More Companies Jumping In

Traditional competitors are taking note.

Tyson Foods, well known for its chicken products, has introduced a new range of plant-based nuggets. Earlier this month, it also announced a new venture to create plant-based shellfish. The company hopes to create a plant-based alternative to shrimp by 2020.

This fall, Kroger will be launching its own line of plant-based meats to appear alongside regular meats in stores.

Morningstar Farms, owned by Kellogg's, is also introducing a range of realistic plant-based meats under the name "Incogmeato."

Last week, Hormel Foods, famous for its Spam products, introduced a line of meat substitutes called Happy Little Plants.

Appealing to Consumers

The new products are a move Dana Hunnes, PhD, a senior dietitian at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, says will appeal to a growing number of people interested in plant-based diets.

"People want their cake and get to eat it, too," she told Healthline. "People want to eat meat but also want to eat it in a healthier/better-for-the-planet sort of way. These new fake meats are a perfect mixture of meaty flavor, meaty texture, and are good for the Earth."

"I think with younger generations going on the bandwagon of eating more plant-based and trying to protect the environment, as climate change is becoming ever more serious, these fake meats are the opportunity people have been looking for to still eat 'meat' without doing all the damage," Hunnes added.

Wright says that easily accessible fake meats may also decrease the amount of meat Americans are eating.

"The typical American diet is still primarily 'meat and potatoes' based. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans consumed over 200 pounds of red meat and poultry in 2018. That translates into 10 ounces per day, which is twice the amount recommended by health agencies. Increased access to plant-based meats could help decrease the intake of meat while increasing vegetable consumption," she said.

Are Fake Meats Healthy?

Some have raised concerns over the healthiness of fake meats.

The chief executive officer of Whole Foods says he won't endorse the products, citing the fact they're often highly processed.

It's a claim many of the experts who spoke with Healthline say is reasonable to keep in mind.

"Plant-based isn't always equivalent to healthy and I think that plant-based meats may be wearing a 'health halo,'" Jennifer McDaniel, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, founder of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy, told Healthline. "If a consumer doesn't read the nutrition facts label or ingredient list, these plant-based meats may be misleadingly healthier than they actually are. It is important to remember that just because a food is plant-based doesn't mean it is healthy or healthier than its meat counterpart."

"Consumers should look for products that use more whole ingredients like beans, nuts, seeds, and vegetables compared to the more ultra-processed ingredients," she said.

"Overall, the less-processed forms of plant-based meat alternatives are ideal. Consumers should also compare sodium when choosing plant-based meats. In a chart comparing plant-based burgers to a beef burger, there was almost five times more sodium in the plant-based option versus the beef," she added.

Debbie Petitpain, MS, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agrees. She says there are many ways people can incorporate healthy meat-free options in their own kitchen.

"Fake meats are no substitute for minimally processed, whole, plant foods," she told Healthline. "Plant proteins like beans, lentils, and soy including tofu and tempeh promote health and prevent chronic disease… it's easy to find recipes that use these foods or foods like eggplant, jackfruit, mushrooms, potatoes, cauliflower, and quinoa to replace meat in dishes from tacos to burgers, lasagna to chili. Your imagination is your only limitation."

But as more and more people introduce meat-free Monday and more plant-based options to their diets, she says it makes sense for companies to embrace changing attitudes toward meat.

"As the world's population explodes, the food supply will be stressed. Large food companies and food distributors play an integral role in the adaptations that will need to be made. It's simply good business sense to offer food options that will be key in this transition. Americans' appetite are changing — they're demanding and enjoying products made from plants that resemble foods, like meat, that are familiar to them," she said.