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Research has shown that Americans are eating far more animal products than daily recommended guidelines suggest. In the 1970s, Americans were hovering at around 120 percent of the recommended intake for meats, and more currently, hover at 140 percent. This might be of concern since meat consumption could potentially increase the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections, certain types of cancer, high cholesterol and obesity.
As an alternative, faux meat has come a long way, making excellent strides in recent years. While there can be some drawbacks to these foods as well (we’ll get to those), if you know what to look for, you can replace all or most of the protein usually found in meats and still feel satisfied as you preserve your health.
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Shortcomings to be aware of
One thing to look out for when buying faux meat products is a super long ingredients list. The world of faux meat can fall victim to over-processed items that, while removing meat from your diet, introduce ingredients that affect wellness. For instance, look out for products loaded with sodium, which can cause hypertension. Problematic oils such as soybean or corn oil (linked to obesity and diabetes) can also be common in faux meat products, so keep an eye out for those as well and favor products that use healthier choices like olive or avocado oil.
