Plant-Based Red Meat Considerations You can now find ultra-realistic plant-based hamburgers at national fast-food chains, and soon, realistic replacements for chicken and seafood. These foods offer critical environmental benefits since their production requires up to 99% less water, 46% less energy, and 93% less land than an equal amount of animal-based protein, according to industry-funded research. Still, their swift introduction into the marketplace didn't give enough time for well-designed scientific studies to assess their impact on our long-term health. As registered dietitians, here's what we're considering about the new plant-based red meat alternatives. Lack of Research In contrast to diets high in red meat and processed meats, plant-based diets generally reduce the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancers. But research that came to these conclusions only considered conventional plant-based diets—ones that [...]