Mark Roemer Ponders if Fake Meat is Healthy

Introduction

After the World Health Organization (WHO) declared ‘red meat’ as probable carcinogens and ‘processed meats’ as carcinogens, many people have started eating vegan foods or meals made with fake meat. People are also aware that eating red meat in excessive quantities may cause cardiovascular diseases and colon cancer. As a result, they are switching to plant-based foods which taste like meat. However, are they really healthy or do these foods also pose a health risk? In this article, our guest, Mark Roemer will explain whether fake meat is healthy?

By eating too much meat, we can not only harm ourselves but our environment as well. Raising cattle for food leads to an increase in greenhouse gas emission. Thus, we should reduce eating meat and switch to products which only taste like meat. To find out whether fake meat products are healthy, we must first find out what fake meat actually means.

What exactly is fake meat?

Companies like Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger have come up with a solution to the whole meat problem. They have created a method to culture meat from plant-based sources like peas and soy. Their food products also contain ingredients which help the patty to resemble the texture and color of beef. As a result, the burger patties can seem very close to real meat. They are already very popular, but some people might not like the taste.

Now, regarding whether they are healthy or not is debatable. Since these are processed meat, they do pose a health risk. Also, these products are very high in sodium which can damage your health in a number of ways.

Other companies market vegetable meat-substitutes which may not contain high amounts of cholesterol or saturated fats, but they are also full of salt and fried in unhealthy oils.

Are there any healthier alternative to fake meat?

If you want to avoid eating any meat products but want to maintain the correct ratio of protein in your body, you have to look for sources of vegan protein which are natural, unprocessed and low in salt or sodium.

You can eat food which contains protein-rich plant products such as lentils, white beans, peas, soy, nuts, seeds, and quinoa. Tofu and portobello mushrooms are also good sources of protein. You can also try eating tempeh ‘bacon’ strips which are made from fermented soybean cake.

Wheat gluten is popular in Asia countries as it a popular ingredient for making Asian-style dishes. Hemp seeds can also be a nice addition to your meal plan as 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds contain about 10 grams of protein.

Some companies that sell fake meat products which are not as unhealthy as food products from other companies are Yves veggie Cuisine and Gardein in Canada, Big Mountain Foods (based in Vancouver), Gusta Foods (Based in Montreal), and SOL Cuisine (Mississauga, Ont.-based company).

Conclusion

According to Mark Roemer, you should always read the ingredients list on the label of food products before consuming them. There are many healthy meat substitutes as long as you make the meals at home and don’t strive for the authentic taste of meat.