New research finds major benefits of shift towards plant-based new and whole foods – but you wouldn’t have guessed from the headlines

We unpack the findings of the recent study and the strange coverage that followed with nutrition and climate change researcher Sarah Nájera Espinosa.

A new study has found striking health and environmental benefits of replacing meat and dairy with plant-based alternatives – something that’s true for both whole foods and newer plant-based meat and dairy products.

It’s not surprising that beans and legumes came out very well in the analysis, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), but it also found that plant-based alternatives to meat and milk show considerable health and environmental benefits compared to their conventional counterparts – although there is some variation between product categories.

About the study

The most striking findings from the paper were in terms of health risks and environmental impact. All meat and milk alternatives – including whole plant foods and plant-based meat and dairy – were associated with reductions in chronic disease risk. Conversely, conventional meat options were associated with increased risks. 

From an environmental perspective, all plant-based meat and whole food plant proteins had dramatically lower environmental impacts. The environmental benefits associated with plant-based milk were also significant, although the difference was smaller than with meat. 

The paper also explored the nutrient density – the amount of key nutrients per serving – of various animal-based and plant-based products. It again found improvements were associated with replacing meat and dairy with different types of plant-based alternatives. This included a 3-4% improvement per serving from soybeans, peas and beans, a 2.5% and 1.8% improvement, respectively, from plant-based burgers and tempeh, a 1% improvement from plant-based sausages and tofu, and no change for plant-based bacon. Notably, however, some common micronutrients used to fortify these foods, such as calcium and iodine in plant-based milk and B12 in plant-based meat, were not included in the analysis. This omission may be misleading, as it could pose micronutrient risks for those on exclusive plant-based diets or with dairy allergies. 

One important finding was that plant-based meat and milk cost far more than whole plant foods, highlighting the pressing need to work on making these options more affordable – such as through government and industry investment in building stronger supply chains, R&I and the infrastructure needed to scale up production of these foods.

Source: M. Springmann, A multicriteria analysis of meat and milk alternatives from nutritional, health, environmental, and cost perspectives, PNAS. 121 (50) e2319010121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2319010121 (2024).

The study builds on significant existing academic literature showing that both traditional and innovative plant-based proteins have huge potential to improve public health and reduce the considerable environmental burden of the food we eat.

The media response

However, despite these promising findings, much of the paper’s media coverage has focused on the often small differences between plant-based whole foods and modern plant-based meat and dairy – obscuring the chasm that separates plant proteins and conventional ones. 

Some headlines even went as far as to suggest that plant-based meat is somehow worse than the animal-based products it replaces – something that is simply not borne out by the data. 

The focus of these conversations on marginal improvements within already vegan diets misses the point – vegans make up a tiny fraction of the population, just 1-5% in European countries and 1% in the United States. Instead, we need policy and research levers to make plant proteins more appealing to the average person and to build a more sustainable, diversified food system – something that is also emphasised by the author of the study.

Action is sorely needed to encourage people to eat more plant-based whole foods, which are both planet-friendly and exceedingly good for us, but plant-based meat and dairy can also play a key nutritional role for those wanting or needing to reduce their consumption of animal products who often encounter barriers associated with the consumption of plant-based whole foods.  

There are significant opportunities to fortify these foods with crucial micronutrients missing in many people’s diets, particularly B12, calcium and iodine – something that is not considered in the paper. The fact that fortified plant-based milk provides easy access to these vital vitamins and minerals is the reason it has been included in the recommendations of nutrition bodies in several countries including Germany and the UK, and is particularly important for those with dairy allergies.

Likewise, the protein density and bioavailability of plant-based meat, seafood, eggs and dairy can also be higher than in whole plant foods – factors that may be important considerations for some people – and were also not considered in the study.

It’s not an either-or scenario of plant-based whole foods or alternative proteins – we need both

To diversify our protein supply in the time frame needed to meet global climate, biodiversity and public health targets, governments must invest in plant-based research and innovation. To date, food has received just a fraction of the green investment received by sectors with comparable emissions footprints such as transport. We have already started to see this in certain countries such as Denmark – which despite being a major livestock producer last year released a world-first national action plan for plant-based foods with a goal to shift towards more plant-based dietary patterns – but far more is needed. Investment in research to further enhance the nutritional profiles of plant-based foods is paramount, as is providing the infrastructure needed to bring down costs, and policy measures to help level the playing field. 

Food systems are incredibly complex, and there is no silver bullet for fixing them, but it’s clear that whole foods, alongside plant-based meat and dairy, will have an important role to play.

This isn’t an either-or scenario – both options can and should support one another. But playing one form of plant-based food off against another is a tactic that will help nobody – except, perhaps, those who want to maintain the status quo.

When it comes to conversations about building a better, healthier and more sustainable food system, let’s not miss the wood for the trees. Instead, we should focus on the key change that will make the most difference – diversifying our protein supply.

Authors