Vegetarian and vegan versions of dairy and meat have been given increasing prominence on shop shelves in recent years, where they are often labelled as greener and healthier than their animal-derived counterparts.
But for those whose diet management entails scrutiny of labels for red-flag E-numbers, there is a catch: plant variants can contain twice as many additives as an animal counterpart, going by a “first of its kind” analysis of 71 food items carried out by British nutritionists.
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In a paper published recently by the journal Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, the researchers said that the gap was widest for dairy and meat, with some plant-based cheese alternatives seeing “a high use of” additives such as E160a and carotenes “to mimic the natural yellow hue of dairy cheese”.
“Interestingly, there was also a high use of E170: calcium carbonate in dairy alternatives,” the researchers added, explaining that the aim was to emulate the white or creamy look of dairy and to match the calcium provided by real dairy.
“Plant-based dieters should focus on whole foods that are naturally plant-based, rather than trying to replicate animal-based foods,” advised Britain’s Institute for Optimum Nutrition lecturer and research supervisor Joseph Whittaker.
“By necessity, many plant-based alternative foods use food additives and refined ingredients, as foods like plant-based meat do not exist in nature,” the nutritionist explained.
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The team said they aimed for “the closest match possible” between plant and animal products while carrying out their comparisons.
“So, for instance, almond milk was paired with normal milk, vegan brownies with dairy-based brownies, and plant-based meat with regular meat,” publisher Taylor & Francis explained, listing lasagne, coleslaw, pesto, mayonnaise, yoghurt and cake among the range of items assessed.
However, the findings do not mean animal-based items were free from additives, with the sum of artificial ingredients across the plant-based range coming to 1,566, compared to 1,110 for the animal-based counterparts.
Meats were likely to contain preservatives and antioxidants, the researchers found, with battered items containing raising agents and emulsifiers seen in items such as sausages. – dpa
