Quorn<\/a>.<\/p>\nWhen shoppers are comparing products, Wilson says ingredients matter just as much as the protein number on the nutrition panel.<\/p>\n
\u201cProducts made from soy, legumes or mycoprotein generally provide higher quality protein than some other plant-based alternatives.\u201d<\/p>\n
These foods are also versatile. Rather than relying on heavily seasoned products, shoppers can build flavour themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cMinimally processed options such as legumes, plain tofu, tempeh and mycoprotein products are a good choice because you can add your own herbs, spices and flavourings during cooking. Flavoured products often contain more ingredients and higher levels of sodium (salt).\u201d<\/p>\n
Burgers and sausages aren\u2019t off the menu<\/p>\n
That doesn\u2019t mean supermarket meat alternatives designed to mimic meat should be avoided altogether.<\/p>\n
Instead, Henderson says: \u201cPlant-based burgers, sausages, nuggets and other highly processed meat alternatives are generally best viewed as occasional convenience foods.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can be a useful option when you\u2019re short on time or transitioning towards a more plant-focused diet, but ideally meals should be built around whole foods such as vegetables, legumes, whole grains and minimally processed protein sources.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Beans,]()
Beans, peas and lentils are cheap, nutritious, and highly recommended by health experts. Photo \/ 123RF<\/p>\n
Many meat alternatives also contain useful amounts of protein and some are fortified with nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron and zinc.<\/p>\n
However, Wilson says shoppers shouldn\u2019t assume products within the category are nutritionally equivalent.<\/p>\n
\u201cProtein content and quality can vary considerably between products and while some are fortified, fortification levels differ between brands.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some products are also substantially higher in sodium than others.<\/p>\n
Flip the packet<\/p>\n
With terms such as \u201cplant-based\u201d, \u201cnatural\u201d, \u201corganic\u201d and \u201cvegan\u201d appearing prominently on packaging, it\u2019s easy to assume the healthiest-looking product is automatically the healthiest option.<\/p>\n
Instead, Henderson recommends turning straight to the nutrition information panel.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to compare sodium levels, as there can be large differences between brands and even between products. Choose products with the lowest sodium content per 100g where possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once sodium has been checked, she says protein should be the next priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you have identified products with a good protein content, look at the ingredient list to understand what the protein is coming from.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ingredient list can also reveal how heavily processed a product is.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenerally, shorter ingredient lists with recognisable ingredients indicate less processing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Are ultra-processed meat alternatives unhealthy?<\/p>\n
Few food categories have become as closely associated with ultra-processing as plant-based meat.<\/p>\n
Wilson believes the conversation has been useful, but only up to a point.<\/p>\n
![\"The]()
The Impossible Burger – a burger patty made from plant-based ingredients but looks and tastes like meat – made a splash when it arrived on the scene. Picture \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ultra-processed food discussion can be useful to some extent as it encourages consumers to look beyond front-of-pack marketing claims and consider the level of processing and overall nutritional quality of a product.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, she says processing alone doesn\u2019t tell the whole story.<\/p>\n
Instead, shoppers should consider the overall nutritional picture, including protein, fibre, sodium and micronutrient content.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor most people, highly processed plant-based meat alternatives are best approached as occasional convenience foods rather than dietary staples. What matters most is how any individual food fits within the overall dietary pattern.\u201d<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t necessarily have to give up meat<\/p>\n
Henderson believes you don\u2019t need to eliminate meat from your diet entirely.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany people find a flexible approach that includes both animal and plant protein foods to be practical, affordable and sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n
A simple strategy is to stretch meat dishes by replacing part of the mince in meals such as bolognese, tacos or chilli with lentils, beans or vegetables.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis allows you to retain the nutritional benefits of meat while increasing plant food intake and reducing overall costs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Wilson says there is no single perfect substitute.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no single \u2018best\u2019 meat alternative. Foods such as legumes, tofu, tempeh and mycoprotein products can all play a role, as can some packaged meat alternatives. The right choice will depend on individual preferences, nutritional needs, budget and lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than chasing the latest plant-based product, Henderson says shoppers will get further by focusing on the fundamentals.<\/p>\n
\u201cTry not to be swayed solely by front-of-pack claims such as \u2018plant-based\u2019, \u2018vegan\u2019 or \u2018natural\u2019. Instead, take a moment to compare products using the nutrition information panel and ingredient list, paying particular attention to protein, fibre and sodium content.\u201d<\/p>\n
For most people, that\u2019s likely to lead them back to some of the oldest meat alternatives in the supermarket rather than the newest.<\/p>\n
Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"So how do you separate the genuinely nutritious choices from clever marketing? The healthiest choices don\u2019t usually look…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":518225,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[95,1975,1558,9442,138,10704,4526,5818,6440,134,57096,221,51928,7494,3822,111,139,69,19794,90905,3235,87949,97,131,223,61,14043,1530,1959],"class_list":["post-518224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-and","tag-at","tag-been","tag-better","tag-business","tag-choose","tag-easier","tag-eating","tag-ever","tag-health","tag-healthiest","tag-how","tag-increasingly","tag-less","tag-meat","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-planet","tag-plantbased","tag-sold","tag-straightforward","tag-supermarket","tag-than","tag-the","tag-to","tag-upgrade","tag-years","tag-your"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=518224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518224\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/518225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=518224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=518224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=518224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}