What About Vegan Fast Foods?

Almost every day a fast food or grocery chain, big box outlet or food manufacturer announces a new line of “plant-based” products designed to mimic popular foods like hamburgers, fried chicken, mac ‘n cheese, eggs, sausage, pizza, donuts, hot dogs, ice cream and even tuna. One analysis suggests that the plant-based food market will be worth $74.2 billion by 2027. A commentator has even heralded the growing popularity of “plant-based” knock-offs as the arrival of “the new veganism.”

With billions of dollars at stake, many giant corporations are getting into the act. They will spend countless millions to persuade you to eat “plant-based” comfort foods. These products are primarily designed to appeal to the growing share of 94% or so non-vegan Americans open to reducing their meat and dairy intake. Some new and emerging vegans also consume these “bridge foods” on their journey to a better diet.

So, should we celebrate this so-called “new veganism”?

It’s complicated.

Let’s begin with the good. Increased consumption of “plant-based” foods that mimic meat, dairy and eggs reduce animal suffering and slaughter. One estimate found that fake meat offered at fast food outlets spares 140,000 pigs and 110,000 cows annually. Compared to the nine billion land animals are killed each year in the U.S. to produce meat, dairy and eggs, it’s a drop in the bucket. Still, any reduction in animal agriculture is better than none. It’s also good for the environment.

What about health?

If you can’t live without heart-hammering foods like beef, chicken, sausage and mac ‘n cheese, and you’re willing to try plant-based knockoffs, go for it!  They’re not likely to be worse for you than what you are already eating.

If you are beginning a journey to veganism and “bridge” foods help, okay. But as soon as you can, set your sights higher and ditch the vegan junk food. Instead, think mushroom-walnut burgers, black bean and avocado tacos, banana-mango-spinach-hemp seed smoothies, garlic-ginger tofu with stir-fried veggies and quinoa, Italian vegetable lentil soup, Greek kale salad with tahini dressing -- or whatever floats your whole food, plant-based boat. Options for minimally processed, nutritious and tasty meals and snacks are limitless.

Why move beyond vegan fast food?

A whole food, plant-based diet is the gold standard for optimal nutrition, according to evidence-based research. ScienceDaily recently warned that not all plant-based diets are created equal.  Some “plant-based” products may contain too much sodium, sugar and/or saturated fat, overly processed grains and questionable additives.

To be sure, not all vegan fast foods are junk.  Easy-to-understand guidelines can help you separate the good from not-so-good.  The Milken Institute at George Washington University has prepared a guide, Choosing Meat Alternatives that are Healthy and Sustainable.  The Vegetarian Resource Group examines How Do the Newer Meat-Like, Plant-Based Burgers Compare Nutritionally? Baylor University offers suggestions for Interpreting a Nutrition Label.  Decide what’s right for you.

As we strongly encourage the adoption of a whole food, plant-based diet, we can also be tolerant of those who are not yet there.

“Let’s tear down the perfectionist stigma associated with veganism,” urges Carleigh Bodrug, who operates plantyou.com, an online vegan meal planning service. “We don’t need a few perfect vegans.  We need millions of people actively reducing their consumption of animal products.”

For the sake of farmed animals and the environment, we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.