The unhealthiest fake meats you can buy (and why it’s better to go to McDonald’s)

The inexorable rise of veganism shows no signs of slowing. According to research conducted by Finder, the number of vegans in the UK increased by a staggering 1.1 million  to 2.5 million between 2023 and 2024. Almost 5 per cent of the adult population now eat a plant-based diet.

In addition to the ethical considerations, vegan diets are often perceived as a healthier way to eat. And vegan diets rich in a variety of vegetables, fruits, pulses, wholegrains and legumes are proven to provide health benefits, protecting against a range of limiting conditions including diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

But not all vegan diets are created equal. And as our research shows, many of the alternatives to processed meat products are worse for your heart than the junk food they are designed to replace. This is due to high levels of salt and fat. One popular meat free burger, Moving Mountain B12 burger, for example, contains considerably more fat, saturated fat and salt than a McDonald’s hamburger of the same weight, and yet has lower protein.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition appears to confirm that vegan diets which rely on processed meat alternatives, rather than wholefoods, can be detrimental to heart health. The study compared the cardiac effects of a meat diet to a diet where animal protein was substituted with plant-based ‘meat analogues’ (PBMAs), a category which includes products such as vegan sausages and vegan burgers.

Researchers at Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation tested 89 participants who had an elevated risk of Type 2 diabetes. Over eight weeks, 44 substituted animal meat with PBMAs, while the rest ate normally. Cardiometabolic markers including ‘bad’ LDL-cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels were monitored.

The results showed glucose levels were more stable in the animal meat eaters who also displayed modest improvements in blood pressure, suggesting that fake vegan meats are potentially more detrimental to heart health than the meat products they are designed to replace.

In addition to high salt and fat, PBMAs are also ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which are increasingly linked to a range of conditions including certain cancers and heart disease. And it is not just vegan meat alternatives that are nutritionally inferior in terms of heart health. Many vegan dairy replacements also contain higher saturated fat levels.

The Telegraph’s food and health writer Sam Rice says: “Vegan diets are often seen as being healthier by default. While the evidence bears this out, unfortunately foods that are marketed on their vegan credentials are often UPFs, which largely defeats the purpose of trying to eat a healthier diet. Replacing meat with ultra-processed facsimiles is not necessarily a healthy swap as in order to make vegan replacement products palatable they often include high levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar, all of which we need to keep a handle on for optimal health.”

She explains that based on current evidence there are no clear benefits to swapping to plant-based meats “purely from a health perspective”.

“Certainly, their ultra-processed nature would, in my view, make moderate amounts of good quality meat a better option,” she adds.

How popular vegan alternatives stack up against a McDonald’s meat patty

All values are per 100g

McDonald’s quarter pounder beef patty

193kcal, 13.3g fat, of which 6g saturated, 17.5g protein, 0.42g salt

Moving Mountains B12 Burger

270kcal, 19.8g fat, of which 17.6g saturated, 14.3g protein, 1.1g salt

Health

Contains coconut oil and a range of vegetable proteins plus mushrooms. High in calories, fat, saturated fat and salt. The government guidelines advise eating not more than 30g (men) and 20g (women) saturated fat, and 6g salt.

Taste

It’s not textured to mimic a gourmet burger but it is hard to tell the difference between this and a standard frozen beef patty.

Beyond Burger

 252kcal, 19g fat, of which 5.6g saturated, 17g protein, 0.75g salt

Health

More fat and salt than a McD’s with comparable saturated fat and no wholefood element. Includes synthetic ingredients such as methylcellulose and maltodextrin.

Taste

Juicy, with a chewy minced meat texture but not beefy; it’s synthetic mushy pieces pressed together.

This Isn’t Beef Burger

224kcal, 15.4g fat, of which 5g saturated, 14.3g protein, 0.9g salt

Health

Long list of processed synthetic ingredients which include rehydrated textured pea protein, thickeners and dextrin. Added iron, and vitamin B12. Advertised as “30 per cent less saturated fat compared to a standard beef burger of the same weight” but has comparable levels of fat to a McDonald’s and only slightly less saturated fat with considerably less protein and double the salt content.

Taste

Course meaty texture with umami flavour. Leaves a synthetic aftertaste.

M&S Plant Kitchen Vegan Steak Burgers

227kcal, 14.7g fat, of which 2.9g saturated, 11.6g protein, 0.98g salt

Health

Twice as much salt as the McDonald’s and much less protein but less than half the saturated fat with some recognisable plant ingredients including dried shiitake mushrooms and chickpea flour.

Taste

Plenty of umami thanks to the mushrooms. Firm, spongey, blandly uniform texture.

Birdseye Green Cuisine Meat-Free Burger

236kcal, 17g fat of which 1.3g saturated, 13g protein, 1.3g salt

Health

Higher calories and overall fat, but lower saturated fat than a McDonald’s patty with higher salt.

Taste

Benefits from the addition of onion pieces which provide a recognisable flavour. Beefy umami, spongy texture with no real meaty chew.

The Vegetarian Butcher Impeckable Vegan Chicken Breast

150kcal, 7.2g fat, of which 0.8g saturated, 16g protein, 0.9g salt

Health

Made from a blend of water, soy protein, corn starch wheat gluten, sunflower oil, thickeners and other synthetics, and saltier than a McDonald’s patty. “Not only does the vegan fillet contain lots of UPF ingredients, it delivers only 16g protein per 100g compared to 24g of protein in the same weight of chicken breast,” says Rice.

Taste

Looks like a chicken breast, cooks well in an air fryer with crispy edges, but tastes like a rubbery soy and leaves a cloying aftertaste.

Healthy tips if you’re eating plant-based

Stick to whole foods where possible

“Often vegan alternatives will be fortified with vitamins and minerals which goes some way to improving their micronutrient profile but the body is better designed to digest whole foods, not foods that have had synthetic substances added,” says Rice. “Whole foods are not only UPF-free, so we aren’t ingesting unwanted compounds, they provide a wide range of micronutrients, often in synergistic combinations which are easier for the body to absorb.”

Eat a wide variety of whole-food plant proteins

These include lentils, chickpeas, nuts, quinoa, tofu, tempeh, chia seeds and beans which all provide a full range of nine essential amino acids the body requires to varying degrees. If you are not eating meat you may also need to consider a supplement depending on the quality of your diet to ensure an adequate intake of iron, vitamin B12 and zinc.