All posts tagged: Plantbased

Most plant-based meat and dairy alternatives have lower saturated fat and higher fibre, study finds | UK News

Most plant-based meat and dairy alternatives have lower saturated fat and higher fibre, study finds | UK News

Published by Sam

Most plant-based meat and dairy alternatives have lower levels of saturated fat and higher fibre than their animal-derived counterparts, researchers have found. They also have substantially lower environmental impacts, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, use of water resources and land use, according to a review of evidence on plant-based alternatives to meat, cheese, eggs and yoghurt. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) who analysed over 90 studies and reports from 2016 to 2022 suggested plant-based alternatives could be a “useful steppingstone” towards a healthy and sustainable diet, though they warned nutritional value can vary considerably between products. Plant-based alternatives “have the potential to be healthier and nutrient-rich,” they said, but added that their nutritional contents are complex. The primary ingredient, as well as processing techniques and brand, were all vital in determining a product’s nutritional value and environmental impact. The researchers found that while plant-based alternatives “technically” fall under the category of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), the nutritional value of some products aligns with dietary recommendations including being high fibre and …

Plant-Based Meat Boomed. Here Comes the Bust

Plant-Based Meat Boomed. Here Comes the Bust

Published by skeptic

Over the past three years, the plant-based meat industry has experienced a major reversal in vibes. Sales boomed in the early months of the pandemic, as slaughterhouse shutdowns disrupted conventional meat supply chains and shoppers started trying out meatless burgers, sausages, and seafood instead. Between 2018 and 2021, total sales of plant-based foods in the US grew from $4.8 billion to $7.4 billion, with much of that growth driven by plant-based meat in particular. But a new report on sales of vegan meat, dairy, and seafood suggests that enthusiasm for plant-based products might be slowing down. An annual report from the Good Food Institute, an alternative protein nonprofit, found that dollar sales of plant-based meat and seafood in the US fell by 13 percent over the past two years. As prices of meat alternatives have gone up, this masks a much greater drop in unit sales over the same time period—they fell by 26 percent between 2021 and 2023. One big challenge in the US is the price of plant-based alternatives. In the US, plant-based …

“Vegan halo”: Why the boxed macaroni and cheese market is increasingly going plant-based

“Vegan halo”: Why the boxed macaroni and cheese market is increasingly going plant-based

Published by skeptic

Amid the Great Depression, Grant Leslie, a St. Louis, Missouri, salesman, came up with the ingenious idea of selling packaged macaroni pasta alongside cheese. The meal itself was cheap yet palatable and nourishing. So, Leslie went about attaching packets of grated cheese to boxes of pasta, which quickly became a huge hit. In 1937, Kraft took inspiration from Leslie and introduced its own brand of boxed macaroni and cheese. Priced at less than 20 cents per box, Kraft’s newfound, nonperishable product was revered as an affordable option for Americans looking to feed their families. Kraft sold over 8 million boxes in just one year and has since enjoyed many successes — both during times of hardship and prosperity. Kraft Mac & Cheese remains a favorite comfort food amongst budget-conscious consumers today. The packaged food item may not be the healthiest meal option available, but it does offer something that’s simple to make and delicious. Then, in November, news of the brand’s first-ever plant-based product made headlines. Called “Kraft NotMac&Cheese,” the new mac and cheese alternative …

Purple Carrot review: Healthy plant-based meal kits with no smoke and mirrors

Purple Carrot review: Healthy plant-based meal kits with no smoke and mirrors

Published by skeptic

Pricing Starts at $11/serving Type Meal kits Recipes per week 8 Good for Vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, low-calorie Score Breakdown Taste/results 9/10Value 7/10Ease of recipes 8/10Recipe variety 9/10Healthiness 10/10 Pros Fresh ingredients and healthy, flavorful food Uncomplicated meal plan and meal selection process Interesting recipes that are mostly easy to make Great way to learn plant-based cooking Cons On the expensive side Only 8 recipe options per week Meal delivery comes in all shapes and sizes in 2023, and that includes great meal kits for vegans and vegetarians. You can find tasty plant-based recipes on the menus of most meal kit companies, but Purple Carrot is one of the only completely vegan meal kit services available. That means no meat at all, so if you’re an intensely carnivorous type, turn back now. Beyond this point lies ancient grains, legumes, nuts and plenty of wholesome vegetables. But Purple Carrot is betting it can turn even the meatiest of men and women on to its healthy, plant-based fare. With many of us looking for ways to eat …

Plant-based diets are slowly gaining popularity in meat-loving South Korea

Plant-based diets are slowly gaining popularity in meat-loving South Korea

Published by skeptic

SEOUL — Some places call it “plant-based.” Others say “reducetarian” or “flexitarian.” The veg-curious might introduce “Meatless Mondays.” But here in South Korea, some are simply aiming for “no chunk”: Cut down on your meat consumption by avoiding obvious bits of meat but turning a blind eye to what’s less visible. Across the developed world, as people become more conscious of the meat industry’s relatively large carbon footprint, there are movements aimed at reducing the consumption of animal products, if not becoming outright vegan. That effort is particularly tricky in South Korea, where meat is associated with wealth and health, and where tabletop barbecuing is a way of life. “I tried my best, even setting a cute photo of pigs as my phone wallpaper,” said Jung Jin-a, a committed animal rights activist who has been struggling to give up meat for more than a decade. She wanted to save the planet and the animals. But she wanted sizzling pork belly, too. “The pork and chicken are right in front of my eyes and will immediately …

Oscar Mayer launches plant-based hot dogs and sausages for grilling season

Oscar Mayer launches plant-based hot dogs and sausages for grilling season

Published by skeptic

As longer days have many ready to gear up for grilling season, Oscar Mayer, which is owned by Kraft Heinz, has announced the debut of several plant-based options.  As reported by CNN, the products, called Oscar Mayer “NotHotDogs” ($5.99) and “NotSausage” ($7.99), roll out nationwide later this year. This is a continuation of Kraft Heinz’s joint venture with NotCo, which has already released plant-based cheese, mayonnaise and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. There will be multiple flavors and variations, such as bratwurst or Italian flavors. “But unlike the meat varieties, the new products incorporate plant-based ingredients such as bamboo fiber, mushroom, pea protein and acerola cherry,” writes Christopher Doering at FoodDive, noting the ingredients that will be used in place of the customary animal product. As reported by CNN, plant-based meat as an industry has experienced declining interest from consumers. Plant-based meat sales fell 9% in 2023 to nearly $886 million, according to figures provided to CNN from research firm NIQ. However, Lucho-Lopez May, the CEO of the Kraft Heinz Not Company, isn’t deterred. “This is an attractive space. There …

More than pierogis: The plant-based, global future of modern Polish cuisine

More than pierogis: The plant-based, global future of modern Polish cuisine

Published by skeptic

One glance at the index of Michael Korkosz’ “Polish’d: Modern Vegetarian Cooking from Global Poland” quickly dispels the tired stereotype that Polish cuisine is simply an endless potato-forward and meat-heavy parade of kielbasa and pierogies. The list of kaleidoscopically flavorful dishes include caramel plums with cinnamon, sour cream and candied hazelnuts; steamed leeks with sour cream; panko-coated egg and green; and roasted and sun-dried tomato dip with “Polish dukkah.”  “Polish cuisine has been changing drastically over the last centuries,” Korkosz, a Warsaw-based cookbook author and food photographer, explained to me via email.  This cookbook, which was published last fall, was originally born out of Korkosz’s master’s thesis, which he intended to write about cookbooks as a source of national identity. In the end, he ended up not pursuing the topic because there had been so much published on it, but he read much of the literature and realized that the cookbooks that are published today will be a source of research for future historians and sociologists analyzing 21st-century Polish cuisine.  “My first cookbook ‘Fresh from …

Swapping red meat for plant-based protein boosts longevity and climate health : Shots

Swapping red meat for plant-based protein boosts longevity and climate health : Shots

Published by skeptic

A plant-based diet is not just good for your health, it’s good for the planet. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Alexander Spatari/Getty Images A plant-based diet is not just good for your health, it’s good for the planet. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images If you’re aiming to cut back on meat and you want to build muscle strength, you’re not alone. Following our story on foods that help maintain strength, lots of you responded to our call-out, telling us you’re trying to boost protein consumption with a plant-based diet. Now, a new study published in Nature Food, finds that if people swap red and processed meat for plant protein a few times a week, it’s good for their health – and can also reduce their diet-related carbon footprint. The study found cutting red meat consumption by half leads to significant changes. For instance, eating it twice a week instead of four times a week will shrink your carbon footprint by 25% and may also boost longevity. “We found that there was an increase in life …

Samin Nosrat’s 5 best plant-based, spring-friendly dishes (with or without cheese!)

Samin Nosrat’s 5 best plant-based, spring-friendly dishes (with or without cheese!)

Published by skeptic

Aside from her iconic buttermilk roast chicken, Samin Nosrat has tons and tons of plant-based, vegan and vegetarian recipes. “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking,” the massively popular cookbook and subsequent Netflix show of the same name, may have introduced her to the masses, but Samin’s reliable and outrageously flavorful recipes have kept her in the upper echelon of the culinary stratosphere.  Try these stellar recipes and you’ll soon see why. An Iranian-American chef, writer, host and podcaster, Nosrat also helmed a New York Times food column, her own website and even “cut her teeth” at Chez Panisse in the early 2000s.  Want more great food writing and recipes? Subscribe to Salon Food’s newsletter, The Bite. As always, feel free to mix and match and customize: Remove dairy here, add some grilled protein there, switch it up so that it matches you and your family’s needs. I’m sure you’ll love all of these recipes. Many of Samin’s fans are fervent about this recipe — and for good reason.   Totally vegan …

Chef Anne Burrell’s 7 best plant-based, vegan and vegetarian recipes

Chef Anne Burrell’s 7 best plant-based, vegan and vegetarian recipes

Published by skeptic

In many instances, people think of vegan or vegetarian fare as being light and nutritious — and not especially filling. However, chef Anne Burrell, someone whom I hold in high esteem for all things culinary, epitomizes the concept of vegan or vegetarian food that is bold, flavorful, hearty and unique. Burrell, who’s held the roles of executive chef, culinary school instructor, host of her own instructional Food Network cooking show and judge of multiple competitive cooking shows, is an excellent resource for all things cooking, no matter if you’re a novice or a top-tier, super-accomplished cook.  Here, I included everything from salads to main courses and desserts, with nary a piece of meat anywhere on the list. Some of the options are fully plant-based while others have some dairy components, but feel free to tweak, twist or customize as you see fit to help align with your dietary specifications.  Want more great food writing and recipes? Subscribe to Salon Food’s newsletter, The Bite. Conversely, if your family is comprised of vegetarians with one errant carnivore, many of these dishes could …