It’s not just plant-based whole foods that are better for the environment than meat and dairy – even processed vegan foods are better for the planet, according to a new study.
The study, Sustainability benefits of transitioning from current diets to plant-based alternatives or whole-food diets in Sweden, was published in Nature Communications.
It found that integrating a rich amount of plant-based alternatives like vegan burgers and oat milk is ‘significantly better for the environment than a diet of meat, fish and dairy’.
Sweden was chosen as the location of the study ‘because of its high consumption of meat, fish and dairy and its growing market of plant-based alternatives‘.
These conditions, it said, are similar to the UK and other Northern European countries.
Overall, researchers found: “The results show that eating these plant-based alternatives reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 52 per cent and land use by up to 45 per cent.”
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Even a processed vegan burger is better for your health and the environment than a beef burger, says the study. Photo © Magone via Getty Images
Benefits of processed vegan food
In a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living, co-author Dr Michael Clark, Director of the Food Programme at the Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, spoke about the implications of the research.
He said: “This research provides additional evidence that indicates consuming less meat in high meat-consuming countries would be better for the planet.
“This includes swapping meat for plant-based whole foods, such as beans, as well as meat for meat alternatives such as vegan burgers.
“Importantly, it also shows how such diet swaps would maintain nutrition outcomes without costing more to consumers.”
This is because, according to the findings, ‘even if you need to rely on meat and dairy alternatives’, a plant-based diet is better for your health.
According to the study: “This is because a plant-based diet improves dietary intake of iron, fibre, folate, magnesium, polyunsaturated fats, while it reduces intake of saturated fats.”
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Processed vegan foods can still improve intake of fibre, folate, and healthy fats but may include high levels of salt. Photo © Aamulya via Getty Images
Is processed food unhealthy?
Despite the benefits of a plant-based diet, the scientists found one drawback of processed vegan foods: high levels of salt.
The study also notes that ‘it is harder for the body to draw nutrients such as iron from plants than from animal food sources’.
But, Anne Charlotte Bunge, lead author of the study and researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, said this, and the high salt levels, could be solved with further research and product development.
She said: “We currently see a lot of work on developing a next generation of plant-based alternatives, for example using fermentation practices for processing which improves the bioavailability of nutrients, and there is reason to hope that these will be healthier and even more sustainable than the current ones.”
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Featured photo © Aamulya via Getty Images
