It can be said now that plant based diet is no more a passing trend but a mainstream diet. The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to differentiating a trend from mainstream. Assessed in terms of sales volume, global acceptance, or a permanent shift in consumer behaviour and attitude all point to the fact that plant based eating is here to stay.
Rising popularity of Plant Based EatingÂ
A recent research on plant based eating after surveying 1,000 US consumers about their eating patterns showed that 52% of US consumers are increasing their consumption of plant based foods and beverages, and over 60% of respondents indicated that their switch to plant based alternatives was “permanent or they hoped it was permanent.
The staggering 52 percent of Americans who are modifying their diets to include more plant based foods pales in comparison to global numbers; the same survey indicates that nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of consumers globally are consuming more plant based foods. There is apparently a seismic shift occurring in global food habits. The majority of customers have progressed beyond testing to a permanent transformation prompted by health, lifestyle, and social considerations.
While plant based diet is not synonymous with vegan eating, they share many similarities, especially in term of increasing popularity of both. For example, there has been a 600 percent growth in the number of vegans in the United States, a 350 percent increase in the UK over the last decade, and research forecasts that China’s vegan market would grow by more than 17% between 2015 and 2020.
Additionally, consumers previously identified flavour as the primary impediment adopting Plant-based eating habits. But since plant based meats are becoming better at capturing the flavour and mouth feel of real meat, more people are more readily Switching to plant based diets and sticking to it without feeling that they are missing out on the good stuff.
With innovation and demand the plant based meat market is also growing significantly. According to Reports and Data the global plant based meat market size was USD 10. 10 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach USD 30.92 billion by 2026, registering CAGR of 14.8% over the forecast period.
New Product Launches
Businesses are responding to this tremendous trend toward plant-based diets. The number of new food and beverage launches in the United States that make plant-based claims increased by 54 percent from 2013 to 2017. Additionally, a 300 percent increase in demand for plant-based protein across all foods and beverages was registered.
The global market for dairy replacements is one of the most developed in the plant-based eating arena. It is predicted to reach about USD 50.87 billion in yearly sales by 2028, registering a 10.5 percent compound annual growth rate. Plant-based milks account for about half of that market, with almond milk being the fastest growing segment.
The Importance of Taste in Plant Proteins
As diets change, attitudes change as well. According to a research by the International Food Information Council, 21% of all Americans claim to have a more favourable attitude of plant proteins’ benefits, and 69% are attempting to include more into their diets. The flexitarian/vegetarian trend is expanding. People desire more protein while consuming less animal protein.
Despite this acceleration of Plant protein production, customers do not want to sacrifice flavour. Taste is the primary reason that US adults who consume plant-based proteins do so, surpassing worries about nutrition, animal welfare, the environment, and even health. It can be tough to maintain taste characteristics and mouthfeel in plant-based applications, as well as healthier foods and beverages.
But doubts that plant protein is not as good as animal protein and cannot taste as good as animal meat products are being rapidly dispelled by newer, more advanced products and therefore the plant protein market is growing exponentially. According to Reports and Data, the plant protein market size is expected to reach USD 17.52 billion by 2028, growing from USD 10.28 billion in 2020, growing at a 6.8% rate annually.
Benefits Of Plant Protein:
Taste is not the only factor driving plant protein demand. It has other advantages as well
1. Enjoy Better Health With Age
Healthy plant-based diets are high in fibre, antioxidants, unsaturated fat and micronutrients. Additionally, these diets tend to be lower in saturated fat. For these reasons, increasing plant-based diet can help in:
• Weight loss and weight maintenance
• Improve blood glucose management
• Enhance blood lipid profile
• Lower blood pressure
• Inflammation reduction
• Promote gut health
All of these incredible benefits operate in concert to reduce chance of heart disease and other risk factors for death later in life. Additionally, plant-based diets can help lower your chance of developing some types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. In general, increasing plant-based food intake increases chances of ageing happily and healthfully.
2. Plants Contain Plenty of Proteins
It is not only animal proteins that provide the body with the nutrients it requires! While most plant meals contain a trace of protein, others have far more of this critical macronutrient. Legumes such as beans and lentils along with grains or nuts can provide complete protein supply.
3. Plat Protein is Environment Friendly
The foods we eat have an effect on not just our health but also on the environment’s health. In comparison to animal protein production, plant protein production consumes less energy:
- Land: raising animals for food results in the annihilation of 17 million hectares of forests each year
- Water: creating 1 kilogram of animal protein requires approximately 100 times the amount of water required to produce 1 kg of plant protein
- Energy: animal goods require up to five times the amount of energy as plant products
- Greenhouse gases: producing 1 kilogram of beef produces 64 times the amount of carbon dioxide produced by plant proteins
Consuming more plants will help lessen environmental impact in every way.
4. Better Value for Money
Budgets can be challenging to adhere to, even more so when it comes to grocery shopping. One widespread misconception about plant-based diets is that one must consume a plethora of (expensive) specialty foods to remain healthy. In actuality, diets high in plant proteins are rather inexpensive and will help save money on food.
Legumes and beans can be bought on sale, in bulk whenever possible, and while frozen and canned foods are less expensive, they can be just as nutritious as fresh. Whatever the budget, eating more plants does not have to break the bank!
5. Plant Protein for Stronger Muscles
The fact that there is a lot of emphasis on the consumption of extra protein to build muscle and strength is accurate! While this may imply that consumers must consume more animal-based proteins to attain fitness objectives, there is actually a plethora of other options. Consuming protein from a range of sources, including plants, assists the body in constructing lean tissue.
