Plant-based alternatives to fast food favorites are up to 30% saltier and 60% fatter –

MailOnline reveals that meatless alternatives to British fast food can be saltier, high in sugar and fatty.

Only McDonald’s plant-based option – McPlant – seems healthier than its closest beef-based option, the famous Quarter Pounder with cheese.

This website has analyzed the nutritional value of vegan burgers, sandwiches, wraps and hot dogs available at McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Subway, Nando’s and Greggs.

Plant-based options contain up to 30 percent more salt than the original versions and up to half the recommended daily intake, 20 percent more sugar and 60 percent more fat. A fake pack from Nando turned out to be even more caloric.

A diet rich in salt can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke, while too much sugar can cause weight gain. Eating too much fat can raise cholesterol levels.

The British are advised to eat no more than 6 g of salt (about one teaspoon) and 30 g of added sugar (about seven pieces of sugar) per day.

The Fight Against Salt campaign group told MailOnline that restaurants hide unhealthy meals under the “vegan health halo” but “continue to suffocate us in salt and saturated fat.”

Experts told MailOnline that most foods are made the way consumers love, and that plant-based meals from fast food chains “are no exception and should not be seen as a form of health food.”

People who follow a plant-based diet—about three percent of the population, or 2 million people—should take a “closer look” at the nutritional content of vegan products, but those who eat them for occasional savor should “do it without worry.” ‘ they stressed. †

Burger King’s plant-based Whopper contained 22% more salt (0.5 g) and 20% more sugar (0.8 g) than the traditional beef burger.

However, the meat version – at £5.69, 1 pound cheaper than its meatless rival – had nearly 100 more calories and a third more fat.

Made from KFC’s “bespoke” Quorn fillet, the vegan burger contains 28% more salt (0.7 g) and 20% more sugar (1.2 g) than the chicken alternative.

Although the poultry version has slightly more calories and fat. Both options cost £5.49.

Both Burger King and KFC’s Meatless Burgers contain half an adult’s recommended daily intake of salt, even before the sides are included.

Subway’s Meatless Marinara Meatball Sandwich contained 17.6% more salt (0.3 g) than the beef version. But the traditional version, which also cost £7.59 for a one-foot-long sub, had slightly more calories and fat.

Meanwhile, Nando’s “large copycat wrap,” made from chicken-like strips of pea protein, has 59 percent more fat (8.7 g), nine percent more salt (0.2 g), and six percent more calories than grilled chicken from restaurant wraps. contains.

However, the chicken version contained 5g of extra sugar. Both wraps cost 6.95 €.

At Greggs, the Quorn-based vegan hot dog roll contains about one-fifth more salt (0.3 g) and 1 g sugar than the original baked version, while the meat-based version is sugar-free.

The meatless option is £1.25 and contains 20 calories and 4g more salt than the meatless version.

The McDonald’s McPlant burger with the Beyond Meat patty was the only healthy vegan alternative with fewer calories, salt, and fat than the Quarter Pounder alternative, and the sugar content in both products was the same. Both meals are €3.79.

Sonia Pombo, campaign manager for Action on Salt, told MailOnline: “It seems that restaurants are looking for new ways to produce unhealthy meals, this time hiding under a vegan health vibe, but they continue to suffocate us in salt and saturated fat.

He said the company’s health claims about plant-based products increase consumers’ perception that vegan options are healthier and prevent them from looking closely.

Ms. Pombo states that the salt in vegan products is “completely unnecessary” for functional reasons and is therefore only added for taste.

Ms. Pombo said the McDonald’s vegan product contains less salt than the meat-based version, while Gregg’s vegan hot dog roll contains only slightly more salt than the original product, “indicating that levels can be lowered.”

“Eating a more plant-based diet can and should be beneficial for a variety of reasons, but whatever your reason for eating less meat, it’s important to know that the label ‘plant-based’ or vegan doesn’t automatically apply. . . . such a healthy product.

“It’s time for restaurants and cafes to step up and start producing foods that are healthy for us and better for the planet.”

Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in food and nutritional sciences at the University of Reading, told MailOnline that the “big problem” in producing plant-based foods is to create a flavor similar to the original version, adding salt and oil can help.

But he said the fast food chain doesn’t have “a really clear model” showing that meat or vegan options are healthier than others.

“With the exception of Nando’s, all plant-based products contain fewer calories, which may be good because consumers eat less, but may also cause consumers to consume more because they don’t feel full,” said Professor Kuhnle.

He noted that the health benefits of a plant-based diet are due to the fact that vegans and vegetarians “are generally health-conscious and lead healthier lifestyles.”

“Reducing meat intake has some benefits – large amounts can increase the risk of cancer and heart disease – but there are also clear benefits of including meat in the diet, particularly as a source of iron and B vitamins,” the professor said. says the Professor. said Kuhnle.

“Some plant-based imitations are fortified with iron and B12, but not all, and consumers aren’t aware of them, so switching to plant-based foods could have a negative impact here,” he said.

Professor Kuhnle added: “Most of the foods are made the way consumers like it, and these plant-based foods are no exception and should not be considered a type of health food.

‘People who want to follow a vegetarian (or vegan) diet for health reasons should also be very careful with their diet to avoid deficiencies. Anyone who wants to enjoy it should do so without any qualms.’

A Burger King spokesperson said it is “committed to providing diners with a wide variety of menu options to suit their individual dietary needs” and provides “clear nutritional information” in-store and on its website.

A KFC spokesperson said it provides customers with “clear nutritional information so they can make informed choices about what to eat.”

A spokesperson for Nando’s said: “For customers looking to reduce the amount of meat they eat or reduce the carbon footprint of their food, we created Great Imitator as a delicious plant-based alternative.

“We show the nutritional breakdown of all our foods on our website, and with 568 calories, the Great Imitator packaging falls within Public Health England’s calorie consumption guidelines, well below half the carbon footprint of alternatives based on meat.

Nando’s is dedicated to creating wonderfully delicious foods for any diet, and in addition to our world-renowned PERi-PERi chicken, we offer a variety of plant-based and meatless options that taste great while also supporting our industry-leading initiatives. After setting scientifically proven targets in 2020, we have a new target to become CO2 neutral by 2021 and reach net zero by 2030.

HOW SHOULD A BALANCED NUTRITION BE?

According to the NHS, meals should be potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.

• Eat at least 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably wholemeal

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and a large baked potato in the crust

• Have some alternatives to milk or dairy products (such as soy drinks) and choose low-fat, low-sugar options

• Eat beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which is fat)

• Choose unsaturated fats and spreads and consume sparingly.

• Drink 6-8 glasses / glass of water a day

• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt per day and less than 20 g of saturated fat for women and less than 30 g for men.

Source: Eatwell NHS Guide