The rise of processed meat alternatives: A narrative review of the manufacturing, composition, nutritional profile and health effects of newer sources of protein, and their place in healthier diets

The drive to reduce the negative impact of the global food system on the environment and human health, and to feed a growing global population, has led to the rapid development of meat alternatives, including plant-based and mycoprotein-based products such as burgers, cured meat and nuggets. These are generally food items manufactured with highly refined ingredients, so health professionals interested in promoting plant-based diets, or a reduction in meat consumption, need a deeper understanding about the potential health effects of these products in order to present them to the public in an objective and helpful manner. In this narrative review, a search of the current available scientific literature was performed with the aim of exploring all these foods by delving into the way they are manufactured, their nutritional characteristics, their impact on health, as well as trying to understand their place in modern, diets. Processed meat alternatives, despite being highly refined products, can be a good source of healthy food groups and nutrients often underrepresented in omnivores diets such as grains, legumes, plant protein and fibre, although attention must be paid to their salt and saturated fat content. For people wanting to move away from a meat-heavy diet, the consumption of these items can represent a stepping stone towards the adoption of more healthful dietary patterns centred on whole plant-foods. In addition, they might help to increase compliance with the new lifestyle as they tend to replicate some of the organoleptic properties of meat. • Processed meat alternatives can be a good source of healthy compounds and nutrients. • Processed meat alternatives however can be rich in salt and saturated fats. • Processed meat alternatives can represent a useful strategy to reduce meat intake.