Nutrient-dense, whole foods are part of a healthy lifestyle. Recently, however, new alternatives to animal protein are disrupting market. These include vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes, AKA fake meat.

Fast-food chains have popularized these faux meats nationwide, offering them as an alternative to ground beef burgers. I was a vegetarian for 27 years, so I can understand why this fake meat appeals to some. Yet, now I know that my meat-free diet relied on foods, including gluten and dairy, that wreaked havoc on my body.

Real meat is a much better alternative than faux meat from companies such as Impossible™ Foods and Beyond Beef™. Let me explain why.

What’s In Vegan Meat?

A juicy burger may not sound appealing to someone who doesn’t eat meat. However, that’s not the audience companies such as Impossible™ Foods hope to satisfy. They’re targeting omnivores who want to reduce their meat consumption and try vegan meat (1) — whether for environmental or personal reasons — and have turned to “plant-based” foods.

Many people believe that vegan meat can be healthier than real meat. However, that is not the case. When it comes to food, if you can’t pronounce an ingredient and it doesn’t exist in nature, you probably shouldn’t eat it.

The Problems With These Alternatives

These burgers swap out meat for alternatives that contain a variety of highly processed items that I can’t recommend. These include:

1. Additives

Vegan meat brands use additives such as:

Modified potato starch: a plant starch that physical or chemical processes have altered at the structural level. Food manufacturers often use modified starches like potato starch as thickening agents because they can withstand high temperatures. (2) Modified food starches are high in carbohydrates, spike blood sugar, and are essentially empty calories.

Cultured dextrose: a cultured food product that results from fermenting glucose with a probiotic called Propionibacterium freudenreichii. Dairy is the source of this probiotic, which cheesemakers commonly use in production. (3,4) The combination of sugar and dairy can wreak havoc on gut health, especially for those dealing with Candida overgrowth.

2. Corn

The percentage of U.S.-grown corn that is genetically modified is greater than 90%. Unfortunately, there are corn-derived ingredients in many meat alternatives.

The problem is that they can contribute to leaky gut through the use of a corn-specific insecticide known as Bt-toxin. (5)

3. Gluten

Wheat and wheat gluten are common ingredients in many popular vegan meat alternatives. Food manufacturers use them as a stabilizing agent (think of traditional Italian meatballs with breadcrumbs).

Gluten is one of the two foods I recommend everyone avoid. It can cause the tight junctions of your gut wall to break apart and lead to a leaky gut. A leaky gut allows toxins, microbes, and undigested food particles to escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body. Gluten can also contaminate ingredients through contact with processing equipment.

While Impossible™ Meat products no longer officially contain gluten, even certified gluten-free foods can contain up to 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten per serving. (6)

4. Legumes/Pea Protein

I know many people love their beans, but legumes can trigger inflammation and harm gut health, especially for those with autoimmune diseases. This is due to the presence of lectins, which can cross-react with gluten.

While processing legumes usually strips them of the hull, reducing lectins and phytic acid, they can still contain small amounts. Additionally, gluten may cross-contaminate pea protein, even when labeled as gluten-free. 

5. Soy

This is one of the top food allergens. In many of us, our bodies may confuse soy with gluten, leading to the same problems gluten causes. It’s difficult for your body to digest and can be hormone-disrupting. Soy can also suppress the thyroid gland by inhibiting iodine absorption in the body. Plus, more than 90% of soy grown in the U.S. is a GMO.

Fake meat brand Impossible™ Foods uses an ingredient called soy leghemoglobin. The FDA considers soy hemoglobin a color additive. (7) This is meant to mimic the juicy, savory, meaty taste of a burger, which is produced from an iron-rich molecule known as heme, found only in animal proteins such as beef.

To make this additive, soy leghemoglobin gene is extracted from the root of the soybean and inserted into a strain of yeast. The genetically modified soy leghemoglobin (which comes from genetically modified soybeans) is then added to the Impossible™ meat. (8) 

Franken-meat anyone? Because nothing says “natural” like having to genetically engineer a color additive to make plants pretend to be meat!

The Myths and Facts about Fake and Real Meat

With all of these questionable ingredients, why are these mock meats viewed as a better alternative to real beef? Here are some common myths I’ve heard about meat and the truth about why it should be a part of your healthy diet.

Environmental Concerns

Myth: Fake meat is better for the environment because the beef industry produces excessive greenhouse gasses and destroys the environment.

Fact: Ingredients such as pea protein and canola oil also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and land use. 

Fat and Cholesterol

Myth: Meat is rich in fat and cholesterol and causes increased blood cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease. 

Fact: Lean red meat, trimmed of excess fat, does not increase cardiovascular risk factors. It contains protein that’s easy for your body to use, as well as vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Lean cuts of beef, bison, and lamb contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and key nutrients like iron, zinc, and B12. These nutrients support energy production, muscle maintenance, and cognitive function. In fact, replacing processed carbs with lean protein can improve lipid profiles and promote overall metabolic health.

The real culprit behind rising heart disease is added sugars and overly processed foods. You should avoid these when possible. 

Nutrition

Myth: Fake meat is a good source of essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.

Fact: Fake meat also lacks key beneficial fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals found in animal protein, such as vitamin B12. Additionally, heme-iron is the most bioavailable form of iron, and it can only be found in real animal protein. Sufficient iron is critical for good health. 

A recent study showed nearly 40% of women and girls don’t get enough iron. (9) Lack of iron - also known as iron deficiency anemia - can affect sleep, thinking, and energy. Consuming real animal protein is the best way to combat this. 

Overall Health

Myth: Fake meat is a safe, healthy alternative to real meat.

Truth: GMOs are a cause for concern from the soy in vegan meat. There is little research on the long-term effects of the ingredient soy leghemoglobin. 

You see, it was only recently extracted from soybean roots and modified for food processing for Impossible™ Foods’ meat products. Here’s something to think about: studies on rats fed soy leghemoglobin showed unexplained changes in weight and inflammation markers in the blood. Sounds suspicious to me!

Sodium

Myth: Meals featuring beef products are full of sodium.

Fact: Toppings and condiments—like pickles, bacon, cheese, and mustard—are usually responsible for the extra sodium. These can also be used on fake meat burgers. Furthermore, a fake meat patty itself has nearly 400 mg of sodium. So, it’s not exactly a low-sodium food!

Vegan/Vegetarianism

Myth: Avoiding meat is the best diet for a healthy body.

Fact: As a doctor, I don’t recommend a vegan or vegetarian diet, including vegan meat substitutes, for optimal health. The problem is that avoiding meat can make it difficult to get enough essential nutrients, including iron, vitamin B, and even protein. What’s more, beans, grains, and dairy can lead to leaky gut and increased inflammation throughout your body.

What to Choose Instead of Fake Meat

If you choose to avoid meat, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for lab-grown Frankenfood! There are plenty of healthy and wholesome options out there. You’ll want to focus on whole-food, high-protein options that don’t have those extra additives. Some options include:

• Nutritional yeast 

• Seeds and nuts (if tolerated) 

• Quinoa (if tolerated)

• Properly prepared legumes (if they work for you)

• Vegetables high in protein - spinach, watercress, alfalfa sprouts, bok choy, asparagus, mustard greens, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts

These foods provide healthy fats, protein, and essential nutrients. 

However, if you’re on the Autoimmune Spectrum® you have more to consider - things can get tricky. The thing is, a vegan or vegetarian diet might seem like a clean option. 

However, when you’re already avoiding gluten, dairy, legumes, nightshades, and other potential triggers, you’re cutting out a lot of food groups. There’s a fine line between eating clean and making your diet so limited that it’s hard to stay nourished!

In this case, prioritize nutrient-dense and anti-inflammatory foods. That could be with high-quality animal proteins or carefully chosen plant-based options. 

Organic, Pasture Raised Meats

If you do choose to consume real meat, I’ve got some tips on what to look out for. I recommend sourcing your organic meat from local farms. You could also shop at local grocery stores that purchase fresh, organic meat from farmers who practice sustainable farming. For those ready to unleash their inner butcher - if you can’t find ground meat you trust, you can grind it yourself in a food processor.

If you are not a big meat eater, you’ve got options. Consider supplementing your protein intake with one of my protein-rich Paleo Proteins, such as Double Chocolate. It’s packed with 26 grams of protein. In addition, it’s gluten, dairy, and sugar-free and sourced from non-GMO, hormone- and antibiotic-free, grass-fed beef. 

Don’t worry, you would never know it from the delicious taste! You also won’t find other ingredients on your ‘avoid’ list, including grains, corn, or legumes in my Paleo Protein. It’s truly perfect for everyone!

The Final Word

At the end of the day, food should fuel your body, not confuse it. Vegan meat may seem like a healthy and convenient alternative. However, its ultra-processed ingredients, GMOs, and gut-busting additives make it anything but a healthy choice. If you want to optimize your health, whole, nutrient-dense foods will always be a better option than lab-made vegan meat. 

If you prefer a plant-based diet, focus on real protein sources. Try quinoa, hemp seed, or legumes (if you tolerate them). For those who eat meat, organic, pasture-raised options are the way to go. Lean cuts of beef, bison, and lamb provide many essential nutrients, such as iron, zinc, and B-12.

Now, gnawing on a hunk of red meat isn’t for everyone — even those who aren’t necessarily vegan. If you, like me, don’t like the sensation of eating meat, opt for one of my Paleo Proteins, like my delicious Vanilla Bean Paleo Protein. For all you chocolate lovers, we have a Double Chocolate Paleo Protein as well. Use it in your smoothies or to “beef” up your next batch of brownies. All my proteins are sourced from non-GMO, grass-fed beef and have 21 to 26 grams of protein per serving, depending on the flavor. It’s a clean, convenient, and delicious way to boost your protein intake. 

So whether you're skipping the meat or just skipping the fake stuff, the key is choosing real, nourishing foods that truly support your body. Real health starts with real food—ditch the fake stuff for good!