Plant-based meat and dairy products are rapidly-growing industries. Experts valued the global plant-based meat market at over $5 billion last year, with forecasts expecting it to increase by 19% from 2022 through 2030. And the plant-based dairy alternatives market reportedly totaled $11 billion in 2020 with projections to hit $32 million in 2031.
Now a new study from the University of Bath says that plant-based meat and dairy products are both better for human health and the environment. The new study recently appeared in the journal Future Foods. What are plant-based meat and dairy products? The first meat substitute products appeared in the 1960s and were made of soy. Later, substitutes containing TVP (texturized vegetable protein) also showed up on the marker. Today’s plant-based meat substitutes closely resemble the texture and flavor of real meat by using ingredients like soy, pea protein, oils, potato starch, and various binders and flavorings. Dairy products made from plants instead of cow’s milk got their start much earlier, with the first mention of soy milk appearing in China around 2,000 years ago.
Despite the fact that soy milk products are still widely used, they now coexist on store shelves with dairy substitutes made from oats, rice, almonds, hemp, and coconut. Additionally, today’s dairy substitutes go beyond simple milk-like beverages to include substitutes for yogurt, butter, cheeses, and ice cream. For the study, Dr. Bryant and his team reviewed 43 studies looking at the health and environmental factors of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Researchers also examined consumer attitudes toward plant-based foods. Researchers also found that people tended to choose plant-based meat products that were similar in taste, texture, and price to real meat. “Plant-based meat is an easy and convenient way to directly replace meat in familiar dishes, so that makes it easier than eating whole plant foods only for people who want to eat less meat,” Dr. Chris Bryant, honorary research associate for the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, research consultant through Bryant Research Ltd, and lead author of this study, told Medical News Today.
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