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A nutritional study funded by the beef industry has inadvertently strengthened the evidence backing vegan protein. With the stated hypothesis that plant proteins are inferior, the study instead revealed that plant protein can have all the same advantages as animal protein for muscle and health.
While those funding the study likely wanted to keep the results under the radar, vegan YouTuber and researcher Mic The Vegan came across it and looked into its findings in his video titled Beef Industry Study Finds Plant Protein Equal to Meat.
Read more: Scientists Are Using AI To Improve Vegan Meat Alternatives
The study worked with 17 healthy women, divided into three groups. One would consume a meal with beef, one with vegan proteins such as beans and whole wheat, while the third would consume a plant-based meal with what the study called “incomplete” vegan protein.
Plant protein is not “incomplete”
Despite the researchers’ apparent plan to show that the beef delivered the best results for muscle protein synthesis, the study failed to find any significant difference between the groups, including the group who relied on whole wheat bread for protein, which is not generally regarded as a rich source of vegan protein. The study, instead, showed that even so-called “incomplete” plant-based protein can stimulate muscle growth in the same way as meat. Incomplete protein refers to protein with differing levels of the nine amino acids that are essential for humans. Experts have long stated, however, that the notion if “incomplete” plant-based proteins is flawed, as all plant foods contain all essential amino acids.
Read more: What I Eat In A Day: High Protein Vegan Meals
It is common for the meat, dairy, and egg industries to sponsor nutritional research. However, they are battling against the mounting evidence stating that a well-planned vegan diet is appropriate for all stages of life, with some of the world’s largest health and nutritional bodies such as the American Dietetic Association and the NHS backing appropriately planned plant-based diets.
