Fake ‘Meat’ Products Offer No Health Benefits Over Real Food, Study Finds

A new peer-reviewed study is pouring cold water on one of the plant-based industry’s biggest selling points, finding that highly processed fake “meat” substitutes offer no clear cardiovascular benefit over real food and, in some cases, may be nutritionally worse.

The news is a blow to globalists pushing the products onto the public and companies producing fake “chicken” and “beef,” such as Bill Gates’s Beyond Meat.

Researchers from the U.K. and Singapore followed 82 adults at risk for Type 2 diabetes over an eight-week trial, dividing them into two groups: one that consumed traditional meat and another that ate popular plant-based meat alternatives such as fake sausages, burgers, and nuggets.

The results were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Despite years of aggressive marketing claiming these products are healthier and more sustainable, the study found no meaningful improvements in heart-related metrics for the plant-based group.

Instead, researchers identified several nutritional red flags.

A “Health Halo” Built on Marketing, Not Science

For years, the plant-based industry has depended on what nutritionists sometimes call a “health halo,” framing engineered meat substitutes as cleaner, leaner, and heart-safe.

But according to this study, that perception is not just misleading, it may be flat-out wrong.

Participants who ate fake meat products had a 42.5% increase in sodium intake, a major risk factor for hypertension.

Meanwhile, participants who continued eating real meat actually saw reductions in dietary cholesterol and modest improvements in blood pressure.

Dr. Sumanto Haldar, a lecturer in Nutrition Science at Bournemouth University and co-author of the study, said the problem lies in the way these products are made.

“At present, producing these plant-based meat alternatives often involves a substantial amount of processing,” Haldar explains.

“The end products can be high in salt, saturated fat, and additives in order to match the taste and texture of real meat products.”

Haldar added that these highly engineered substitutes cannot replicate the benefits of a genuine whole-food plant-based diet built on unprocessed legumes, vegetables, whole grains, and nutrient-dense foods.

Processed ≠ Healthy: Consumers Are Catching On

The findings come as the fake “meat” market struggles to maintain credibility.

Once hailed as the future of food, major brands have collapsed or downsized as consumers grow skeptical of ultra-processed substitutes.

Meatless Farm fell into administration in 2023 after sales cratered.

Bill Gates’s Beyond Meat has seen its stock price plunge amid declining demand, making the company “almost worthless.”

Major grocery chains have cut shelf space for fake “meat” as health-conscious shoppers reject heavily processed formulas.

The study’s authors say this trend reflects a larger shift as consumers increasingly realize that these products often replace one perceived problem (red meat) with another (industrial, additive-heavy ingredients).

Haldar said the research should serve as a wake-up call to manufacturers:

“This gives an impetus for the food industry to re-evaluate the development of the next generation of meat alternative products, so that they not only taste good, but also have improved nutritional attributes and are more affordable for the entire population.”

Whole Foods Still Outperform Fake “Foods” By a Mile

The researchers emphasized that the proven benefits of a plant-forward diet come from whole foods, not processed approximations of meat.

Whole-food diets supply antioxidants, fiber, and anti-inflammatory nutrients, without the industrial additives, emulsifiers, and chemical flavoring agents found in many fake “meats.”

They offer the kind of natural nourishment that supports long-term health instead of mimicking meat through laboratory shortcuts.

Fake Meat Fails to Deliver

The new study adds to a growing body of evidence that not all plant-based diets are created equal.

While real, unprocessed plant foods can improve health, the ultra-processed products dominating grocery shelves today appear to fall short both nutritionally and in terms of consumer trust.

As Americans scrutinize labels and demand transparency, the fake “meat” industry faces a choice to either reformulate or continue riding a marketing wave that science is quickly dismantling.

For now, traditional meat and whole-food plant options remain the more reliable choices, free of additives, synthetic binders, and sky-high sodium levels that hide behind the “plant-based” label.

READ MORE – Cloned ‘Meat’ Secretly Flooding American Food Supply Without Labels