Plant-based and meat-based proteins face off

Steven Walton said he thought his daughter was a vegetarian, but she corrected him. She does not consider herself a vegetarian because she eats her mother’s meatballs whenever she visits.His daughter’s stance reflects a general attitude that people have, said Walton, general manager of HealthFocus International. People, especially those in the United States, do not wish to be labeled, which means a broader market may exist for plant-based protein beyond people who claim to be vegetarian, vegan or “flexitarian” (those who eat meat sparingly, such as once per week). “We love diets, but we do not claim that we are on a diet,” Walton said June 28 in Las Vegas during a presentation at IFT17, the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and food exposition. “We love to dabble, but we are not a vegetarian.” Walton pointed to a 2016 U.S. study from HealthFocus International, St. Petersburg, Florida, showing 13 percent of respondents said they considered themselves vegetarians and 1 percent said they considered themselves vegan. He said while only 17 percent of Americans said they were eating a plant-based diet either exclusively or predominantly, another 60 percent said they were cutting back on meat-based products.So despite the low percentages for people claiming to be vegetarian or vegan, “plant-based eating is a game-changing trend,” he said.Instead of marketing heavily to vegetarians and vegans, food companies could promote plant-based protein products for the five reasons consumers in the Health Focus International study gave for eating protein: healthy diet, weight management, building muscle, increased energy and protein keeps them full for a longer time.