Plant-based alternatives to meat, cheese, eggs and yoghurt should be labelled and categorised more clearly to ensure people are aware of products that are ultra-processed, a study has suggested.

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As part of a review of evidence on plant-based alternatives, academics said the products typically have a lower environmental impact than those derived from animals and “have the potential to be healthier and nutrient-rich”.

However, they added that their nutritional contents are complex.

First author Sarah Najera Espinosa, a research student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, added: “Although whole foods are still considered the ‘gold standard’ for healthy and environmentally friendly diets, environmental and health outcomes from some novel plant-based foods are promising.

“Our review has demonstrated that some products, such as legume and vegetable-based drinks and legume- and mycoprotein-based meats, have the potential to be a useful steppingstone in the process of food system and dietary transformation if they are carefully selected.”

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The team suggested that labelling and sub-categorising plant-based alternatives – along with studies to evaluate how dietary changes impact upon the environment – should be a priority for policymakers.

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