Plant Protein vs. Animal Protein: Which Is Healthier for You?

It’s hard undoing the years that gossip about plant-based meats has done. A lot of people still think that vegan meat, also called plant protein, is bland and far less nutritious than its animal-based counterparts. Why is that?

In the past, some brands simply jumped on the vegan bandwagon and carelessly released their own takes on plant-based meat. Since it was done for the popularity vote, the products turned out tasteless and filled with “unideal” ingredients. It’s not enough that you simply shove crops and other produce in the ingredients list. They have to work together well!

People also didn’t know how to properly prepare plant-based alternatives before. It’s only after years of vegan diet acceptance that people learned how to cook with plant protein. And see what that experience yielded? We now have scrumptious plant-based protein thanks to it!

So with science-backed know-how and years of experience under everyone’s belt, where are we now with the nutritional value of plant-based alternatives?

Plant vs Animal Protein: Nutritional Facts and Myths

Whether vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore, it always helps to know about the food you eat. We’ll run you through some rumors we’ve heard about how plant versus animal protein is better for you. After all’s said and done, we’ll walk away from here a little wiser (and maybe a little hungrier).

Animal-Based is a Better Source of Protein Than Plant-Based

To simply announce a winner of the plant protein vs animal protein battle like this would be inaccurate! You can’t say one is better than the other is wrong because “better” is subjective. Objectively, however, vegan meat does not differ from its animal counterparts. So it’s all in what your diet needs or what you prefer.

Everyone’s diets look different. For example, one diet might be battling cholesterol and find plant-based protein to be more ideal. Certain plant-based meats are high sources of protein. Not to mention that there are also plant protein supplements for individuals who want to bulk up. No one source of protein is a better source than the other. They each have their own caveats - which we’ll get to as the list goes on.

Plant-Based Protein is Way Less Fatty

In most cases, this is true! The only way you make plant-based sources “fattier” than they need to be is if you drench them in oil or go heavy on it. It’s all in the way you prepare them.

When it comes to animal meat, fat is almost always present. Even a cut of lean beef would have some fat in it. Now, don’t get us wrong. There are plant-based meats that contain saturated fat, but it’s way less. So the statement above still holds true!

Check out - Is Plant Based Meat Healthy? Everything You Need to Know

Vegan Meat Doesn’t Taste Good At All

We know we’ve been weighing in on which is healthier, but the taste does matter! Most folks would say that the main difference between animal protein and plant protein is their taste and we understand this concern.

Think about it. You’re eating every day. To us, plant-based meats aren’t consumed for one day or week. This is our whole life we’re talking about! That being said, it helps to maintain this diet when food actually tastes good.

Some might be hesitant with ready-to-eat plant-based protein because they’ve been heavily seasoned to make them taste great. And that’s valid. But let’s not forget that raw ingredients still exist. Tofu, jackfruit… You know the deal. Season them how you like!

Before We Go…

If you’re limited to viewing the plant vs animal protein debate simply by which is healthier (which is a stalemate, from what we learned earlier), then it won’t exactly be fair. We don’t know about you, but we’d choose vegan alternatives EVERY TIME in the vegetable protein vs meat protein debate. It’s the healthier option for us and the planet! 

Lower land, water, and resource allocation is needed to make plant protein vs animal protein. What good is staying healthy for longer (and therefore living longer) if we don’t get to enjoy the planet we live in?

And, again, we’d like to reiterate that plant proteins are much more available these days and restaurants even provide this option for those with vegan diets. A vegan diet is no longer difficult to maintain. In fact, it’s so much easier than those rumors make it out to be. And speaking of...

Also Read - 11 Health Benefits of Being Vegan

Shopping for Groceries is Easier at Vegan Essentials

Everything is a mere click away at Vegan Essentials. You can settle all your groceries and then some here! And what’s more, we deliver them to you safely and securely. After all, food is perishable. And you can definitely trust us to ship your tasty groceries to you!