Plant Based Meat is the new kid on the block who’s slowly taking the spotlight. While meat lovers may find it hard to give up their fandom for chicken or bacon, here’s the thing: the vegan substitute is catching up at a meteoric speed, in taste, price point as well as variety. Over the last two years, we have seen more brands come up with innovative solutions to introduce vegan alternatives into the meat scene, while gradually making their way into our kitchens and palates. Yet, many of us are either still holding on to the traditional idea of animal products or haven’t fully explored this rising star in the grocery store aisles.
If you’re new to the whole concept of plant based meat, and can’t fully make sense of it, don’t worry- I’ve got you covered with a complete overview of why we need it, how it’s making a positive impact on the world, health benefits and how is it going to seamlessly replace the lesser eco-friendly options without letting you compromise on your taste buds
What Is Plant Based Meat?
When we think of “meat”, the only association our mind is used to making is an animal derived food product. Fortunately, with advancements in food technology, the food industry has been able to come up with an answer to all our environmental concerns with respect to animal meat. It’s like meat, but without harming animals- pretty cool, right?
The first plant based protein foods to take over the market, and win our hearts, were Soya and Tofu. But over time, we have been able to go beyond our soyabean derived foods. Thanks to the creative expertise of food scientists, we now have more plant based options that resemble real meat in taste, texture and appearance. While soy and tofu are still commonly used ingredients to prepare plant-based meats, there are other ingredients like seitan, potato starch, pea protein, lentils, beans, coconut oil, seeds, nuts and vegetables.
So can you have plant-based meat on festivals, religious ceremonies, vegetarian fasts and events? The answer, is a 100% Yes.
The Challenge That Comes With Animal Meat
You might question the urgency and the sudden hype about Plant Based Meat. Let me break it down for you.
For many years, we have been consuming meat. Going back in time a few years, the human population was in check, and our greed and appetite were limited by availability. But with the population skyrocketing and every person having access to every resource from across the world, we have become oblivious to the survival of our planet. We are expected to reach a global population of over 10 billion within the next 2 years, and we can only see it accelerating from there.
Each generation that reaps the Earth’s benefits needs to make sure we’re not totally stripping it of everything it’s got. Even if you’re only consuming meat once or twice everyday, with the number of people holding on to that belief and commitment, guaranteeing survival for everyone after a few years is getting harder, and animal meat is one of the top reasons causing it.
- More than 66 billion chickens, 300 million cows, and 1.5 billion pigs are slaughtered for global consumption every year. That’s a staggering number, highlighting the immense scale of animal agriculture.
- Producing industrial meat comes at a cost. Farmers need to feed this massive number of animals, and for that, they are clearing forests by cutting downs trees or setting forest fires to clear the land to grow animal feed.
- The production of meat demands significant energy, from raising animals to their transportation and eventual slaughter. To put it in perspective, the energy required to produce 2.2 pounds of beef could power a 100-watt lightbulb for twenty days.
- Much of the livestock is fed with the same foods as consumed by humans, like corn and soy. If the produce is redirected towards humans, it could end world hunger.
- 1/3rd of the global land that is suitable for agriculture, is used by livestock. According to research, if everyone went vegan, the land used for livestock could be reduced to 1/4th.
- According to the United Nations, the meat sector contributes to as much as 18 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions, which is one of the major reasons causing global warming.
- Meat products have a significantly higher water footprint compared to vegetables, beans, and other plant-based items. The production of meat requires more water resources, contributing to the overall environmental impact associated with meat consumption.
Putting all these issues into perspective, it gets a little easier to estimate where we’re headed as a global race. Now that we have all these alternatives to help save our party, here’s a few more reasons to add in favour of plant based meat.
Health Benefits
Other than the solutions that plant based meat offers to the challenges the world is facing due to overproduction of animal meat, there are a few health benefits that can be taken into consideration while making a choice.
- Since plant based meat is lighter in terms of calories, it is the way to go for weight loss
- Choosing the right options (ones that contain soybean, legumes and lentils) ensure that our daily need for protein is matched.
- It is carcinogen safe. The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concerns about carcinogens present in red and processed meats, indicating a potential increased risk of cancer associated with their consumption.
- Plant Based Meat may also help prevent various health issues, such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
- Some manufacturers have also started adding Vitamin B12 to their mix, which is an essential nutrient for human health.
Now that you have answers to every question that might tamper with your decision in picking up plant based meat at the grocery store, I’m going to ask you to give it a try!
Make this decision for yourself, and your families, for our planet and for the generations to come who are going to inhabit it.
The Best Source of Vegetarian Protein for You is Extremely Affordable and Organic
