Is plant-based meat really better for you?

What you probably already know: You’ve almost certainly heard that you should avoid eating too much red meat — or potentially avoid it entirely. But what about these plant-based alternatives such as Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger? Are they as healthy as the companies that make them purport them to be? New scientific studies suggest that, yes, choosing plant-based meat over animal products could lower a person’s risk for cardiovascular issues. While there is currently much debate over ultraprocessed foods and whether they increase health risks, there’s no current data to suggest that eating ultraprocessed plant-based meat negates the benefits of cutting out animal meats.

Why? Plant-based meats tend to have fewer saturated fats, which are linked to heart disease, but have a similar or in some cases, higher level of protein. However, not all of these burgers are the same. A four-ounce burger made from 85% lean ground beef has 6.5 grams of saturated fat, while the Impossible Burger has six grams and Beyond Burger has two grams. Gardein’s Ultimate Plant-Based Burger, however, has nine grams, 40% more than ground beef. All of these products have about the same levels of protein. Plant-based meats also result in significantly less air and water pollution. Livestock currently account for 40% of U.S. methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

What it means: One of the biggest differentiators for plant-based options is that they contain fiber, which real meat lacks entirely. Increased fiber intake can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and heart disease. Another big difference is that the companies behind plant-based meats can tweak their recipes to make them healthier. Beyond Meat recently reduced its sodium content and switched from coconut to avocado oil, further reducing its saturated fat levels.

What happens now? More studies are certainly needed to determine if eating plant-based meat can have long-term impacts on people’s health. One study last year showed no impact on people in Singapore who replaced meat with plant-based options, while another study — which was funded by Beyond Meat — showed modest benefits. What is proven, though, is that replacing meat with actual protein-rich plants, such as beans, peas and lentils, is significantly healthier than eating meat or plant-based meat. Added bonus: they’re cheaper, too.

Women vs men: While we’re here, it’s worth pointing out that there are more women than men who are vegetarian, and society’s gender roles have more to do with that than anything else. One study of gender, masculinity and vegetarianism found that, of all the foods, meat has the strongest association with masculinity. Red meat, in particular, is associated with manhood and some men insist it’s the only way to get enough protein to sustain them. Men also get heart disease more often than women and have heart attacks earlier in life. Though when women do get heart disease, it’s often diagnosed later and they die of heart attacks more than men do, largely because the symptoms aren’t the same, so women aren’t seen as quickly at the hospital if they go at all.