A new study debunks plant-based meat analogue product claims to be healthier for your diet than real meat.
Researchers in Singapore published their findings in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, comparing the effects of diets based on plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) and traditional animal-based meats. The 8-week, randomized controlled trial study looked specifically at levels of cholesterol and blood sugar in Singaporeans at risk for type 2 diabetes. Researchers found no significant changes in cholesterol profiles for either diet, though both diets were linked to improvements in some blood sugar markers.
“Despite the emergence of PBMAs as a source of alternative protein foods within the global food system, the results of the current study do not substantiate superior cardiometabolic health benefits of PBMDs compared to an omnivorous diet composed of animal-based meats,” researchers wrote.
With no clear advantage of one diet over the other in improving heart health, researchers suggest that plant-based diet benefits may not be applicable to PBMAs.
Researchers encouraged the food industry to re-evaluate the production of next generation PBMAs with improved nutritional attributes and bioaccessibility.
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