TELL a vegan your sausage is healthier than theirs, and they will think you’re banger out of order.
But many plant-based meat alternatives are ultra-processed with “no clear” heart benefits.
GettyMartin Freeman has turned his back on vegetarianism after nearly four decades[/caption]
People who ate fake sausages, burgers and mince seemingly had worse blood pressure than those who eat the real thing, claimed a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
This week actor Martin Freeman, 52, revealed he had turned his back on vegetarianism after nearly four decades due to meat mock-ups being “very, very processed”.
Here Josh Saunders compares the nutritional values of 100g of real meat with the fakes.
STEAK STRIPS
PLANT-BASED Squeaky Bean’s offering has nearly double the fat and salt content.
Squeaky Bean Chargrilled Steak Style Strips, 120g, £3.25Supplied
FAT: 11g
SALT: 1.49g
SuppliedSainsbury’s British or Irish stir fry beef, 350g, £4.50[/caption]
FAT: 6g
SALT: 0.78g
SuppliedTivall vegetarian beef style pieces, 300g, £3.70[/caption]
FAT: 9g
SALT: 1g
SuppliedHappiee! Vegan Beef Strips, 280g, £3.50[/caption]
FAT: 6.6g
SALT: 1.4g
CHICKEN BREAST
THIS Isn’t Chicken has three times more fat and Future Farm’s has ten times more salt.
SuppliedThis isn’t Chicken Plant-Based Pieces, 170g, £3.30[/caption]
FAT: 3.5g
SALT: 0.75g
SuppliedTesco Large Chicken Breast Fillets, 1.6kg, £9.95[/caption]
FAT: 1.1g
SALT: 0.15g
SuppliedFuture Farm Vegan Chicken, 160g, £3.50[/caption]
FAT: 2.3g
SALT: 1.5g
SuppliedTesco Plant Chef 2 Meat-Free No-Chicken Breasts, 180g, £1.65[/caption]
FAT: 9.3g
SALT: 0.65g
BEEF MINCE
LOW-FAT mince can have three times less fat and up to six-and-a-half times less salt.
SuppliedMoving Mountains Plant-Based Mince 260g, £4[/caption]
FAT: 17g
SALT: 1.5g
SuppliedTesco Beef Lean Steak Mince, 5% Fat, 500g, £3.49[/caption]
FAT: 4.9g
SALT: 0.23g
SuppliedThis Isn’t Beef Plant-Based Mince, 250g, £3.30[/caption]
FAT: 13.3g
SALT: 0.6g
SuppliedThe Meatless Farm Plant-Based Mince, 350g, £3.25[/caption]
FAT: 10.6 g
SALT: 0.92g
BACON RASHERS
BACON butty lovers fear not, your crispy rashers have three times less fat than La Vie’s plant-based phony.
SuppliedLa Vie Plant-Based Bacon Smoked Rashers x8, 120g, £3.50[/caption]
FAT: 15g
SALT: 2g
SuppliedAsda Reduced Fat smoked back bacon rashers x10, 300g, £3.25[/caption]
FAT: 4.6g
SALT: 2.7g
SuppliedPlant Based by Asda Bacon-Style Rashers x10, 180g, £2[/caption]
FAT: 13g
SALT: 1.4g
SuppliedM&S Plant Kitchen No Pork Streaky Vegan Bacon x10, 180g, £4[/caption]
FAT: 12.7g
SALT: 2.1g
BEEF BURGERS
PUT that juicy burger on the BBQ guilt-free because Moving Mountains burgers have three times the fat content.
SuppliedMoving Mountains ¼lb Plant-Based Burgers, 227g, £4[/caption]
FAT: 20g
SALT: 1.1g
SuppliedIceland lean beef burgers, 360g, £4.20[/caption]
FAT: 6.2g
SALT: 0.8g
SuppliedBeyond Meat Plant-Based Burgers, 226g, £4[/caption]
FAT: 19g
SALT: 0.75g
SuppliedNo Meat 2 Ultimate Burgers, 226g, £2.50[/caption]
FAT: 17.1g
SALT: 1.4g
CHICKEN DIPPERS
A KIDS’ favourite, the humble chicken dipper is still slightly healthier than its meatless alternative.
SuppliedBirdsEye Green Cuisine Chicken-free dippers, 220g, £3[/caption]
FAT: 17g
SALT: 1g
SuppliedAsda 38 Battered Chicken Dippers, 684g, £3.50[/caption]
FAT: 12g
SALT: 0.58g
SuppliedBeyond Nuggets Chicken-Style Plant-Based Nuggets, 200g, £4[/caption]
FAT: 16g
SALT: 1.19g
SuppliedMoving Mountains No-Chicken Nuggets, 220g, £3[/caption]
FAT: 12g
SALT: 0.9g