Are plant-based meat alternatives healthy?
By Isabelle Sadler, PBHP UK Research Assistant, MSc Nutrition Student
While designed to mimic meat, their nutritional profiles can vary widely, differing from both animal products and whole plant foods in their macro- and micronutrient content. In this article, we review the latest evidence on plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) and health, discuss how they fit into a balanced diet, and highlight what to look for when choosing these products.
Nutrient profile of plant-based meat alternatives
PBMAs are created to replicate the taste, texture, and appearance of products such as burgers, sausages, mince meat, and chicken pieces, that are traditionally made from animals. They are usually made from a plant or fungal protein isolate (such as soya, pea, fava bean, cereals, or mycoprotein) and combined with other ingredients such as vegetable oils, salt, and sometimes additives. They may also be fortified with key vitamins and minerals.
Because the ingredients can vary so much, so too can the nutritional content and overall healthfulness of these products.
Salt, fat, sugar, protein and fibre content of meat alternatives
On average, PBMAs contain less saturated fat and more fibre per 100 g than animal meat. They tend to have slightly higher total sugar, and similar levels of sodium when compared to meat and poultry. Some plant-based alternatives can be extreme outliers when it comes to sodium content, so it’s always worth checking the label of the product you’re buying.
Protein content can vary, and while some PBMAs contain less protein than their animal-based counterparts, others can provide more. An analysis conducted by ProVeg in 2024 found that plant-based ‘Sausages’, ‘Minced meat’, ‘Bacon’, and ‘Meatballs’ contained more protein per 100 g than the animal-meat version. Getting enough protein is generally not a problem for food-secure populations, such as the UK, whereas we know that a shocking 96% of UK adults do not get enough fiber.
Among the different protein sources, a systematic review found that mycoprotein-based alternatives are the least energy dense, lowest in saturated fat and total sugar and highest in fibre compared to meat alternatives from other protein sources such as cereals & grains or legumes. Mycoprotein-based meat alternatives are also a good source of zinc.
Micronutrient content of meat alternatives
A 2025 study found that PBMAs can provide a range of nutrients, including alpha-linolenic acid (an essential omega-3 fatty acid), several B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, and folate), vitamins E and K, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, selenium and zinc. However, they typically provide less vitamin B5, B6, B12 and D than animal-based meat. Notably, this study did not account for fortification, meaning that nutrients like iron or B12 added by manufacturers were excluded from analysis. In practice, fortified PBMAs can help close some of these nutrient gaps. The nutrient density of plant-based and animal-based meats was found to be comparable.
A 2025 systematic review also found that while iron content for cereal- and grain-based PBMAs was higher than meat and poultry, vitamin B12 content was lower. Therefore, PBMAs generally appear not to be a good source of vitamin B12 unless you are choosing a fortified variety.
The proportion of products that are fortified varies widely between countries. According to a 2024 ProVeg report, in the USA, over 95% of plant-based meat alternatives are fortified with iron, compared with only 30% in the UK. To support adequate micronutrient intake, it’s worth checking the label for fortified products.
Haem iron, nitrates, and cholesterol
PBMAs do not contain haem iron, harmful nitrates, or cholesterol. Haem iron, found in animal meat, can act as a pro-oxidant, contributing to inflammation, and insulin resistance, and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (see also here). Nitrates in processed meats can form harmful, cancer-causing compounds. Plants also contain nitrates but the big difference is the phytochemicals in plants prevent them from being converted into carcinogens.
Some PBMAs, however, include soya leghemoglobin. This is a plant-derived form of haem produced safely through fermentation using genetically modified yeast to better replicate the taste and appearance of meat. While this ingredient provides a similar iron form to that found in animal products, research on how well humans absorb and use this type of iron is still limited. Early laboratory studies suggest that leghemoglobin iron is absorbed similarly to animal haem iron, but its effects on overall iron status and long-term health have not yet been studied in humans.
Heart health and cardiovascular risk
Several studies suggest PBMAs may support heart health compared to animal meats.
A 2025 meta-analysis of seven studies with 369 participants found that replacing animal meat with PBMAs significantly reduced LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and body weight, which are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease. No significant changes were seen for HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, or fasting glucose concentrations. In this study, the effects were largely driven by trials looking at mycoprotein-based meat alternatives.
Similar results have also been found in trials studying different meat alternatives, including those based on soya, pea, and wheat protein. Randomised controlled trials have shown that substituting animal meat with soya-based products (such as soya burgers and soya nuggets) can significantly reduce LDL- and total cholesterol, body weight, body fat, and apolipoprotein B levels, particularly in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Similarly, replacing red meat with pea protein-based alternatives, such as Beyond Meat products in the SWAP-MEAT trial, has been shown to lower LDL-cholesterol, body weight, and circulating levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a compound linked to cardiovascular disease risk. Diets incorporating wheat- and soya-based meat alternatives, such as those used in the Eco-Atkins and Portfolio Diet trials, have also demonstrated greater improvements in lipid profiles compared to control diets including low-fat dairy and eggs.
A trial comparing mycoprotein to red and processed meat also suggests that mycoprotein may be beneficial for gut health and colorectal cancer prevention when replacing animal meat. Evidence also suggests that replacing meat with PBMAs in the diet can support athletes in maintaining both strength and endurance performance.
Collectively, these findings suggest that a variety of plant-based meat alternatives may contribute to improved cardiometabolic health when substituted for animal meat.
How do PBMAs compare to whole plant foods?
An analysis conducted by Dr Marco Springmann compared PBMAs with both the animal-based product they replace, and the whole plant foods they are made from. Unsurprisingly, unprocessed plant-based foods such as beans, peas, and soyabeans, performed best across health, nutrition, environmental and cost metrics.
However, processed plant-based products such as veggie burgers (as well as traditional meat replacements such as tempeh) still offered health and nutrition benefits over animal meats.
But aren’t they “ultra-processed”?
Many people assume PBMAs are unhealthy because they are classified as ultra-processed foods (UPF), and high intakes of ultra-processed foods are linked to an increased risk of chronic disease.
However, the term ‘ultra-processed’ covers a diverse variety of foods, including sugar-sweetened beverages, processed animal meats, plant-based milks, pastries, ice cream, cereals, and PBMAs. These foods vary greatly in their ingredients and nutrient profiles, so simply classifying them as unhealthy due to their level of processing is an oversimplification of their impact on health.
A 2023 study of 266,666 participants found that while higher UPF intake overall was linked with a greater risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, not all UPFs carried the same risk. Animal-based UPFs and sugar-sweetened beverages were most strongly associated with increased risk of developing cancer-cardiometabolic diseases, while plant-based meat alternatives were not associated with a higher risk and even showed a trend towards reducing the risk of developing the same chronic diseases.
A rapid evidence review by the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition also stated that most of the negative health impacts of UPFs related to higher calorie, salt, sugar and fat intake, whereas vegetarian alternatives have not been associated with these negative effects.
Cost and convenience
Some people think switching to a plant-based diet is more expensive than a meat-based diet. However, research suggests that people who follow a plant-based diet spend less on food than meat-eaters (see also Springmann et al 2021). One reason for this misconception could be the cost of meat alternatives like burgers and sausages, which are more expensive than whole plant foods such as beans and lentils, and sometimes more expensive than animal-based meat. If these products become a regular part of the diet, the cost can add up. For healthcare professionals supporting patients or clients transitioning to a plant-based diet, it’s important to consider budget-friendly options to make a plant-based diet sustainable. PBMAs could be considered as occasional convenience foods rather than staples.
That said, PBMAs can be very useful in a variety of contexts. They make plant-based options more accessible, are convenient for eating out, attending social events, or catering, and can help when feeding families. They are also helpful for individuals who want to reduce animal-based meat in their diets without completely giving up familiar tastes and textures.
They are often not suitable for those with food allergies
Many PBMAs contain common allergens such as soya, wheat and barley, making them unsuitable for those with food allergies or conditions such as gluten intolerance and coeliac disease. Allergic reactions have also been reported to mycoprotein.
A study conducted in Ireland found that between 2021 and 2023, the proportion of plant-based alternatives containing allergens decreased from 92% to 79%. Wheat (cereals containing gluten) was the most common allergen found in PBMAs, followed by soya. Not all PBMAs are vegan and this study found eggs and milk were the next most frequently declared allergens on-pack, accounting for 4–5% and 2–6% of allergens declared.
It is very important to check the labels carefully if this applies to you, and also to consider the risk of cross contamination.
The bottom line
Plant-based meat alternatives can be a great choice for those wanting to transition to a more plant-based diet and replace their intake of animal-based meat.
While they’re generally less healthy than whole plant foods, they often provide clear benefits compared to animal meats such as more fibre, less saturated fat, no cholesterol, and potential improvements in heart health when used as substitutes.
If you’re buying them with nutrition in mind, look out for products that are lower in salt (under 1g per portion, remembering the max we should be eating is 6g per day) and fortified with key nutrients like iron and vitamin B12.
Ultimately, the healthiest diets centre around whole plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, but enjoying plant-based burgers or sausages occasionally as part of a balanced diet is unlikely to harm your health and is likely to be better than eating meat from animals.