Plant-based meat substitutes are produced to be eaten as a replacement for meat in the human diet. Plant-based products try to mimic the appearance of meat as well as the taste and texture. Plant-based meat is also referred to as mock meat, fake meat, or meat substitute. The earliest meat substitutes used to be developed from whole- grains. Now the technology has improved a lot, and the new alternatives are called 2nd-generation meat. Plant-based meat is often considered a healthier option. Some of the plant-based options are considered ultra-processed, which means the food is high in salt and saturated fats.
Plant- or fungus-based meats are often made with soy (for example, tofu, tempeh, and textured vegetable proteins), wheat gluten, pea protein, or mycoprotein. But it can also be made by fermentation, where single-cell organisms are modified to produce certain proteins. Nowadays, it is also possible to grow the meat substitute in a laboratory using tissue engineering techniques.
Plant-based meat is usually consumed by vegetarians, vegans, for religious reasons, or according to cultural dietary laws. On the other hand, over the last few decades, the popularity of plant-based meat has grown a lot because of environmental reasons.
Mock meat has a long history. It was first invented in China. They ate tofu, which they did already in 200 BCE. During the Middle Ages, as a minced meat substitute during Lent, people ate chopped nuts and grapes. Plant-based options started to gain popularity in 2010. It was done by companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. They started to offer pre-made meat substitutes for ground beef, patties, chicken nuggets, and so on.
To mimic meat originates in China. During the Han dynasty, tofu was invented. Tofu is coagulated soy milk. Tofu is still one of the most popular plant-based options for meat. Back then and also now, Buddhist monks follow the rule of what is called ‘ahimsa’—non-violence. This means that they tried to find substitutes for the meat.
During the Medieval Ages in Europe, people tried to find meatless options during Lent. During Lent, it is forbidden to eat warm-blooded animals, eggs, and dairy products. To replace the meat, they consumed a mixture of almonds and grapes.
In early 1800 were invented other no-meat products like mock eel meat and mock sausage. These kinds of products were widely eaten all over Asia. In 1877, the Kellogg brothers invented a plant-based meat substitute that was made out of peanuts, wheat gluten, and other plant-based products. Their product was called ‘Protose’. There were many other inventions to find plan-based options for meat, but none of them gained a lot of popularity.
In the early 2000s, a lot of different companies tried to come to market with their own plan-based meat. There have been some setbacks, but it looks like there are no signs of stopping any more. People are always wanting new options for meat substitutes. In 2021, the global value of plant-based options was 5.3 billion dollars, and it is estimated to reach 33.3 billion dollars by 2031. It is mostly happening because consumers knowledge about the impact of their dietary options on the planet is getting better.
Animal meat, especially red meat, is not considered good for health or the environment if consumed and produced in large amounts. Now, when it comes to plant-based meat, the biggest marketing point is its positive impact on health and the environment. Meat production emits a lot of greenhouse gases. Plant-based product production emits 30–90% less greenhouse gases when compared to meat-based production. Livestock also needs big areas for growing and also consumes a lot of plants themselves. Also, they produce a lot of methane.
Plant-based meat also has an environmental impact, but it’s smaller than livestock. Also, for our health, they are not the perfect alternative because, if we are talking about patty’s, they are usually ultra-processed. For example, plant-based meat has less fat than real meat, but it has a lot more sodium in it. And because of that, they produce a lot more emissions than foods that are not highly processed.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833522000211
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat_alternative
https://leverfoundation.org/beyond-the-trend-the-history-of-plant-based-meat/
https://sites.massey.ac.nz/futurefoodscatalyst/2023/05/02/from-past-to-present-the-history-of-plant-based-meats-and-their-current-trends-in-asia/
https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/meatless-meat-and-the-increasing-popularity-of-plant-based-meat-alternatives/
https://gfi.org/plant-based/
