Eating more of this ultraprocessed food is actually good for you and the planet, experts say

Researchers have linked a diet high in ultraprocessed foods, like hot dogs and french fries, to Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature death. But, it turns out, some ultraprocessed foods may not be that bad for you after all.

A new report on ultraprocessed plant-based meats, by the Good Food Institute and PAN International, is touting the benefits of leaning on the food products, despite a recent decline in their popularity.

“Doctors and dietitians are reluctant to consider alternative proteins when advising patients on nutrition because they view these foods as ultraprocessed,” nutrition scientist Roberta Alessandrini, director of the Dietary Guidelines Initiative at PAN International, recently told CNN.

“Yet if carefully chosen, these foods can be a valid and helpful way to shift toward more plant-forward diets, which are good for people and the planet,” she said.

While “meatless” meat products are designed to replicate the taste and texture of meat – and some burger patties even “bleed” – fake meat generally has a better nutritional profile than red meat, Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told The New York Times earlier this year.

“The fat composition of beef is so undesirable for health that it’s very easy to be better than that,” Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the school, told CNN. Willett noted that any important nutrients in beef, that plants lack, can be added to the meat alternatives.

“Animal products not only have too much saturated fat but lack polyunsaturated fat, fiber and many of the minerals and vitamins available in plants,” he said.

But there are downsides. The Australian George Institute found in 2023 that although plant-based meat products are generally healthier than real meats, they can be higher in sugar.

Another issue is the high sodium content. Red meat has less salt, but many would still season a steak before eating — sometimes consuming the same amount of salt as people eating higher sodium products, according to a randomized clinical trial in 2020.

And while the higher cost of plant-based meats may have consumers still largely reaching for the real stuff, there is another hefty price tag that comes with the latter.

The meat industry contributes 16.5 percent of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions globally each year, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Cutting back on meat products would have significant impact on curbing the ongoing global catastrophe, which already costs communities in the trillions of dollars each year in extreme weather-related disasters.

“There’s such great urgency related to climate change, environmental degradation and public health that we need to give people as many options as possible, including plant-based meat alternatives,” said Willett.

The American Heart Association advises people not to replace meats with highly processed substitutes, and choose “high-quality, nutrient-dense plant-based foods” instead.