me:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>My sister refers to me as “The Vegan”, and some people ask: “are you still doing that vegan thing?”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Veganism challenges the commonly held idea that a healthy diet requires animal proteins. When people go vegan, their families and friends often worry about the impact of this “extreme” diet – this is a kind of surveillance that vegans felt was never directed at the healthiness of their diets when they ate animals.</p>
<p>Despite these concerns, a vegan diet is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025">considered healthy</a> for people at every life stage, and has been found to reduce risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer. </p>
<h2>Veganism is a time commitment</h2>
<p>People rarely become vegan overnight. Learning about the ethical, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1527-2001.2012.01280.x">emotional</a> and practical implications – researching where and what you can eat, finding out about <a href="https://www.peta.org/living/food/animal-ingredients-list/">“hidden” animal ingredients</a> in common foods – can be a long adjustment.</p>
<p>Veganism can also have time-consuming emotional impacts. I found that vegans feel guilty for having eaten animals in the past, or helpless that they can’t help more animals in the present.</p>
<p>One interviewee described the emotional adjustment to what she was learning about veganism:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I feel pain when I see animals that are in pain or have suffered. That does break my heart. That is the hardest part of being vegan, that empathy, because a lot of the time you are sad.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Compromise is key</h2>
<p>Vegans are hyper-conscious of the way they are perceived by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2010.01348.x">society, media,</a> family and friends. Sociologists Kelly Markowski and Susan Roxburgh have called this phenomenon “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.12.040">vegan stigma</a>”. To maintain your social network, you may have to make tough decisions about how you interact socially.</p>
<p>One person said she no longer talks about veganism to friends:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I have a friend who really loves animals. How can you love animals if you eat dead animals? I can’t say that because it comes across as aggressive, so we just don’t talk about it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In these situations, vegans feel they don’t just represent themselves, but also the public image of veganism.</p>
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<h2>Food isn’t just food</h2>
<p>Geographers Allison and Jessica Hayes-Conroy have written that eating is connected to the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09663690802300803">shaping of social identities</a>. This is certainly true for veganism, where eating is a public performance of changing beliefs. </p>
<p>One person told me about the spontaneous workplace gathering where there was no vegan food on the menu, so she nursed an orange juice. Another told me that her grandmother forgot she was vegan at Christmas, and basted her vegetables in turkey fat. </p>
<p>Despite trying to fit in, vegans ultimately felt left out and disconnected from their previous life. As <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=OLzBAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT12&ots=jyKO3XDzWS&sig=kGY10UQKZ1KljagVNvHhVYQ0nII&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false">activist Kim Stallwood notes</a>: “I live in my vegan world … but I live in a meat-eating universe.” </p>
<p>Dealing with the social consequences of veganism is part of this lifelong commitment to animals. Vegans often attend social events where they aren’t catered for, and smile and try to fit in.</p>
<h2>Meat replacements ease friction</h2>
<p>Some try to blend their veganism in with a meat-eating world. This has been made easier by the proliferation of readily available meat and dairy substitutions. These are even being produced by companies which also sell meat-based products. KFC’s vegan chicken burger or McDonald’s new <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/09/plant-based-fast-food-what-vegan-options-do-the-big-chains-offer/">“McPlant” burger</a> spring to mind as examples.</p>
<p>For some, this has eased tensions around veganism in their relationships. One interviewee said she had previously argued with friends over her “difficult” dietary requirements, but “with stuff like Ben and Jerry’s vegan ice cream, it feels like you are eating together”. </p>
<p>Another said that meat replacements have made veganism more “normal”:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There is a misconception that it’s hard to be vegan and you have to deprive yourself. Actually, you can stand next to your friend who is eating a beef burger and eat something that tastes and looks similar without the cruelty.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This development may also reduce the potential for <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/soc4040623">advocacy at the table</a>. As vegan food becomes mainstream, some have raised concerns that its popularity will <a href="https://www.europenowjournal.org/2018/09/04/looking-backward-moving-forward-articulating-a-yes-but-response-to-lifestyle-veganism/">dilute the impact</a> of its ethical argument.</p>
<p>Despite these social challenges, most vegans are satisfied with their decision. People are willing to negotiate their relationships as part of their commitment to veganism. Often, these relationships can even become stronger as difficult conversations improve communication. </p>
<p>The vegans I interviewed reported being comfortable and confident in the decisions they were making. Becoming vegan allows people to feel good – not just in their health, but in choices that align with their ethics and make them feel they have a positive impact on the world.</p>
<p><em>Correction: this article originally included a link to a parody article stating that Gwyneth Paltrow claimed she “invented veganism.” This has now been removed.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165771/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Catherine Oliver does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Going vegan has been found to bring health benefits, but it can also impact your friendships.Catherine Oliver, Research Associate in Human Geography, University of CambridgeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1676232021-09-13T15:06:30Z2021-09-13T15:06:30ZFood production generates more than a third of manmade greenhouse gas emissions – a new framework tells us how much comes from crops, countries and regions<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420618/original/file-20210912-21-3kt2ys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=26%2C6%2C4452%2C2974&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A farmer walks through a rice paddy in India's northeastern state of Assam. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/farmer-walks-through-a-paddy-fields-at-mayong-in-morigaon-news-photo/1205044470">Buu Boro /AFP via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Producing enough food for a growing world population is <a href="https://theconversation.com/world-hunger-surged-in-2020-with-1-in-10-people-on-earth-undernourished-164379">an urgent global challenge</a>. And it’s complicated by the fact that climate change is warming the Earth and <a href="https://theconversation.com/world-hunger-has-risen-for-three-straight-years-and-climate-change-is-a-cause-103818">making farming harder in many places</a>.</p>
<p>Food production is a big contributor to climate change, so it’s critically important to be able to measure greenhouse gas emissions from the food sector accurately. In a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00358-x">new study</a>, we show that the food system generates about 35% of total global man-made greenhouse gas emissions. </p>
<p>Breaking down this share, production of animal-based foods – meat, poultry and dairy products, including growing crops to feed livestock and pastures for grazing – contributes 57% of emissions linked to the food system. Raising plant-based foods for human consumption contributes 29%. The other 14% of agricultural emissions come from products not used as food or feed, such as cotton and rubber. </p>
<p>We are atmospheric scientists who study the effects of <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eYUGehcAAAAJ&hl=en">agriculture</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AiFaZvYAAAAJ&hl=en">other human activities</a> on Earth’s climate. It’s well known that producing animal-based foods generates more greenhouse gas emissions than plant-based foods, which is why <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/chapter/chapter-5/">shifting toward a more plant-based diet</a> is recognized as an option for curbing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. </p>
<p>But to quantify the potential impact of such a shift, we saw a need for better tools to estimate emissions from individual plant- and animal-based food items, with more details about how emissions are calculated and covering all food-related sub-sectors, such as land use change and actions beyond the farm gate. </p>
<p>Current methods rely on sparse data and simplified representations of many key factors, such as emissions from farmland management. They don’t treat different sub-sectors consistently or calculate emissions for producing many specific commodities.</p>
<p>To fill those gaps, we have developed a comprehensive framework that combines modeling and various databases. It enables us to estimate average yearly global emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide from the production and consumption of plant- and animal-based human food. Currently, our study covers the years 2007-2013. Here are some of the insights it offers, using data that represents an average of those years.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bjN4t9fWza0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Hunger and food insecurity are urgent global challenges. Climate change is one contributing factor.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Greenhouse gases from food production</h2>
<p>We considered four major sub-sectors of emissions from plant- and animal-based food production. Overall, we calculated that the food system produces emissions that are equivalent to approximately 17.3 billion metric tons (17.318 teragrams) of carbon dioxide yearly. </p>
<p>Land use change – clearing forests for farms and ranches, which reduces carbon storage in trees and soils – accounts for 29% of total food production greenhouse gas emissions. Another 38% comes from farmland management activities, such as plowing fields, which reduces soil carbon storage, and treating crops with nitrogen fertilizer. Farmers also burn a lot of fossil fuel to run their tractors and harvesters. </p>
<p>Raising livestock generates 21% of greenhouse gas emissions from food production. It includes <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/33/which-is-a-bigger-methane-source-cow-belching-or-cow-flatulence/">methane belched by grazing animals</a>, as well as methane and nitrous oxide released from livestock manure. The remaining 11% comes from activities that occur beyond farm gates, such as mining, manufacturing and transporting fertilizers and pesticides, as well as energy use in food processing.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Graphic of agricultural greenhouse gas sources and sinks." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=211&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=211&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=211&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420621/original/file-20210912-21-rruhyv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many agricultural activities release carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) to the atmosphere. Some store carbon in plants and soil.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IF11404.html">CRS</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Which foods generate the most greenhouse gas emissions?</h2>
<p>Our framework makes it possible to compare how different food products and food-producing regions affect Earth’s climate. </p>
<p>Among animal-based foods, beef is the largest contributor to climate change. It generates 25% of total food emissions, followed by cow milk (8%) and pork (7%). </p>
<p>Rice is the largest contributor among plant-based foods, producing 12% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from the food sector, followed by wheat (5%) and sugarcane (2%). Rice stands out because it can grow in water, so many farmers flood their fields to kill weeds, creating ideal conditions for certain bacteria that emit methane.</p>
<p>This helps to explain why South and Southeast Asia have the greatest food-production-related emissions by region, producing 23% of the global total. This region is the only place where plant-based emissions are larger than animal-based emissions. South America is the second-largest emitter at 20%, and has the largest emissions from animal-based food, reflecting the dominance of ranching there.</p>
<p>Among individual countries, China, India and Indonesia have the highest emissions from plant-based food production, contributing 7%, 4%, and 2% respectively of global food-related greenhouse gas emissions. The countries with leading emissions from the production of animal-based foods are China (8%), Brazil (6%), the U.S. (5%) and India (4%).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A tractor spreads manure on a dirt field." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420626/original/file-20210912-19-1c8830c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Injecting manure into a field as fertilizer in Lawler, Iowa. Manure management is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/FactoryFarmFuror/f3f55abba4334a3a85303aa2f7d56e06/photo">AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How food production affects land use</h2>
<p>Our framework also shows that raising animal-based foods consumes six times as much land as producing plant-based foods. </p>
<p>Worldwide, we estimate that humans are using 18 million square miles (4.6 billion hectares) of land to produce food – about 31% of Earth’s total land area, excluding areas covered by snow and ice. Of this, 30% is cropland and 70% is various types of grazing land. </p>
<p>Looking at how these areas are managed, we estimate that 13% of total agricultural land is being used to produce plant-based foods. The other 77% is being used to produce animal-based foods, including croplands that are growing animal feed and grazing lands. The remaining 10% is being used to raise other products, such as cotton, rubber and tobacco.</p>
<p>[<em>Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletter to understand the world.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=100Ksignup">Sign up today</a>.]</p>
<p>Our study uses a consistent framework to provide a complete estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from food production and consumption, covering all food-related sub-sectors, at local, country, regional and global scales. It can help policymakers identify the plant- and animal-based food commodities that contribute the largest shares to climate change, and the higest-emitting sub-sectors at different locations. </p>
<p>Based on these results, governments, researchers and individuals can take actions to reduce emissions from high-emitting food commodities in different places. As <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/world-hunger-worsened-by-climate-change-conflict-un-secretary-general-121072601405_1.html">U.N. leaders have stated</a>, making food production more climate-friendly is essential to reduce hunger in a warming world.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167623/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Atul Jain receives funding from the US Department of Energy.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Xiaoming Xu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A new study provides a detailed way to calculate the climate impact of food production, which could lead to more sustainable farming policies and methods.Xiaoming Xu, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignAtul Jain, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1635142021-07-08T14:36:27Z2021-07-08T14:36:27ZPlant-based burgers: should some be considered ‘junk food’?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410116/original/file-20210707-13-1sqpc9a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C18%2C6048%2C3992&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/source-fibre-plant-based-vegan-soya-1761943703">barmalini/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Plant-based diets have surged in popularity during the past few years. As a result, there’s been a boom in demand for plant-based alternatives to favourite foods – including meats, such as sausages and burgers. The plant-based meat alternatives industry is projected to see <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/877369/global-meat-substitutes-market-value/">massive growth</a> over the next few years. But there is still a lot we don’t know about these food products – including whether they’re as healthy as some may think.</p>
<p>Although many of these products claim to be made <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453019301144?via%3Dihub">primarily from plants</a>, they aren’t all that different to other ultra-processed food products. They often contain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7999387/">many similar ingredients</a> – including protein isolates, emulsifiers, binders and other additives – and are made using industrial processing methods, so can be considered an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30744710/">ultra-processed food product</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32630022/">Plenty of evidence</a> links ultra-processed foods to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases. This is probably due to a combination of their poor nutritional content, synthetic additives and lack of fibre, which is important for giving a feeling of fullness. These types of foods are also a reason why poor diet has become the world’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30954305/">top cause</a> of death from chronic diseases, as they’re readily available, easy to overeat, lack nutrients and now provide <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30744710/">around a half or more</a> of the calories consumed in countries such as the US, UK, Australia and Canada.</p>
<p>The newness of plant-based burgers and other meat alternatives means that there hasn’t yet been time to see if these new ultra-processed foods also come with similar health costs. But the ingredients some products contain are a cause for concern.</p>
<p>Soy protein concentrate is the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453019301144?via%3Dihub">main source of protein</a> in many plant-based meat alternatives. But soy protein concentrate contains a level of nitrites <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28667710/">reported to be comparable</a> to levels in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32664513/">high-street bacon</a> products. The levels of nitrites in bacon and other processed meats are thought to be why eating these products leads to an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25975275/">increased risk</a> of colorectal cancer. High dietary nitrites are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28487287/">also associated</a> with an increased risk of other chronic diseases, including kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.</p>
<p>Heme, which contributes colour and taste to processed meat, is sometimes also an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453019301144?via%3Dihub">ingredient</a>. In meat products, heme has been shown to react with nitrites, making them <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27913919/">even more harmful</a> by forming a highly reactive molecule called nitrosyl-heme. It’s uncertain whether there will be a similar effect in plant-based products, but the presence of heme and nitrites together is cause for concern.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A plant-based burger on a plate with some chips." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410117/original/file-20210707-17-u5is37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/410117/original/file-20210707-17-u5is37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410117/original/file-20210707-17-u5is37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410117/original/file-20210707-17-u5is37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410117/original/file-20210707-17-u5is37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410117/original/file-20210707-17-u5is37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/410117/original/file-20210707-17-u5is37.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">More research will be needed before we truly know the health effects of these products.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/vegetarian-no-meat-plant-based-burger-1432533446">Tracy A Collins/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many plant-based burgers also have the stabiliser and emulsifier <a href="http://www.fao.org/gsfaonline/additives/details.html?id=83">methylcellulose</a> added to them in order to give them a meat-like texture. Methylcellulose has been shown to alter the gut microbiome and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29174952/">increase inflammation</a> in mice, and these changes may <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27821485/">increase the risk</a> of colon cancer, although human studies are still lacking.</p>
<p>At present, there’s no evidence from human studies for a link between eating plant-based burgers and colorectal cancer or other chronic diseases. But the only safety testing done so far was for the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29642729/">novel form of heme</a>. And this heme product was only tested as a pure compound in experimental systems, and not in real-life conditions where it is not known if the cocktail of heme, nitrites and other additives could interact and increase cancer risk in humans.</p>
<p>So where does this leave people who are trying to reconcile eating healthily with concerns about the impact of their eating habits on the environment and animal welfare? <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/packaged-facts-millennials-and-gen-z-are-prime-consumers-of-plant-based-meat-poultry-and-seafood-1029850198">Some may consider</a> that any potential risks from plant-based burgers are worth it to address their concerns about the environment and animal welfare.</p>
<p>But if you are concerned about eating these ultra-processed plant-based meat alternatives, there are plenty of other things you can do. If you do eat meat, but still want to lower the environmental impact of the foods you eat, choosing more <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/8/085002">sustainably produced</a> meat may help with this. If you follow a strictly vegetarian or vegan diet, cooking meals using lentils, beans and chickpeas can also ensure you have a high-protein meal with a lower environmental impact.</p>
<p>Of course not all the plant-based meat alternatives on the market are necessarily bad for you. The plant-based food market is still emerging, which means that many new products are still being developed, and research is still ongoing. But if you are thinking of buying any of these products, it may be worth checking the ingredients list first, and knowing the risks of eating too many ultra-processed foods.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/163514/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Hoffman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many plant-based products contain similar ingredients to ultra-processed foods.Richard Hoffman, Associate lecturer, Nutritional Biochemistry, University of HertfordshireLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1626312021-06-30T13:18:21Z2021-06-30T13:18:21ZFour ways to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises simultaneously<p>A <a href="https://zenodo.org/record/4920414#.YNmcvR3TUlU">landmark report</a> by the world’s most senior <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">climate</a> and <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/">biodiversity</a> scientists argues that the world will have to tackle the climate crisis and the species extinction crisis simultaneously, or not at all.</p>
<p>That’s because Earth’s land and ocean already absorbs about <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320/320155/how-to-save-our-planet/9780241472521.html">half of the greenhouse gases</a> that people emit. Wild animals, plants, fungi and microbes help maintain this carbon sink by keeping soils, forests and other ecosystems healthy.</p>
<p>Failing to tackle climate change meanwhile will accelerate <a href="https://zenodo.org/record/4920414#.YNmcvR3TUlU">biodiversity loss</a>, as higher temperatures and changing rainfall patterns make survival for many species more difficult. Both problems are intertwined, and so solutions to one which exacerbate the other are doomed to fail.</p>
<p>Luckily, there are options for addressing climate change and biodiversity loss together, called <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15513">nature-based solutions</a>. If implemented properly, these measures can enhance the richness and diversity of life on Earth, help habitats store more carbon and even reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, making ecosystems more resilient while slowing the rate at which the planet warms.</p>
<h2>1. Protect and restore ecosystems</h2>
<p>Everyone is familiar with the need to preserve tropical rainforests, but there are other pristine habitats, on land and in the ocean, which are in dire need of protection. </p>
<p>Mangrove swamps occupy less than 1% of Earth’s surface, but store the equivalent of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aabe1c">22 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide</a>. That’s around two-thirds of total emissions from burning fossil fuels each year. These <a href="https://www.unep-wcmc.org/news/5-facts-about-mangroves-and-why-we-must-protect-them">coastal habitats</a> act as a home, nursery, and feeding ground for numerous species. More than 40 bird, ten reptile and six mammal species are only found in mangroves.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Under the canopy in a tropical mangrove forest." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/409106/original/file-20210630-21-3bu754.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/409106/original/file-20210630-21-3bu754.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409106/original/file-20210630-21-3bu754.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409106/original/file-20210630-21-3bu754.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409106/original/file-20210630-21-3bu754.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409106/original/file-20210630-21-3bu754.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409106/original/file-20210630-21-3bu754.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mangroves are particularly good at storing carbon.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mangrove-forest-reflection-lake-submerged-pichavaram-1172081407">Velavan K/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Peatlands – those soggy ecosystems which include <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/peatlands-store-twice-much-carbon-all-worlds-forests">bogs, marshes and fens</a> – store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests. The top 15cm stores <a href="https://peatlands.org/peatlands/what-are-peatlands/">more carbon below ground</a> than tropical rainforests do above ground. In the UK, peatlands store the equivalent of <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/Nature_Based_Solutions_NDC_ReportV2.pdf">ten billion tonnes of carbon dioxide</a> and host <a href="http://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/sites/www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/files/Review%203%20Peatland%20Biodiversity.pdf">precious plant and animals</a> such as red grouse, mountain hares and marsh earwort. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, more than 80% of the UK’s peatlands are <a href="https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/about-peatlands/peatland-damage">degraded</a> in some way. A single hectare of damaged peatland can emit more than 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year – equivalent to the yearly emissions of <a href="https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/research/indicators-and-trends/indicators/nb18-annual-greenhouse-gas-ghg-emissions-from-degraded-peatlands/">seven family cars</a>. </p>
<p>Protecting these ecosystems can prevent carbon being released into the atmosphere. Restoring them where they’ve been damaged can suck carbon dioxide from the air and guarantee shelter for rare wildlife. Diverse natural systems also <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/sites/default/files/2021-06/20210609_workshop_report_embargo_3pm_CEST_10_june_0.pdf">bounce back better</a> from climate extremes than do species-poor, highly degraded systems, and will keep helping biodiversity and people even as Earth continues to warm.</p>
<h2>2. Manage farmland and fisheries sustainably</h2>
<p>Not all of the world’s land and ocean can be left to nature, but the land and ocean people use to produce food and other resources can be managed better.</p>
<p>People currently use about <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320/320155/how-to-save-our-planet/9780241472521.html">25% of the planet’s land surface</a> for growing food, extracting resources and living. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00225-9">The global food system</a> contributes one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<p>Methods of farming – such as agroecology, which involves incorporating trees and habitats within farm fields – and sustainable fishing practices can protect and regenerate topsoil and seabed habitats, boosting biodiversity and improving how resilient these ecosystems are to climate change.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Rows of vegetable beds with lines of young trees." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/409104/original/file-20210630-3600-1k90l18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/409104/original/file-20210630-3600-1k90l18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409104/original/file-20210630-3600-1k90l18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409104/original/file-20210630-3600-1k90l18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409104/original/file-20210630-3600-1k90l18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409104/original/file-20210630-3600-1k90l18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409104/original/file-20210630-3600-1k90l18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Reforestation in tandem with food growing: lettuce, cauliflowers and tomatoes grow among saplings in Brazil.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/petropolis-rjbrazil-july-27-2018-productive-1144851836">Luisaazara/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>3. Create new forests – with care</h2>
<p>People have already <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320/320155/how-to-save-our-planet/9780241472521.html">cut down three trillion trees</a> – half of all the trees which once grew on Earth.</p>
<p>Creating new woodlands and forests can draw down atmospheric carbon and provide diverse habitats for a range of species, but great care must be taken to plant the right mix of trees in the right place. Vast plantations of non-native trees, particularly when they’re a single species, offer less useful habitat for wildlife, but a mix of native trees can benefit <a href="https://zenodo.org/record/4920414#.YNmcvR3TUlU">biodiversity and store more carbon</a> in the long run. </p>
<p><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.1240">A study</a> in south-east China showed that forests containing several tree species stored twice as much carbon as the average single-species plantation.</p>
<p>We can do the same thing in the ocean by restoring <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.629962/full">seagrass meadows</a>.</p>
<h2>4. Shift to more plant-based diets</h2>
<p>Globally, animal agriculture is a major contributor to <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aal2011">biodiversity loss</a>. <a href="https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/food_practice/sustainable_production/soy/">Millions of hectares</a> of Amazon rainforest, African Savanna and Central Asian grassland have been ploughed up to create pasture and plant feed crops for the cows, pigs and chickens that we eat. Nearly 60% of all planet-warming <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6392/987">emissions from food production</a> originate in livestock rearing.</p>
<p>Reducing demand for meat and dairy, through diet changes and cutting waste, would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions – which itself benefits biodiversity by limiting climate change – it would also lower pressure for farmland and so reduce deforestation and habitat destruction, freeing more land for the wider use of nature-based solutions.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A vegan burger with a side of sweet potato fries." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/409107/original/file-20210630-19-1uqcrmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/409107/original/file-20210630-19-1uqcrmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409107/original/file-20210630-19-1uqcrmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409107/original/file-20210630-19-1uqcrmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409107/original/file-20210630-19-1uqcrmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409107/original/file-20210630-19-1uqcrmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/409107/original/file-20210630-19-1uqcrmn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A vegan diet is better for wildlife and the climate than a high-meat one.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/SIO_bOZoStA">Rolande PG/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Meat, especially <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31788-4/fulltext">highly processed meat</a>, has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and bowel and stomach cancer. <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31788-4/fulltext">Plant-based diets are healthier</a>, reduce healthcare costs and reduce carbon emissions.</p>
<h2>A note of caution</h2>
<p>It’s important to remember that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15513">nature-based solutions</a> aren’t a substitute for the rapid phase out of fossil fuels. They should involve a wide range of ecosystems on land and in the sea, not just forests. Wherever they’re implemented, nature-based solutions must proceed with the full engagement and consent of Indigenous peoples and local communities, respecting their cultural and ecological rights. And nature-based solutions should be explicitly designed to provide measurable benefits for biodiversity – not just carbon sequestration.</p>
<p>With all this in mind, the world can design robust and resilient solutions for the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, sustaining nature and people together, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15513">now and into the future</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162631/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pete Smith currently receives research funding from UKRI, EU, Wellcome Trust and Scottish Government. He is on the science advisory team for Carbon Direct (<a href="https://carbon-direct.com/">https://carbon-direct.com/</a>).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark Maslin is a Founding Director of Rezatec Ltd, Co-Director of The London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership, a member of Cheltenham Science Festival Advisory Committee and a member of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group. He is an unpaid member of the Sopra-Steria CSR Board and Sheep Included Ltd Advisory Board. He has received grant funding in the past from the NERC, EPSRC, ESRC, DFG, Royal Society, DIFD, BEIS, DECC, FCO, Innovate UK, Carbon Trust, UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, Research England, Wellcome Trust, Leverhulme Trust, The Children's Investment Fund Foundation Sprint2020, and British Council. He has received research funding in the past from The Lancet, Laithwaites, Seventh Generation, Channel 4, JLT Re, WWF, Hermes, CAFOD, HP, and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Camille Parmesan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Solve the climate and extinction crises together, or solve neither.Pete Smith, Professor of Soils and Global Change, University of AberdeenCamille Parmesan, Professor of Climate Change Impacts, CNRS, University of Texas, University of PlymouthMark Maslin, Professor of Earth System Science, UCLLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1593082021-05-24T13:31:09Z2021-05-24T13:31:09ZHow plant-based diets could help prevent the next COVID-19<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401757/original/file-20210519-13-tza0wa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=34%2C5%2C3783%2C2404&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Eating less animal proteins may help reduce the risk of future zoonotic viruses.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Seth Perlman)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Viruses like COVID-19, SARS, bovine spongiform, swine flu and avian flu all have something in common: They all come from animals, described by scientists as <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/zoonotic-diseases.html">zoonotic diseases</a>. </p>
<p>Yet, these diseases do not really “come from animals.” After all, it is not like animals conspire against humans, throwing COVID-19 over the backyard fence. When we say this pandemic “comes from animals,” it means that these diseases come from the way society raises, harvests and eats animals. </p>
<p>A well-rounded policy strategy for avoiding the next pandemic should include reducing the demand for animal products. Fortunately, an effective approach need not imply government telling people what they should or should not eat. </p>
<p>Many Canadians are already aware of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/young-canadians-lead-the-charge-to-a-meatless-canada-93225">benefits of a plant-based diet</a>. Doing a better job at supporting those already trying to make a dietary change could be an effective approach for government policy. </p>
<h2>Zoonosis and food production</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cows and their calves graze in a pasture on a farm in Alberta" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401763/original/file-20210519-17-4672cs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401763/original/file-20210519-17-4672cs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401763/original/file-20210519-17-4672cs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401763/original/file-20210519-17-4672cs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401763/original/file-20210519-17-4672cs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=534&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401763/original/file-20210519-17-4672cs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=534&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401763/original/file-20210519-17-4672cs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=534&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Policies that strengthen animal health and increase monitoring and regulation in food production may reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The fact that a growing list of pandemics originate exclusively within the animal and agricultural sectors is nothing new to a small but growing group of independent scientists. The United Nations recently voiced a similar concern. </p>
<p>In its report, <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/report/preventing-future-zoonotic-disease-outbreaks-protecting-environment-animals-and">Preventing the Next Pandemic: Zoonotic diseases and how to break the chain of transmission</a>, the UN laid out some of the things needed for improving health governance in relation to food production. </p>
<p>Some of the policy options include expanding scientific inquiry into the environmental dimensions of zoonotic diseases and developing and implementing stronger biosecurity measures. It calls for policies that strengthen animal health (including wildlife health services) and increased capacity in monitoring and regulating food production. </p>
<p>The report also recommends that states find ways to reduce demand for animal protein. Reducing the demand for meat is not something we often hear as a possible policy option — partly because people may not link our current pandemic to the western diet or agricultural sector. </p>
<h2>Origins of a pandemic</h2>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A bat hanging upside-down" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401764/original/file-20210519-17-1fjij1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401764/original/file-20210519-17-1fjij1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401764/original/file-20210519-17-1fjij1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401764/original/file-20210519-17-1fjij1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401764/original/file-20210519-17-1fjij1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401764/original/file-20210519-17-1fjij1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401764/original/file-20210519-17-1fjij1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A researcher releases a bat after taking a blood sample for coronavirus research at Sai Yok National Park in Thailand in August 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Early cases of COVID-19 <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/332197/WHO-2019-nCoV-FAQ-Virus_origin-2020.1-eng.pdf">were linked to markets in China where wild animals were sold</a>. Pangolins and bats <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/roslin/news-events/latest-news/study-gives-clues-on-animal-origin-of-coronavirus">have been identified as possible sources of infection</a>, neither of which is on the shopping lists of the average global consumer. The deeper roots of this pandemic, however, are more complicated.</p>
<p>Many earlier viruses have originated in the animal husbandry industrial production chain. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>In the 1980s the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45906585">United Kingdom’s cattle production began to see outbreaks of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy</a> (mad cow disease), and <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2118418-many-more-people-could-still-die-from-mad-cow-disease-in-the-uk/">its human equivalent variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease</a>. </p></li>
<li><p>In <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20051129155319/http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/Timeline_28_10a.pdf">1997, the bird flu (H5N1) was traced to chicken factories in China</a>. </p></li>
<li><p>In 2009, <a href="https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-422X-6-207">the swine flu (H1N1) originated in pig farms in Mexico </a> and <a href="https://www.wired.com/2009/05/swineflufarm/">North Carolina in the United States</a>. </p></li>
<li><p>More recently, a possible <a href="https://www.who.int/csr/don/06-november-2020-mink-associated-sars-cov2-denmark/en/">new strain of COVID-19 has been found in farms in Denmark</a>, where mink are raised for fur coats.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>It is clear that the origins of these pandemics are not restricted to certain countries or certain practices, such as “<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/coronavirus-linked-to-chinese-wet-markets">wet-markets</a>.” For some researchers, including Swedish chief physician and infectious diseases professor Björn Olsen, stemming rising demand for meat and dairy is a necessary part of reducing our risk for pandemics. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="White chickens in cages at a chicken farm" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401761/original/file-20210519-21-1r0kyop.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The 1997 H5N1 bird flu was traced to chicken factories in China.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Aleksandra Sagan</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Olsen, who is well known for being an <a href="https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/7522447">early critic of his government’s COVID-19 response</a>, is now becoming known for another early warning — one he has been making in books and articles for nearly 10 years now. In a <a href="https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/P9A1db/professorn-inga-pandemier-om-alla-hade-varit-vegetarianer">recent interview in Swedish,</a> Olsen notes that pandemic viruses have all arisen where animals and humans meet, and raising billions of animals as food will have effects. </p>
<p>Consider all this in reverse: not a single pandemic in human history has been traced to plants. </p>
<p>While strengthening regulatory and monitoring capacity is an important part of an effective policy strategy, when societies replace animal sources of food with plant-based foods, they also reduce the risk of future pandemics. Olsen worries the link between the rising demand for animal protein and pandemics is not getting enough attention from politicians. </p>
<h2>Plant-based diet as policy</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Farm equipment harvesting soybeans" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401759/original/file-20210519-19-aidkos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401759/original/file-20210519-19-aidkos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401759/original/file-20210519-19-aidkos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401759/original/file-20210519-19-aidkos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401759/original/file-20210519-19-aidkos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401759/original/file-20210519-19-aidkos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401759/original/file-20210519-19-aidkos.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Soybeans being harvested in Illinois. There has never been a pandemic virus traced back to plants.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A reason why politicians might not see a move towards a plant-based diet as a viable policy option could be because it relies on changing peoples’ behaviour, and some would argue that governments should not be in the business of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/27/no-biden-has-not-declared-war-on-meat-but-maybe-thats-what-the-world-needs">trying to impose dietary choices</a>. Yet there is good reason to think that people are already open to transitioning to a plant-based diet. </p>
<p>According to a recent <a href="https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/climate-and-disaster-resilience-/The-Peoples-Climate-Vote-Results.html">UN survey</a>, 30 per cent of the world supports a plant-based diet as a climate policy. Canadians are not an exception. In fact, nearly <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/more-than-3-million-canadians-vegetarian-or-vegan-study-1.4027606">10 per cent of Canada’s total population is already vegan or vegetarian</a>, according to a <a href="https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/management/News/News%20%26%20Events/Charlebois%20Somogyi%20Music%20EN%20Plant-Based%20Study.pdf">2018 study</a> led by Sylvain Charlebois, a professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University. The number of people attempting to eat plant-based diets is growing fast. In an <a href="https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/02/18/news/young-canadians-are-becoming-vegetarian-or-vegan-fight-climate-change">interview</a>, Charlebois noted: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“In 2018 we estimated that 6.4 million Canadians already follow a diet that restricts meat partially or completely … But now we’ve already revised this number to 10.2 million. Things are changing really fast, faster than ever really.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>With these changes in dietary preferences already occurring, the Canadian government need look no further than removing barriers for people to continue to make up their own minds. To support their transition and reduce the demand in animal products, the Canadian government should do its best to reduce what many could perceive as the inconvenience of a plant-based diet. </p>
<p>This could begin by reviewing food procurement and nutrition standards to ensure that public facilities such as schools, hospitals, prisons and care homes offer a plant-based meal as standard on menus every day. </p>
<h2>Food guide focus</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Supermarket dairy case full of milk" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401760/original/file-20210519-21-1jhxcd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401760/original/file-20210519-21-1jhxcd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401760/original/file-20210519-21-1jhxcd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401760/original/file-20210519-21-1jhxcd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401760/original/file-20210519-21-1jhxcd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=529&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401760/original/file-20210519-21-1jhxcd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=529&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401760/original/file-20210519-21-1jhxcd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=529&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fresh milk still receives the highest level of subsidies in a federal program that aims to ensure adequate nutrition in the North.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Government should also look to put its own food guide in practice and make plant-based foods more accessible, including for low-income, rural and northern residents. When the Canadian government revised Canada’s food guide in 2019, it consulted extensively with nutritionists and scientists. The result was <a href="https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/make-it-a-habit-to-eat-vegetables-fruit-whole-grains-and-protein-foods/eat-protein-foods/">an increased focus on plants as sources of protein, and a reduction of emphasis on meat and dairy</a>.</p>
<p>Canada’s food guide tells us to “<a href="https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-food-choices/">choose protein foods that come from plants more often</a>.” Yet, despite this and the fact that consumption has been in steady <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/21-004-x/2017001/article/14786-eng.htm">decline in Canada since 2009</a>, fresh milk still receives the highest level of subsidies within the <a href="https://www.nutritionnorthcanada.gc.ca/eng/1415548276694/1415548329309">Nutrition North Canada subsidy</a> — a federal program that aims to ensure adequate nutrition in the North. A move is needed to subsidize foods that are good for people and the planet.</p>
<p>We know that dietary habits have environmental impact as well as health impact. Given that there is also a clear link between the consumption of animal products and zoonotic diseases, there is further reason for policy makers to support people who want to shift to a plant-based diet. </p>
<p>It’s not too soon to start trying to prevent the next pandemic; experts warn it could arrive at any time. Since the 2003 SARS epidemic, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/covid-19-continues-experts-warn-pandemic-animals/story?id=72755696">the time between outbreaks of zoonotic viruses has been getting shorter</a>. It’s not a question of if there will be another pandemic, but when.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/159308/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kurtis Boyer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Pandemic viruses arise from raising, harvesting and eating animals. Policy strategy for averting the next pandemic should include supporting those already seeking to make plant-based dietary changes.Kurtis Boyer, Faculty Lecuture, Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of SaskatchewanLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1568392021-05-05T15:52:44Z2021-05-05T15:52:44ZHow scientists make plant-based foods taste and look more like meat<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398505/original/file-20210503-17-1094vef.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=36%2C42%2C3961%2C2090&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The science behind trying to build the perfect plant-based meat is full of trial and error and a multidisciplinary team. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In 2019, Burger King Sweden released a plant-based burger, the Rebel Whopper, and the reaction was underwhelming. So, the company challenged its customers to taste the difference. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/15/burger-king-5050-menu-doles-out-meat-or-plant-based-burgers-randomly.html">Burger King Sweden created menu item</a> where customers would have a 50-50 chance of getting a meat burger or a plant-based one. To find out, they had to scan the burger box in Burger King’s app. The results: 44 per cent guessed wrong — customers couldn’t tell the difference.</p>
<p>Plant-based meats are products designed to imitate meat. While earlier products like tofu and seitan were meant to replace meat, newer products are trying to mimic its taste, texture, smell and appearance. <a href="https://www.greenmatters.com/p/plant-based-meats">Plant-based burgers, ground meat, sausages, nuggets and seafood</a> are now in grocery stores and on restaurant menus. They aim to redefine our understanding of meat.</p>
<p>Achieving such standards is not an easy task. It took Beyond Meat more than six years to develop the Beyond Burger. And since its release in 2015, it has been through three reformulations. The science behind trying to build the perfect plant-based meat is full of trial and error — and involves a multidisciplinary team. </p>
<h2>The Maillard reaction</h2>
<p>Appearance, texture and flavour are the three main challenges food scientists face when developing a convincing plant-based meat. These are what give meat its characteristics and essence.</p>
<p>When meat cooks, its texture changes. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2004.11.021">temperature of the pan or the grill affects protein structures</a>. As proteins begin to break down, coagulate and contract, the meat tenderizes and firms up. </p>
<p>What’s known as the <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/04/what-is-maillard-reaction-cooking-science.html">Maillard reaction</a> is responsible for that distinctive “meaty” aroma and savoury flavour. Understanding it helps food research and development teams replicate it in plant-based meat products. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A variety of meats on a barbecue grill" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398479/original/file-20210503-17-q26qbl.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398479/original/file-20210503-17-q26qbl.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398479/original/file-20210503-17-q26qbl.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398479/original/file-20210503-17-q26qbl.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398479/original/file-20210503-17-q26qbl.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=654&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398479/original/file-20210503-17-q26qbl.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=654&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398479/original/file-20210503-17-q26qbl.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=654&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Maillard reaction is responsible for that distinctive ‘meaty’ flavour.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Ingredients also influence appearance, texture and flavour. Soy, wheat, pea and fava proteins, as well as starches, flours, <a href="https://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/hydrocolloids.htm">hydrocolloids</a> (non-digestible carbohydrates used as thickeners, stabilizers and emulsifiers, or as water retention and gel-forming agents) and oils, can make a plant-based meat more or less similar to the animal meat it is trying to replicate. </p>
<p>Finally, the processing method influences the product’s final characteristics. <a href="https://www.ift.org/news-and-publications/food-technology-magazine/issues/2019/october/columns/processing-how-plant-based-meat-and-seafood-are-processed">“High-moisture extrusion” and “shear-cell” technologies</a> are two of the most common processes used to transform vegetable protein into a layered fibrous structure that closely matches the appearance and texture of meat. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.03099-7">High-moisture extrusion is the most used</a> technique and provides a meat-like bite, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1864618">shear cell processing</a> is more energy-efficient and has a smaller carbon footprint.</p>
<h2>Colour and texture</h2>
<p>Food scientists are now able to simulate meat colour before, during and after cooking. Beet extract, pomegranate powder and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/business/impossible-burger-food-meat.html">soy leghemoglobin</a> have been used to mimic the red colour of fresh or rare beef.</p>
<p>Animal protein texture is difficult to copy with plant-based ingredients because plants do not have muscle tissue. Muscles are elastic and flexible, while plant cells are rigid and unbending. Plants do not have the bite and chewiness of meat, which is why veggie burgers can often feel crumbly and mushy. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Food dishes on a table with the words 'impossible' around them." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398476/original/file-20210503-19-yemo4g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398476/original/file-20210503-19-yemo4g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398476/original/file-20210503-19-yemo4g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398476/original/file-20210503-19-yemo4g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398476/original/file-20210503-19-yemo4g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398476/original/file-20210503-19-yemo4g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398476/original/file-20210503-19-yemo4g.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A variety of Impossible Pork dishes from Impossible Foods, the California plant-based meat company.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A key ingredient in any plant-based meat is the plant protein. In addition to being <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12610">fundamental to the structure</a>, it is also important for product identity and differentiation. A formulation can use one type of protein or a blend of different types. </p>
<p>Soy protein is still the plant protein that delivers the most meat-like taste and texture. Since it has been used for decades now, a lot of research has been done and its texturization process has been further improved. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201222005307/en/8-Billion-Plant-based-Meats-Markets-2025-by-Source-Soy-Wheat-Pea-Others-Product-Burger-Patties-Strips-Nuggets-Sausages-Meatballs-Other-Type-Beef-Chicken-Pork-Fish---ResearchAndMarkets.com">Pea protein</a>, made popular by Beyond Meat, is the fastest growing segment in the plant-based market because of its complete <a href="https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/health-talk-pea-protein-is-everywhere-is-it-healthy/">amino acid profile</a>. </p>
<p>There are nine amino acids that are essential in our diets. Animal-based foods have all of them and are considered complete proteins. Most plant foods are incomplete proteins, meaning certain amino acids are missing, but pea protein contains all nine. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A pair of petri dishes: one containing a piece of uncooked chicken, the other holding chickpeas." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398477/original/file-20210503-15-166kv8k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398477/original/file-20210503-15-166kv8k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=296&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398477/original/file-20210503-15-166kv8k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=296&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398477/original/file-20210503-15-166kv8k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=296&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398477/original/file-20210503-15-166kv8k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398477/original/file-20210503-15-166kv8k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398477/original/file-20210503-15-166kv8k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Most plant foods are incomplete proteins, but pea protein contains all nine essential amino acids.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>Pea protein also lacks allergens. Rice, fava, chickpea, lentil and mung bean proteins have also generated a lot of interest among food scientists, and more products incorporating these plants are expected to come to market in the future.</p>
<h2>Creating flavour</h2>
<p>Companies don’t have to disclose flavouring ingredients — only whether they’re natural or artificial — so it’s hard to know what exactly gives plant-based burgers that meat-like flavour.</p>
<p>Fat is a major player in flavour and mouth feel. It provides mouth-coating richness, juiciness and is responsible for flavour release. It activates certain areas of the brain that are responsible for processing taste, aroma and reward mechanisms. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/diet-resolutions-6-things-to-know-about-eating-less-meat-and-more-plant-based-foods-148871">Diet resolutions: 6 things to know about eating less meat and more plant-based foods</a>
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<p>The industry standard has been to use coconut oil to replace animal fat. However, coconut oil melts at much lower temperature than animal fat. In the mouth this translates to bites that start off rich and juicy, but wear off quickly. Some plant-based meats use a combination of plant-based oils, such as canola and sunflower oils, to increase the melting temperature and extend the juiciness.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2020/07/10/Cubiq-s-smart-fat-takes-on-coconut-oil-This-is-what-plant-based-companies-are-looking-for">New replacements</a> for <a href="https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/03/04/Cultivating-animal-fat-for-plant-based-meat-Nobody-wants-a-burger-that-tastes-of-coconut">animal fats</a> using sunflower oil and water emulsions and cultivated animal fats (fat cells grown in laboratories) are <a href="https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2020/12/15/Cultivated-fat-a-solution-to-the-plant-based-sensory-gap">being developed</a> to solve this problem. But clearly, not all of these would suit a vegetarian or vegan diet.</p>
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<img alt="Frozen steaks with the label cultured meat." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398478/original/file-20210503-23-1ohuxtn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/398478/original/file-20210503-23-1ohuxtn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398478/original/file-20210503-23-1ohuxtn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398478/original/file-20210503-23-1ohuxtn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398478/original/file-20210503-23-1ohuxtn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398478/original/file-20210503-23-1ohuxtn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/398478/original/file-20210503-23-1ohuxtn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Fats provide much of the flavour and feel of meat, and replicating the richness of fat with plant-based replacements can be challenging.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>A plant-based meat formulation can work on paper, have the recommended number of ingredients and hit the nutritional targets to match meat, but it might not taste good or have the right texture or bite. For example, potato protein creates great texture, but it is very bitter. Food scientists must find a balance between the protein content, texture and flavour.</p>
<h2>The future of formulated food</h2>
<p>Food scientists have only scratched the surface when it comes to unlocking the potential of plant-based meats. There is still a lot to explore and improve.</p>
<p>The current commercially available plant protein ingredients come from <a href="https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/shift20-industry-is-only-scratching-the-surface-of-plant-based-proteins.html">two per cent of about 150</a> plant protein species used for food supply.</p>
<p>There is ongoing research exploring crop optimization via breeding or engineering to increase protein content to support further development and improvement of plant protein isolates and ultimately plant-based meats.</p>
<p>Processing method technologies are still being developed and we are seeing new technologies such as <a href="https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/02/17/Redefine-Meat-prepares-for-European-launch-with-29m-boost-Our-alt-meat-products-will-hit-Switzerland-and-Germany-mid-year">3D printing</a> and <a href="https://sentientmedia.org/lab-grown-meat/">cultured meat</a> being adopted and refined. Expect to see plant-based meat products increase and whole cuts, like <a href="https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2020/06/30/Redefine-Meat-launches-3D-printed-steak-This-is-the-start-of-a-new-era-in-alternative-meat">beef steaks</a>, to be commercially available soon.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156839/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mariana Lamas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Appearance, texture and flavour are the three main challenges food scientists face when developing a convincing plant-based meat.Mariana Lamas, Research assistant, Centre for Culinary Innovation, Northern Alberta Institute of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.