Fake Meat: Facts and Fallacies

Plant-based meat, meat analogue, impossible meat, imitation meat – we haven't quite agreed on what to call these new products, an uncertainty that extends to those in the traditional meat industry who understandably don't want the word "meat" applied to these products at all – but whatever it's called, consumers expect plant-based meat to be healthier than traditional meat. Another major reason to swap over is the total environmental impact, since raising cattle pumps a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But are these benefits everything proponents claim? We'll sink our teeth into this new trend and give you all the information you need to make room on your menu for a growing industry.

What is Fake Meat?

The term "fake meat" actually covers various ingredients designed to imitate traditional animal proteins¹. There are two main formulas: plant-based protein and cell-based protein. The cell-based protein isn't yet available for public consumption, but is still fascinating even if it's not as relevant to our discussion yet.

Cell-based protein is grown from samples of actual animal cells. Placed in a laboratory, where scientists do science things to the cells, these grow into edible pieces of meat in a similar time frame as the chicken they're harvested from. This meat is produced without the bones, feathers, and other inedible portions. One of the major benefits of this type² is that it reduces the use of antibiotics on animals, carbon emissions contributing to global warming, and total space used in raising animals. These are three major challenges facing the planet, and proponents of cell-grown meat argue that this approach will help solve them.

The more common form of meat analogue is plant-based meat. The Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger are both plant-based meats, and only plant-based meat is in commercial use at the moment, so all the controversy and questioning is mostly based around these produce patties. There isn't one recipe that produces the wide variety of meat analogues available, but in general they're made from highly processed grains and legumes, along with bits of other vegetables chosen for specific purposes. When the average consumer hears "plant-based burger," our instinct is that it must be healthier than a natural beef burger – however, the number of modifications that must be made to give a blend of grains and beans the taste of beef can negate the advantages.

Are Plant-based Meats Healthier?

Even if you aren't vegetarian or vegan, plants should be the center of any healthy diet. Nutritionists often recommend that at least half our plate be vegetables (and not just by spreading out a single lettuce leaf). This requirement has led to a boom in the "making vegetables taste like other foods" industry, culminating in fake meat made from plants. Plant-based burgers have been around for a while, but only in the last few years have the manufacturers been able to make them taste close to what a beef burger tastes like. Unfortunately, the processing that goes on to make plants taste like meat requires a lot of unhealthy stuff to be added to them, which makes them less healthy than "plant-based" implies.

Building a Better Burger

It turns out that in order to make plants taste like meat, you have to add all the bad stuff that we love in meat. Researchers have also added the good stuff from meat, including protein and a selection of vitamins and minerals, so the benefits of fake meat are similar to that of real meat. However, meatless burgers³ are high in sodium and fat, including the extra-unhealthy saturated fat – sometimes even more so than a beef patty. Coconut oil, salt, and other additives give these plant patties the same satisfying flavor as beef, but at the cost of a similar amount of fat and lots of extra sodium.

However, the total calorie count of a plant-based burger is usually lower, and many of them contain a significant amount of fiber, which aids digestion and helps you feel full. Again, there are so many different brands of plant-based burger that we can't speak in generalities, and you'll need to look at the nutritional information for each individual one. According to NBC's Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom, "a meatless burger can be part of your diet if you choose. But make it just one of many protein sources you eat, and recognize that it takes a lot of ingredients and processing to get that meaty taste."

So, the verdict? Health-wise, plant-based meat is better than beef in some ways, but worse in others. It is not a guilt-free way to replace all your meals with cheeseburgers.

Is Fake Meat Better for the Environment?

The second main argument for plant-based analogues is that they'll help us transition to an environmentally sustainable future without requiring everyone to give up their favorite foods. As the global population expands rapidly, we'll need new ways to feed all the people. Our current methods of producing meat through cattle farming produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, a chief culprit in global warming. Additionally, concerns about water usage and land efficiency make plant-based burgers preferable to their once-mooing counterparts.

"Plant-based meats⁴ really do emit much less CO₂ and other greenhouse gases than meat does, use less water, and use less land." Land and water efficiency will become more and more important to the health of the planet and its inhabitants over the course of the next decade. With an ever-growing population, we will need to make the best possible use of our resources to avoid famines and water shortages.

The Impossible Burger puts out about 89 percent less greenhouse gas emissions⁵ than equivalent red meat while using 96 percent less land and 87 percent less water. While many environmentalists argue that these meat analogues are still worse for the environment than no meat at all (which they are), they give us a way to combat climate change, water loss, and land wastage without changing our diet.

Stopping Antibiotic Resistance

The widespread use of antibiotics in livestock has contributed to the rise in antibiotic-resistant infections, which is "one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development," according to Rachel Konrad from Impossible Burger. In November 2018, the United Nations called for "more responsible use of antibiotics⁶ in humans, animals and agriculture" to help tamp down the antimicrobial resistance crisis. Our current antibiotics are becoming less and less effective in fighting various dangerous microbes, as constant exposure has caused the microbes to develop resistance to the antibacterial effects of antibiotics. Scientists are racing to develop new, strong antibiotics, but this takes time, and the rapid life cycle of microbes means they'll evolve very quickly. Fake meat doesn't require antibiotics the way livestock do, and so changing over reduces the rate at which antimicrobial resistance develops.

The Meat Wars

There has been a lot of talk about the meat wars between fake meat and traditional meat lobbyists, industries, and manufacturers. However, there's no argument over whether or not meat analogues should be allowed, only what they should be called. Proponents of the beef industry argue that labeling engineered plant-based meats as "burgers," "steaks," or "hot dogs" is misleading to the consumer. They also claim that marketing vegetarian products with these terms is using the successful "brand" that has been cultivated over the years.

Over the past two years, the meat industry has lobbied to pass legislation in 24 states⁷ making it illegal to call plant-based food "meat." Many states have been receptive to this approach, enacting legislation that mandates "meat" be something that was formerly living. States that have large cattle industries are especially likely to change the requirements to protect their constituents.

On the other side, plant-based meat companies are fighting back, arguing that these terms are the best way to describe their products so that consumers know what they're getting. If you've made a fake meat that tastes like bacon, they argue that calling it veggie bacon is the clearest, most helpful way to label it. Naming regulations can lead to products that consumers can't decipher, such as the "cultured nut product" that refers to a product that would be more easily understood as "vegan cheese." They argue that forcing them to change the name of their product to something completely new to the consumer base leaves them at a significant disadvantage when trying to break into the market. They also argue that no consumer is getting confused and thinking that a veggie burger is made from cows.

This battle is still being fought in state houses across the country, and in states that are cracking down on the specific products that can be labeled as meat, burgers, or steaks, vegan companies are seeking new ways to market themselves so that customers will understand without using forbidden words.

Fake Meat FAQs

Are fake meat burgers better for you?

Yes, but only a little bit. To make them taste like beef, a bunch of the bad stuff that makes beef taste good must be added, but plant-based options are usually slightly lower in calories and have more fiber and other important nutrients.

Are fake meat burgers better for the environment?

Unequivocally yes. Fake burgers use significantly less land, less water, and produce fewer carbon emissions. Plant-based options also don't make antibiotic resistance worse.

Is meat analogue really meat?

Who knows. The legal definition of meat and how it can be marketed will be argued about in legislative bodies and courts for a long time before anything is settled.

Resources

1. Is Fake Meat Better for You. NBC. Accessed January 2020.
2. Cell-based Meat Regulations. Vox. Accessed January 2020.
3. Are Meatless Burgers Healthier? NBC. Accessed January 2020.
4. Meatless Meat's Mainstream Backlash. Vox. Accessed January 2020.
5. Fake Meat and Climate Change. CNBC. Accessed January 2020.
6. Antimicrobial Resistance. United Nations. Accessed September 2023.
7. Plant Based Meat Laws. NY Times. Accessed January 2020.