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People who want to remove meat and dairy from their diets would be better switching to beans and peas than opting for veggie burgers and plant milks, a University of Oxford study has found.
Experts looked at several factors when considering 24 meat and milk alternatives, including their impact on health and the environment, and their cost.
They found that natural plant-based foods such as peas, soybeans and beans performed best across all three areas.
In comparison, processed foods such as veggie burgers, meat replacements tofu and tempeh, and plant milks were associated with fewer climate benefits and greater cost than unprocessed foods – although they were still better than animal products.

At the bottom of the list was lab-grown meat, which is not yet sold in many places in the world for human consumption.
Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers from Oxford and University College London suggested replacing all meat or dairy in high-income countries with the same calories from meat or milk alternatives could cut early deaths by up to 6 per cent.
“Among the meat alternatives, the largest reductions were for peas (6.1 per cent), followed by tempeh, beans and soybeans (5.1 to 5.7 per cent), veggie burgers and tofu (4 to 4.3 per cent), and veggie sausages and veggie bacon (3.5 to 3.6 per cent),” they said.
Without dietary changes … the environmental impacts of the food system are projected to pose serious challenges
Researchers from Oxford and University College London
“Among the milk alternatives, the largest reductions were for soybeans (5.2 per cent), followed by almond milk.”
Most of the changes in the chance of death were linked to increases in consumption of fibre (44 per cent), which is good for health, followed by reductions in bad cholesterol and as increases in healthy fats and potassium.
Researchers said people tended to have a lower fat diet and more fibre if they replaced all calories from meat or dairy with alternatives.
Regarding the climate, experts said the livestock sector is responsible for the majority of all food-related greenhouse gas emissions and for about 20 per cent of overall greenhouse gas emissions.

“Without dietary changes toward more plant-based diets, the environmental impacts of the food system are projected to pose serious challenges for efforts aimed at keeping global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius and could exceed other key planetary boundaries that attempt to define a safe operating space for humanity on a stable Earth system,” they said.
They added: “Our findings suggest that unprocessed plant-based foods such as soybeans, peas and beans are best suited for replacing meat and dairy in high-income countries, and performed well on all dimensions.
“In comparison, processed plant-based foods such as veggie burgers and plant milks were associated with less climate benefits and greater costs than unprocessed foods, but still offered substantial environmental, health and nutritional benefits compared to animal-source foods.”

The team concluded that choosing legumes over meat and milk would reduce “nutritional imbalances” in high-income countries like the UK by half, premature death – in particular from diet-related diseases – by a tenth, the environmental impact of diets by more than half, and costs by more than a third.
Dr Marco Springmann, from the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford, who led the study, said: “Reducing [consumption of] meat and dairy in high-income countries is essential for limiting climate change, biodiversity loss, and improving health.
“Our study shows that a range of foods and food products exist that would have multiple benefits when replacing meat and dairy [produce] in current diets.”

Springmann said the “surprising runner-up” to beans and peas was tempeh, a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans which retains many of the nutritional properties of soybeans without much processing or additives.
“This and the relatively low cost gave it an edge over more processed alternatives such as veggie burgers,” he added.
The researchers said that, given the current technology, lab-grown meat can produce emissions as high as those of beef burgers, cost up to 40,000 times as much and be just as bad for our health.

Springmann added: “Public investments in both lab-grown meat and ultra-processed burger patties look like tough sells when considering their relative impacts and available alternatives.”
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Wellness

Dropping meat and dairy? Beans, peas beat veggie burgers and plant milk as alternatives

Natural, unprocessed foods such as beans, peas and soybeans are better alternatives to meat and dairy than processed foods such as veggie burgers in terms of health, environmental impact and cost, according to a University of Oxford study. Photo: Shutterstock

Researchers found processed foods including veggie burgers and plant milks to be associated with fewer climate benefits and greater cost than unprocessed foods. Photo: Shutterstock

The livestock sector is responsible for most food-related greenhouse gas emissions, the researchers say. Photo: Shutterstock

Choosing legumes over meat and milk would reduce “nutritional imbalances” in high-income countries by half, according to researchers. Photo: Shutterstock

Marco Springmann, a senior researcher at the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, led the study. Photo: University of Oxford

Tempeh, a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans, was the “surprising runner-up” for benefits as a meat and dairy alternative. Photo: Shutterstock

How eating a plant-based diet benefits the environment, the planet and your health

Katia Demekhina, a Hong Kong-based nutritional therapist, says that as well as being good for the environment, plant-based diets can also aid in weight management because they are typically lower in calorie density yet rich in nutrients. Photo: Katia Demekhina

Animal farming practices cause almost double the greenhouse gas emissions compared to plant-based farming, says Tami Best, a functional and integrative dietitian. Photo: Tami Best

Animal farming practices are a primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Photo: Shutterstock

Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains can lower the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Photo: Shutterstock

Healthy fats are essential for nutrient absorption and overall health. Good plant-based sources include avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil. Photo: Shutterstock 

Plant-based diets often aid in weight management because they are typically lower in calorie density, yet rich in nutrients, says Katia Demekhina, a Hong Kong-based nutritional therapist. Photo: Katia Demekhina

How a plant-based diet can help children thrive – experts share the benefits, best foods and how to get kids to eat them

Take your children grocery shopping and let them help in meal preparation. Photo: Shutterstock

Enlisting children’s help with food preparation is a great way to get them to embrace a plant-based diet, according to a dietitian who, along with other experts, gives advice on raising children vegan. Photo: Shutterstock

Having a diet free of animal products brings health benefits, from better blood sugar control and improved digestion to a reduced risk of potentially deadly diseases, whatever your age, studies show. Photo: Shutterstock

Reshma Shah, a US-based paediatrician, says giving children an array of fruit and vegetables early on will provide them with the nutrients they need to develop healthily. Photo: Reshma Shah

The cover of Shah’s book. Photo: Amazon

US-based dietitian Stephanie McBurnett.

The cover of Nelson’s cookbook. Photo: plantifulkiki.com

Taking your children grocery shopping and letting them help with meal preparation are great ways to help them embrace a plant-based diet, according to McBurnett. Photo: Shutterstock

Why ultra-processed foods  – such as breads, cereals and most sausages – are harmful; they can be addictive and are linked to cancer and other ills, doctor says

Sweetened cereals are a common breakfast food that are ultra-processed and potentially harmful. A University College London professor explains why ultra-processed foods are dangerous, and how to spot them. Photo: Shutterstock

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Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London and an associate professor at University College London. Photo: TEDxNewcastle

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Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Food & Drink

Eating plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy lowers the chance of an early death. Scientists ranked the best foods to switch to


Eating plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy lowers the chance of an early death. Scientists ranked the best foods to switch to.
