CattleReview

At this time of year when healthy eating is promoted heavily, with some advocating a plant-based diet, this paper is pertinent to the discussion. Red meat is a nutrient-dense food and a dietary staple for many. A new generation of plant-based meat analogues has been designed to mimic the experience of eating meat, but there is limited evidence about their digestive efficacy and nutritional quality.

Pham et al (2022) (Current Developments in Nutrition10.1093/cdn/nzac082) compared the postprandial digestive response of a single meal containing meat, including lamb, pasture-raised beef (pasture) or grain-finished beef (grain) with the response to a plant-based meat analogue, Beyond Burger. The primary outcome was the appearance of amino acids in plasma. Secondary outcomes included glucose and insulin levels, appetite assessment and anthropometry.

Thirty healthy men participated in a double-blinded randomised crossover trial. Following an overnight fast, each consumed one of the four test meals on four occasions separated by a washout period of at least 1 week,. The meal was a burrito-style wrap containing meat or plant-based meat analogues, vegetables, salsa, and seasonings in a flour tortilla. The amount of uncooked pasture, grain, lamb or plant-based meat analogue was 220 g. Venous blood samples were collected over 4 hours. Appetite and hunger status was scored with visual analogue scales.