You would probably not be surprised to hear that there has been plenty of criticisms about plant-based meats. We briefly discussed the labeling issue, and that has certainly been one source of contention. The meat industry has also argued that the environmental impact of animal agriculture has been over-stated and that the industry has adopted effective mitigation programs. Besides, the environmental “halo” for plant-based meats may not be warranted, according to this NY Times article.
But perhaps the most critical complaints are coming from surprising places. Specifically, vegetarian friendly Whole Foods and Chipotle, as well as several nutritionists have criticized Impossible and Beyond Meat products for their less than stellar nutritional profile. They are, critics claim, heavily processed, contain a long list of ingredients, including GMOs, and they are expensive. That they are so close to the real thing for flavor, texture, and color do not impress the critics who do not like their fake-ness.
There is even a backlash to the backlash, with this article claiming that the critics simply do not get it.
Image: New York Post