Vegan Food Unhealthy Due To Salt, Sugar And Additives

Vegans eat more ultra-processed foods than any other diet. How bad is that really for health and the environment? Becca Inglis asked ion a report for Euronews.

Photo Insert: Many plant-based substitutes are classified as UPFs: Foods that have undergone heavy processing to improve their perishability and taste.

Veganism has the potential to promote healthy eating as people ditch meat - but the rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) could hamper its positive effects.

Product launches for plant-based convenience foods tripled between 2013 and 2018. In the UK, half the population has added meat substitutes to their diets, while almost a third opt for alternative milks.

Many of these plant-based substitutes are classified as UPFs: Foods that have undergone heavy processing to improve their perishability and taste.

UPFs are often high in salt, sugar and saturated fat, with more colorings, preservatives and additives. In France, UPFs comprise 39.5% of the total calorie intake in a typical vegan diet – more than for vegetarians and meat eaters.

In Germany, where the general consumption of ultra-processed plant-based alternative foods (PBAFs) is low, 39.1% of vegans and vegetarians eat them at least once a month.

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