Plant Based Meat

In Context

• Recently, Various plant-based meat startups have come up such as Shaka Harry, 

            Beyond Meat and UnCrave.

What is Plant based meat?

• Plant-based meat (also referred as meat alternative or fake meat) is a food 

            product eaten as a replacement for meat. 

• It bio-mimics or replicates meat, seafood, eggs, and milk derived from 

            animals — by looking, smelling, and tasting like them.

• It is made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients such as soy, wheat gluten, 

            pea protein or mycoprotein.

Significance

• These are consumed as a source of dietary protein by vegetarians, vegans, 

            and people following religious and cultural dietary laws. 

• Their demand has also increased among non-vegetarians seeking to reduce 

             the environmental impact of meat production in terms of greenhouse gas 

             production, water and land use.

Criticism

• These are not necessarily healthier than meat due to their highly processed 

nature and sodium content.

• Uses of preservatives in plant-based meat, etc.

Source:IE