During the pandemic, plant-based meat consumption and media coverage exploded. Now, a host of trend pieces decry its demise. That shift is no organic accident.
TL;DR: the meat industry’s misleading messaging campaign + lobbying
Processed food may not be the best nutritionally, but it can still be not terrible. Also if we take into account all the hormones, antibiotics, cheap trash food diet, and suffering of living creatures required to support livestock management on a massive scale, what do we end up considering the better choice?
I’m still viewing these foods as in the testing stages anyway. I find the texture and flavor of many of them equal or better than natural proteins. I have nothing against meat consumption, but the current amount the world demands doesn’t seem to be the best option for the planet. Additionally, the scale of meat processing doesn’t seem to be able to support taking good care of the animals or the workers. Fake meat on the other hand had many ecological advantages, and the tech is improving constantly to make it better and cheaper and easier to produce. Scaling up production of a totally manufactured product seems something we can better control than something natural.
I feel there will still be a market for man made meat, especially if climate change limits the ability to support real animals. Once it can reach price parity, people will forget about most of their complaints as well.
people also seems to forget that even meat eaters should not eat it on a daily basis. I’m vegetarian and I enjoy plant-based meat replacements a lot, but I still only eat them once per week, tops.
Processed food may not be the best nutritionally, but it can still be not terrible. Also if we take into account all the hormones, antibiotics, cheap trash food diet, and suffering of living creatures required to support livestock management on a massive scale, what do we end up considering the better choice?
I’m still viewing these foods as in the testing stages anyway. I find the texture and flavor of many of them equal or better than natural proteins. I have nothing against meat consumption, but the current amount the world demands doesn’t seem to be the best option for the planet. Additionally, the scale of meat processing doesn’t seem to be able to support taking good care of the animals or the workers. Fake meat on the other hand had many ecological advantages, and the tech is improving constantly to make it better and cheaper and easier to produce. Scaling up production of a totally manufactured product seems something we can better control than something natural.
I feel there will still be a market for man made meat, especially if climate change limits the ability to support real animals. Once it can reach price parity, people will forget about most of their complaints as well.
people also seems to forget that even meat eaters should not eat it on a daily basis. I’m vegetarian and I enjoy plant-based meat replacements a lot, but I still only eat them once per week, tops.
Variety and balance is part of any good nutrition plan!