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Vegan meat could help tackle obesity in the U.K, according to a major plant-based producer.
Meatless Farm, which has been identified as the fastest-growing plant-based meat brand in the U.K, made the comments after the U.K government recently unveiled a new strategy to tackle the condition, which it described as ‘one of the greatest long-term health challenges this country faces’.
The strategy includes a raft of measures, including a watershed on adverts for unhealthy foods and for menus to display calories among others, but Meatless Farms says looking at ‘more realistic and practical steps’ – like swapping beef for veggie mince – would ‘help people can take to make healthier meal choices without huge compromise’.
Obesity and COVID-19
According to the U.K government: “The urgency of tackling the obesity time bomb has been brought to the fore by evidence of the link to an increased risk from COVID-19.
“Living with excess weight puts people at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19, with risk growing substantially as body mass index (BMI) increases. Nearly eight percent of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9 percent of the general population.
“As the government continues to respond to this unprecedented global pandemic, ministers [have] set out a comprehensive package of measures to help people take control of their own future by losing weight, getting active and adopting a healthier lifestyle.”
Beef mince .vs. vegan mince
Meatless Farms says switching out beef mince for its veggie mince would slash the saturated fat and caloric content of some of the country’s most popular meals like Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagne, Cottage pie, and Chilli Con Carne.
Its fresh mince has ‘half the amount of saturated fat than some minced beef and over a third fewer calories, 199kcal per 100g, versus average beef mince which contains 320kcal per 100g’.
In a statement sent to Plant Based News, Meatless Farm nutritionist, Angela Walker said: “Of course the government’s focus on obesity and healthy eating is welcome.
“When we speak to consumers they say they want to make better choices that come with no or very little compromise. Minced beef is one of those ingredients many of us use every week at home and swapping it out is a quick win from a nutritional standpoint.”
