As the vegan trend has gained popularity worldwide, more people are switching to plant-based diets, primarily for health reasons. However, many fail to recognize a hidden trap on their path: the growing popularity of ultraprocessed vegan food.
These products are marketed as “healthy” or “plant-based,” but many contain the same unhealthy ingredients found in junk food. Today’s “healthy” food is no longer as healthy as it once was.
This article examines the types of vegan food, the dangers of ultraprocessed foods, how they differ from whole, plant-based alternatives, and how to make informed choices to gain the true benefits of vegan food.
Read this article to learn more about how to differentiate ultraprocessed vegan foods and how to keep your vegan lifestyle genuinely healthy.
What are ultraprocessed vegan foods?
Ultraprocessed vegan foods are industrially manufactured plant-based products. These foods undergo intricate formulation and processing using various ingredients, additives, and technologies, which is why they are classified as ultraprocessed foods.
According to NOVA, the classification system for processed foods, ultraprocessed vegan foods are categorized as NOVA-4, the highest level of food processing. An analysis shows that 93.9% of plant-based meat alternatives in Spanish Supermarkets were classified as NOVA-4. This indicates that these plant-based foods are highly processed, involving multiple steps and various ingredients and technological procedures.
Therefore, it is also common for ultraprocessed vegan foods to be highly packed and designed for convenience. In the market, they are typically available as ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat products.
Common examples in a vegan diet
In the vegan world, many popular products are considered substitutes for non-vegan foods. That said, most of these products are manufactured and designed with the same label as any other ultraprocessed foods, but with “vegan” branding on the front. Some of the more common ultraprocessed vegan foods include:
- Sweetened plant milks
- Plant-based snack bars, chips, and cookies
- Frozen vegan pizzas and ready-to-eat meals
- Vegan cheese and butter made from refined oils
- Meat substitutes, such as vegan burgers, sausages, and nuggets
- Sugary vegan desserts and sweets, such as ice cream or pastries
Why they’re so appealing — and so misleading
The aim of producing ultraprocessed vegan foods is to imitate the appearance, texture, and flavor of animal-based foods. Although they are derived from plants, they are heavily refined, stripped of nutrients, and packed with additives to mimic the taste and texture of other ultraprocessed foods.
What makes them more appealing is the “vegan” label, which is interpreted as “healthy” by most people. The marketers of ultraprocessed vegan foods often use words like “natural”, “plant-based”, “guilt-free”, or even “cholesterol-free”. However, these labels don’t necessarily make them “free” from unhealthy ingredients.
Moreover, according to research published in the Food Research International Journal, these products are mainly high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. So, instead of being an alternative to healthy food, they just become another junk food, devoid of animal-based ingredients.
Health effects of ultraprocessed vegan food
Since ultraprocessed vegan food can be considered unhealthy vegan food, of course, it comes with deteriorating health effects for consumers.
Consumption of ultraprocessed vegan foods has been associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Even worse, overconsumption of ultraprocessed food can also lead to mortality.
For instance, it is found that individuals with greater reliance on unhealthy ultraprocessed vegan foods had 38% higher risk of overall cardiovascular diseases and 46% higher risk of coronary heart disease.
If you have recently started a vegan diet, the increased risk likely applies to you. Individuals who started a vegan diet more recently are more likely to eat more ultraprocessed foods than those who started earlier because they have been exposed to these types of foods from the very beginning of their diets. Beginners, therefore, rely more on ultraprocessed vegan foods.
Impact on metabolic health
In the context of the metabolic system, ultraprocessed vegan foods may negatively affect metabolism due to their ingredients.
The high amounts of calories, sodium, sugar, and fat are suggested to increase the appetite, leading to pathological eating behavior. Further, it causes overeating and results in weight gain.
Moreover, high intake of refined sugars in ultraprocessed vegan foods leads to frequent blood glucose spikes. As a result, it strains the pancreas and promotes insulin resistance over time, raising the risk of diabetes.
Hidden ingredients and additives
To achieve the desired texture and taste, many manufacturers add emulsifiers, stabilizers, artificial flavors, and colorants to the products. These hidden ingredients are highly disruptive to the gut microbiota, altering its balance and promoting inflammation that contributes to metabolic diseases over time.
Not only from the food, but hidden industrial substances, mainly from packaging, can also impact your health. Some substances found in ultraprocessed foods act as endocrine disruptors, altering hormone levels and subsequently disrupting metabolism.
Learn more: How Ultra-Processed Foods Harm Gut Health and Longevity
Nutritional deficiencies and imbalance
Ultraprocessed vegan foods may also contribute to nutritional deficiencies and imbalances because they are lower in essential nutrients. Unlike whole plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, which are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, ultraprocessed vegan foods tend to be stripped of these nutritional values.
For instance, a survey in the UK found that about 95% of participants had inadequate micronutrient intake, attributed to the high consumption of ultra-processed foods. This is a concerning number because low micronutrients can lead to fatigue and a weakened immune system.
The survey also shows that the prevalence of inadequate fiber intake rose by 12% due to the fiber reduction process. The reduction process is due to refining the texture and taste of the products, as discussed in the previous section on hidden additives.
As fiber plays a crucial role in slowing glucose absorption and supporting a healthy gut microbiome, low fiber intake may increase the risk of weight gain and insulin resistance.
Therefore, not only are ultraprocessed vegan foods high in harmful ingredients, but they also lack many of the critical nutrients the body needs.
Smarter practices for a healthier vegan diet
A plant-based diet is not limited to eating plant-based labeled foods. You must follow scientific practices to optimize your diet. With mindful strategies and awareness, you can still enjoy the benefits of vegan foods without sacrificing the convenience and flavor you desire.
Here are some practices for a healthier vegan diet:
Focus on whole food plant-based options
Whole-food, plant-based diets are a type of vegan diet that emphasizes whole foods and minimizes processed foods, with a focus on avoiding refined fats and added sugar. This diet is a better option for a plant-based diet than ultraprocessed vegan foods, as they preserve the ingredients and nutrients the body needs, which are crucial for optimal health.
Choosing a whole food, plant-based diet means building meals from simple and recognizable ingredients, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and seeds. The rule of thumb is to choose foods that resemble their natural appearance. Also, the less packaging, the better, because packaged products indicate more processing.
If you choose a vegan diet to lose weight, it is also among the most successful. It helps people maintain their weight over extended periods, which can result in lower calorie intake. This diet is also more practical because it is natural and requires minimal processing.
How to read vegan food labels wisely
People often fall into the trap of ultraprocessed vegan foods because of the “vegan” label on the front of their packaging. This label serves as bait for those who don’t like reading the detailed labels on the back. Therefore, you must read the vegan labels wisely before choosing the products.
Here are the tips for choosing vegan foods.
- Read the ingredients list. Take a moment to review the ingredient lists on the packaging and identify recognizable ingredients with whole-food names, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, or seeds, as defined above. Generally, the longer and more complex the names, the more processed the food is.
- Identify added sugars. Sugar has many names, including sucrose, glucose, syrup, maltose, and cane sugar. If the product contains any of those names, it indicates high sugar content.
- Check sodium levels. Like sugar, sodium has many names, such as monosodium glutamate and sodium nitrite. Check the names and the amounts.
- Spot unfamiliar additives. Be cautious of additives with complex or chemical names. They may include emulsifiers, stabilizers, artificial colors, or flavors, which are harmful to gut health.
By paying attention to these ingredients, you can be more selective towards the products you choose.
Learn more: Understanding Functional Foods for a Science-Based Diet
Enjoy vegan treats mindfully
People should also pay attention to sweet treats and desserts, as there are many ultraprocessed vegan options. It is strongly recommended to focus on homemade treats because the quality of the food is more reliably ensured.
If you want to give it a try, you don’t have to eliminate all packaged treats at once. Here are some tips to gradually replace your processed snacks with homemade ones.
- Start with one treat. Select one snack you purchase most often and replace it with a homemade version. For example, if you like buying vegan cookies, try making a simple oat cookie at home.
- Use “assembly recipes” rather than “baking.” Homemade need not be complicated. Many treats require no oven and minimal preparation, such as vegan puddings and pan-fried cookies.
- Recreate familiar flavors first. People often rely on processed snacks because they’re familiar with the flavors. Instead of switching to bland and bitter options, you can replicate the flavors you already enjoy. For instance, if you like sweetness, you can use dates or ripe bananas instead.
- Batch-prepare every week. Set aside your time once a week to prepare a batch of treats. Store them in the fridge so they’re ready when you crave snacks.
Once you get used to these tips, you can eventually change all your processed snacks to homemade ones.
Learn more: Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Cooking Techniques
In conclusion
In conclusion, adopting a vegan diet is a powerful step toward improving both physical and mental health. The rise of ultraprocessed vegan food has blurred the line between healthy and harmful eating, allowing unhealthy vegan food to sneak into daily diets under the label of “plant-based.”
Understanding the health effects of ultraprocessed vegan foods raises your awareness of the importance of choosing the right diet for your daily meals. It also encourages you to take more time to scan the labels, prioritize whole ingredients, and even cook more often. Thus, you can gain the true benefits of a vegan diet.
Start taking a closer look at your pantry today. Swap out the ultraprocessed products for whole food vegan choices. Your body and the planet will thank you.
If you want to see more resources on plant diet, check out the Longevity Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Longevity Science Labs today.
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