There is no doubt that there has been a huge increase in the production, quality and availability of meat analogs (meatless meats) these past few years as consumers seek protein alternatives and more sustainable foods. What is most interesting, however, is that the interest in these products is due less to an increase in veganism/vegetarianism than in a general increase of consumers becoming more concerned about environmental and health issues.
This is really important, because to really make a big enough impact on human and environmental health, meat analog companies cannot just cater to those who already follow plant-based diets. To really make a difference, you need to get the meat-eaters on board as well, but how do you do this? Essentially by making meat alternatives as close to the real thing as possible while also making them healthier and more affordable. Just as important to these approaches, however, is availability which can now be seen with most major grocery stores, restaurants and fast food franchises offering plant-based options.
Tastier, healthier, more affordable and more accessible is exactly the direction that most popular meat analog businesses are moving toward. Even while consumers might want to make healthier and sustainable choices, if the products themselves are not tasty, affordable or accessible, very few people will make the transition. And transitioning away from animal agriculture is hugely important for human and environmental health, not to mention the animals themselves.
Meat analogs can make a huge difference for the environment by almost every metric; climate change, land use, water use, and animal disease. From a human healthy perspective, the benefits of using meat substitutes range from higher fiber and lower saturated fat content to food safety. If meat analogs become a significant share of the meat market, then the returns for humans and environmental health could be enormous.
Our mission here at Green Menu is to ease hunger and promote human and environmental health through plant-based diets. In keeping with this mission we donated nearly 600 pounds of vegan burger patties this week to The Hollywood Food Coalition who have been serving the homeless and hungry every day since 1987.
Many special thanks to BeLeaf who make some of the best meat analogs and are part of a global effort to reduce meat consumption and promote a healthy planet.
近幾年來，隨著消費者尋求蛋白質替代品和更具可持續性的食品，植物肉的生產，質量和供應量已經有了巨大的增長。 然而，有趣的是隨著對這類產品感興趣的普遍，雖然沒有增加素食主義者族群，倒是吸引更多關注環境和健康問題的消費者。
由於基於要對人類和環境健康產生足夠大的影響，植物肉類公司不能只是迎合那些已經採用植物性飲食的族群，為了能真正發揮作用，還需要將肉食者考量進去，但是要如何做到這一點？ 本質上來講，是使肉類替代品盡可能接近真實食品，同時也使它們更健康實惠。 但是，對於這些方法同樣重要的是方便性。如現在這種方便性都可以在大多數主要的超商、雜貨店、餐館等地方，以及提供素食選項的快餐連鎖店看到。
美味、健康、實惠和更容易獲得的食品，正是大多數熱門植物肉類企業正在朝著的方向發展。 即使消費者可能希望做出更健康，更可持續的飲食選擇，但如果產品本身不美味、價格昂貴又不方便取得，則容易讓人放棄。因此從畜牧業的轉型到人類和環境健康極為重要，更不用說動物本身了。
植物肉幾乎可以通過每種指標對環境產生巨大影響； 氣候變化，土地利用，水利用和動物疾病。 從人類健康的角度來看，使用肉類替代品的好處包括更高的纖維含量和更低的飽和脂肪含量到食品安全。 如果植物肉在肉類市場中佔有重要份量，那麼對人類和環境健康的回報將是巨大的。
Green Menu的使命是希望透過植物性飲食減輕飢餓感，促進人類和環境健康。 為了履行這一使命，我們本週捐贈給好萊塢食品聯盟近600磅的純素食漢堡肉餅。該聯盟自1987年以來一直為遊民和飢餓人民提供服務。
本次活動特別感謝BeLeaf，他們公司製造了一些最好的植物肉食品，並且是努力讓全球減少肉類消耗並促進地球健康的一份子。
