Plant-Based Meat Not Associated With Adverse Health Outcomes, Government Report Finds

A new report from the UK government has found that processed plant-based meat alternatives are not associated with adverse health outcomes.

In 2023, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published a position statement on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and human health. This statement acknowledged the potential link between UPFs and negative health outcomes, but highlighted limitations in available evidence and the variable range of foods that could be described as processed.

The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities has now published a “rapid update” of its position on processed foods after reviewing research papers, scientific studies, and clinical trials released over the last two years that focused on processed foods and human health.

The report clearly states that “vegetarian alternatives” are “not associated with adverse health outcomes.” In contrast, ultra-processed foods such as meat, animal products, and sweetened drinks, “tend to be” associated with increased risk. Bread, desserts, and dairy yield “mixed results,” the report says. This new report builds on a separate 2023 study that found plant-based meats were not associated with increased risk of multi-morbidity.

The update also notes that the UK’s Eatwell Guide currently “emphasises a diet based on fruit, vegetables and wholegrain or higher fibre starchy carbohydrates, with less red and processed meat and less foods high in saturated fat, salt and free sugars” for optimal health.

SACN will keep the topic under annual review and consider it again in 2026.

Plant-based processed foods and health

Photo shows a selection of plant-based meat products in a refrigerator, including brands like Impossible, Lightlife, and Beyond Meat — OntheRun / Alamy Stock Studies indicate that plant-based meats are better for human health and the environment compared to their animal-based equivalents

Up to two-thirds of Europeans believe that UPFs are unhealthy, as reported by Euronews. However, only 56 percent of people avoid buying processed foods, and many feel they don’t know enough about the topic to make an educated decision one way or the other.

While “processed” has become commonly used as a shorthand for “unhealthy,” in reality, the phrase can be used to describe everything from energy drinks (which are linked to a long list of health issues) to fortified grains (one of the world’s primary sources of iron and other micronutrients). The processing of foods can both promote health and detract from it, depending on the quality of ingredients and the quantity in which they are consumed.

Overall, research indicates that plant-based foods are both healthier and better for the planet – including processed ones – while processed meat products are some of the most harmful.