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Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2023

Health benefits and risks of plant-based food analogues

Résumé

Plant-based substitutes (PBS) are seen as a convenient way to transition to more plant-based diets, but their potential health benefits and nutritional concerns are debated. Based on our review of the literature, we conclude that the most important risks of insufficient nutrient intake with PBS relate to iron and calcium, which are critical to the nutritional value of PBS. We found other risks but these would depend on the characteristics of the overall diet, as this is the case for iodine in a diet without seafood and dairy, and vitamin B12 in a vegetarian/vegan diet. While some PBMA with sufficient bioavailable iron exist or could be produced, low content of bioavailable iron in PBMAs limit their large utilization for substituting meat in present diets and modelled healthier diets, especially in women with high menstrual losses. While some dairy substitutes are fortified with calcium, the proportion of fortified products is very low in some countries, so the risk of insufficient calcium intake remains a general concern when fully replacing dairy with PBS. Conversely, the use of PBS is also expected to confer some benefits for long-term health because it would result in higher fiber intakes, in the case of meat PBS, and lower SFA intakes (with higher PUFA/MUFA intakes). However, attention should be paid to the possible increase in sodium intake with PBS of meat products. In fact, a recurring finding in our review is that PBS makes a very heterogeneous food category with much variation in ingredient and nutrient composition, both within and between countries – just as the nutritional profiles of consumers’ diets are varied – so it remains difficult to make blanket statements about the quality of PBS. Nonetheless, PBS could be much better designed to foster nutritional & health benefits. Health benefits also depend on the animal food that is replaced and are deemed likely only when PBS replace red meat. Lastly, PBS have also been criticized as being ultra-processed, although most of them do not share the attributes of UPF that could explain the adverse effect of UPF consumption on health. Using whole plant foods remains the reference for nutrition and health but PBS in general are recognized as convenient and desirable plant-based foods to facilitate dietary change. Attention should be paid to their ingredient composition and nutrient composition, so that the risk are kept low and benefits can be the greatest. Fortification of PBS with key nutrients such as iron and calcium appears to be an actionable public health solution to further shift the balance in favor of PBS in the context of the current dietary transition in Western countries.
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Dates et versions

hal-04188299 , version 1 (25-08-2023)

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  • HAL Id : hal-04188299 , version 1

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François Mariotti. Health benefits and risks of plant-based food analogues. Nutrition Society Summer Conference 2023, The Nutrition Society, Jul 2023, Liverpool, United Kingdom. ⟨hal-04188299⟩
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