Plant-based meat is deficient in terms of amino acid content and protein digestibility, research shows

According to a recent small-scale study, certain plant-based steaks and plant-based meats have amino acid content and protein digestibility that “fall short” compared to traditional meat.

The study, published in the American Chemical Society Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, was conducted by a team of researchers based in Italy and led by Tullia Tedeschi.

Data from Statista shows that the global plant-based food market is expected to reach $77.8 billion by 2025. However, the market size is predicted to more than double by 2023.

When considering plant-based meat alternatives, the researchers explained: “Meat-free burgers or mince imitators may be the first to come to mind, but the options for plant-based alternatives have expanded to include whole cuts of meat similar to steaks and chicken breasts. as well as sliced ​​meats such as salami or bresaola – a type of cured beef.

“While these newer products have not yet been as extensively researched as burger-style products, they are becoming more widespread and popular among consumers. Therefore, it is important to understand how they differ nutritionally from the meat they aim to replicate and replace. In other words, how well does our body digest and extract nutrition from these foods?”

Plant-based: Finding the Recipe for Success

To conduct the study, the research team analyzed three different plant-based steaks and three different plant-based meats. Veal steaks were used as a point of comparison for the plant-based steaks, while ham and beef cuts were compared to their respective plant-based substitutes.

The researchers then measured the fat, salt and protein content of each before the samples underwent simulated digestion in the laboratory to understand how well the proteins break down in a human digestive tract.

The results showed that the plant-based products “contained more carbohydrates, less protein and lower amino acid content than their meat-based counterparts”. Further, it was found that the plant steaks and veal samples were comparable in terms of essential amino acid content and digestibility.

Additional findings showed that plant-based meats “generally contain less salt than meat and fewer essential amino acids,” but different products also showed “different levels of digestibility due to the variety of ingredients they contain.”

Overall, the researchers concluded that the nutritional value of the plant-based products “depended heavily on the plants used to make them,” leading to a “wide variation in their amino acid content and the digestibility of their proteins.”

However, all samples within a given meat type showed similar nutritional profiles.

The research team concluded that the study can be used to demonstrate that “careful considerations should be taken when replacing meat products with plant-based alternatives, and that these differences in nutritional profile should be communicated to consumers to enable informed decisions.”