We asked Peter Harrison, marketing director at Quorn, why going meat free might be your answer to better health and how it can impact on your carbon footprint.
Peter Harrison
Meat free food is delicious, convenient, versatile and great for your health and that of the planet! There are many different products to choose from, from Meat Free Mince and Chicken Pieces to Cottage Pie and Burgers, there's something for everyone so you can still enjoy your favourite meals, but meat free.
There are real benefits for doing this to the planet - research shows that moving from a 'high meat diet' (classified as 100+ grams per day) to a 'low meat diet' (less than 50 grams a day) would reduce an individual's carbon footprint by 920kg a year. This is roughly equivalent to an economy return flight from London to New York.
Why do you think more and more people are choosing to keep meat off their plates?
People are becoming more aware of the impact both on their health and the environment of eating too much meat. As a result, they're looking at other delicious ways they can enjoy meals meat free. As a society, we are now starting to think differently about how we meet our protein consumption needs to ensure that we have a sustainable, environmentally friendly supply for tomorrow, and generations to come. Fortunately, it's getting easier to switch to meat free products with more alternatives available on the market, which have many products available in their range.
Can reducing your meat intake each week help or is it better to cut it out altogether?
We're not asking people to give up meat for good, just to reduce the amount they eat so it's better for them and the planet. The good news is that it's now easier than ever to find tasty, meat free alternatives. There are loads of such products which all have an important role to play by providing environmentally friendly protein and have a significantly lower carbon footprint too.
There are many meat free products on the shelves, however many are highly processed, does this make them worse for our bodies?
There are now more meat free products on the shelves than ever, so choice is certainly not a problem. This is because the demand for healthy, sustainable meat alternatives is growing. However, clearly some meat free alternatives will be better for you than others. As with all purchasing decisions, we'd always encourage customers to look at food labels to understand the nutritional content of what they are buying.
Why is it important for meat free products to still contain high levels of protein?
Protein is a vital part of our diet, and plays a huge role. It is a component of every cell in your body. In fact, hair and nails are mostly made of protein, and your body uses it to build and repair tissue. It's an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood and its role cannot be underestimated. So if you're reducing your meat intake (which contains high levels) it is crucial that you replace these protein levels. Fortunately, there are lots of foods, other than meat, that contain high levels of protein - it's all about expanding your diet, and high protein meat free alternatives can help you do that.
Please tell us about your personal journey to going meat free?
I'm lucky enough to work in a role that means I understand and regularly hear about the damaging impact eating too much meat is having both on our health and the environment. Having access to such knowledge, and knowing what I do, made the decision to reduce my meat intake a no-brainer. For me, meat's impact on the environment is too large to ignore so both myself and my family started by cutting out processed meat, then moved on to red meat and finally white meat. We're now completely meat free and haven't looked back.
Why is it important not only to acknowledge the vegetarian market with your products but also the vegan market too? And is this something you will continue to expand upon?
Given The Vegan Society's estimate of 300,000 vegans in the UK[i], Quorn introduced three vegan products in the past year, with further launches in the pipeline. Veganism has been increasing in popularity in recent years with a number of well-known celebrities such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and even Brad Pitt adopting the lifestyle. Famous faces attending the star-studded BAFTA ceremony earlier this year were even given the option of a vegan only menu, showing it is now becoming a more mainstream dietary option.
The range was only introduced in September last year but distribution has already increased by 120% as more retailers recognise the shift in the UK's eating habits.
To what extent do you feel meat free products help people not to revert back to the real stuff?
They are very effective and indeed have helped many people stick to the lifestyle. Meat free products ensure people don't have to miss out on their favourite meals, such as spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne and chilli. Meat free products are versatile and add further variety to meat free diet. The wide range of such products provides a greater amount of choice to anyone on a meat free diet.
Is it possible to get all the nutrients you need from meat free food?
Absolutely. Products like meat free mince are a nutritionally healthy source of protein* because they are low in saturated fat.
*Quorn Mince, Quorn Meat Free Chicken Pieces, Quorn Standard Sausages, Quorn Meat Free Cocktail Sausages, Quorn Meat Free Picnic Eggs and Quorn Meat Free Standard Chilled Burgers are a nutritionally healthy protein source. Protein contributes to a growth in and maintenance of muscle mass.
1. According to the Vegan Society data (www.vegansociety.com)Tagged in Vegetarian Vegan Quorn