Sixty-five percent said they would be willing to try a plant-based diet if shown evidence of the health benefits. Despite this significant interest, the survey also found that just one out of five primary care practitioners choose to discuss plant-based diets with their patients.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and Morning Consult carried out the research, which surveyed 2,203 US adults from April 15 to April 16, 2025. Just one percent of US adults are currently vegan.

“What’s missing […] is support and guidance from health care professionals,” said Xavier Toledo, a PCRM-affiliated registered dietitian. “This represents a huge missed opportunity to turn interest into action – and to reduce the risk of chronic diseases that affect millions.”

Read more: Want To Live To 100? Here’s What The Blue Zones Are Doing Right

Plant-based diets, preventative medicine, and healthcare

The new survey follows several recent studies on the potential of plant-based diets to reduce chronic disease risk, promote health, and save money for healthcare providers.

A study by Dr Shireem Kassam and Dr Laura Jane Smith of Plant Based Health Professionals UK highlighted the potential of plant-based diets to tackle the “intertwined crises” of health, inequality, and climate change. However, they also noted that nutrition education in healthcare is falling short when it comes to plant-based foods and lifestyles.

In November, another study found that three-quarters of UK dieticians incorrectly believe that plant-based proteins are incomplete. In the US, PCRM offers plant-based dietary information to medical and nursing students who wish to learn about meat-free health and nutrition.

Read more: Study Finds No Difference In Muscle Fiber Protein Synthesis Between Vegan And Omnivore Diets

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

The actor and activist said that she went vegetarian at the age of nine because she was “very attached to animals,” and added that the environmental impact of factory farming became more of a priority as she got older. Portman first adopted a vegan diet around 2011.

“I think it’s basic empathy that I understood as a child, and understanding […] animals as like myself,” said Portman. She highlighted the role of anthropomorphized characters in cartoons in evoking empathy for animals, an idea that some research papers echo.

She also noted how animal rights and welfare intersect with “so many” other issues, including feminism, labor struggles, and migrant’s rights, including through the industry’s treatment of workers, animals, and specifically in its violent treatment of “female bodies.”

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Portman made the comments while appearing during the closing ceremony of Change NOW’s 2025 conference in conversation with CEO and founder Santiago Lefebvre. The event was a three-day “summit” focused on networking and the discussion of sustainability, resources, and “inclusion.” Other attendees included Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson and Earthshot Prize CEO Hannah Jones, along with other activists and prominent figures.

Read more: ‘I Tried Natalie Portman’s Favorite Vegan Weekday Dish’

‘Every time you eat, you’re thinking about your commitment’

In April, a new study by two of the UK’s leading plant-based healthcare professionals – PBHP’s Dr Shireen Kassam and Dr Laura Jane Smith – highlighted how promoting meat-free diets could help tackle the “intertwined crises” of poor health, food shortages, climate change, biodiversity loss and social injustice, all of which are driven by human activities.

“It’s so connected to so many other issues that it has become a very big part of my life,” Portman told Lefebvre. “And also is a way, I think, you can express your commitment three times a day. […]. Every time you eat, you’re thinking about your commitment to the environment, to nature, to animals, to your values.”

Read more: Is Natalie Portman Vegan? Everything She’s Said About The Movement

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

According to the study, different processing methods significantly alter the biochemical composition of plant-based and alternative proteins, something that is not taken into account by the four-group NOVA system that categorizes foods by the extent of their processing.

Researchers from the Food Sciences unit at Finland’s University of Turku carried out the study, which was published in the journal Nature Food. The project focused on commercially available plant-based products made with “various technologies” and ingredients.

The authors found “clear differences” between soy-based foods, in particular, and suggested that current classification systems should “be improved” to better reflect nutrient density.

For example, tempeh is an extremely nutritious, fermented soy-based protein that the authors found was rich in potentially beneficial phytochemical compounds like isoflavonoids. Products made from soy isolates or concentrates, meanwhile, contain significantly fewer isoflavonoids. 

Phytochemicals can indicate how much the original composition of the ingredients has been preserved during processing, while epidemiological studies “consistently” find that phytochemical-rich food groups promote health, while those without do not. Despite this, both varieties of plant protein may be categorized simply as processed or ultra-processed.

Read more: Plant-Based Meat Not Associated With Adverse Health Outcomes, Government Report Finds

Nutrient-density and absorption should determine nutritional value, says study author

Ville Koistinen, one of the new study’s authors, told Phys.org that “processing food is common.” Cooking food at home, baking, or freezing can all be considered forms of processing.

“It cannot be assumed that all processing makes a product unhealthy,” added Koistinen. Ultimately it is only the nutritional components of the edible product that matter, and how they are absorbed by our bodies. These determine the nutritional value and healthiness of food products.”

Many experts have cautioned against villainizing entire food groups over a “processed” label – including in this analysis from 2024 – while various recent studies indicate that swapping animal products for processed plant-based foods can lead to positive health outcomes. Diets rich in whole, plant-based foods, in particular, are linked with various health benefits.

Read more: 5 Benefits To Food Processing

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

Monbiot is a journalist, author, and environmental activist, and writes a regular column for the Guardian. In an op-ed titled “New reports tell us cattle and sheep farming can be sustainable – don’t believe them, it’s all bull,” he debunks two recent pro-meat “studies.” Both have links to the industry and were published separately within a week of one another.

The first study focuses on so-called “regenerative grazing.” It was commissioned by Oxfordshire’s FAI Farms and funded by McDonald’s, and claims that the farm is “beyond net-zero.” However, Monbiot notes that the work is “without a single usable data point,” due to miscalculated carbon sequestration, inconsistent samples, and other “unquantifiable” variables not taken into account by the report or mentioned in its summary.

A second study, documenting what it calls “regenerative mixed farming,” was published by the Sustainable Food Trust (SFT). It suggests that cows and sheep be grazed on temporary meadows on which rotating crops are grown for two years out of every 10. Instead of pork and poultry – the two most widely consumed meats – it says that people should eat beef, lamb, and dairy.

According to Monbiot, an industry-wide rollout of SFT’s proposed “regenerative” methods would require either extensive food importation or a prescriptive national diet, along with permanently higher food prices and an immediate 50 percent reduction in food waste. Patrick Holden, the founder of SFT and farming advisor to King Charles, is notably a dairy farmer.

Read more: Factory Farms Cost UK Taxpayers Over 1.2 Billion Pounds Per Year, Says New Report

New reports amount to ‘industry lobbying’

Monbiot’s analysis comes shortly after DeSmog confirmed that a meat industry-backed PR firm was behind the extensive backlash received by 2019’s landmark EAT-Lancet Report.

In March, a report by The Animal Law Foundation found that British consumers are “systematically misled” about meat, dairy, eggs, and animal products in the food system. Changing Markets Foundation reported that 22 big meat and dairy companies are using tobacco industry-style “delay, distract, and derail” tactics to mislead shoppers.

Monbiot noted that beef and lamb are the most resource-intensive and “climate-damaging” foods of all, despite what the two new reports suggest. Farming cows and sheep causes pollution and prevents the return of carbon-storing, environmentally valuable ecosystems. 

“If such claims arose from any other sector, we would recognise them for what they are: industry lobbying,” wrote Monbiot. “But because their bucolic imagery chimes with deep cultural themes, enthusiasm for such non-solutions extends all the way from McDonald’s to King Charles. The phenomenally complex challenge of feeding the world without devouring the planet will not be met through wishful thinking and romantic simplicities.”

Read more: ‘It’s Pseudoscience’: George Monbiot Blasts Regenerative Grazing In Heated Debate

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

According to an Instagram post by Vegan Food UK, the long-awaited vegan version of Nutella’s chocolate-hazelnut spread was seen in an unspecified supermarket. The page added that Sainsbury’s “will soon be the place that stocks it” with an RRP of £4 per jar.

“It’s not officially launched yet,” wrote Vegan Food UK. “But it has already been spotted!”

One commenter noted that they have seen the vegan Nutella available from “in quite a few” UK service settings already, including Purezza. However, this is the first time Nutella Plant Based has been available to consumers directly in a supermarket or retail setting.

No further details about the UK launch of vegan Nutella are available yet. Plant Based News (PBN) contacted Ferrero, Nutella’s parent company, for more information.

Read more: When Does Vegan Nutella Come to the UK and USA?

Nutella Plant Based offers ‘delicious new choice’ for customers

Last year, Ferrero confirmed to PBN that its vegan-friendly Nutella would be released in autumn of 2024. The plant-based spread is now available in select European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy, all locations with a high demand for Nutella and a growing number of people who are cutting back on animal products.

Classic Nutella combines sweetened cocoa and hazelnuts with skimmed milk powder and palm oil. Instead of dairy, Nutella Plant Based combines chickpeas and rice syrup with the cocoa, sugar, and hazelnuts. According to early reviews, it tastes almost identical.

“At Ferrero, we are always scouting and exploring new categories and emerging food trends,” said a brand spokesperson at the time. “This further addition to the Nutella family will deliver the same unmistakable experience [by] replacing milk with vegetal ingredients, offering a delicious new choice able to welcome even more people into the brand.”

Read more: Is Nutella Vegan? The Best Dairy-Free Alternatives

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

Ombar’s Blonde Caramelised White Chocolate is inspired by “nostalgic” flavors, such as the now-discontinued Nestlé Caramac, but made with plant-based and sustainable ingredients. In addition to being vegan, Ombar’s Blonde is organic, palm oil-free, and Fair Trade.

The Cambridge-based brand combines dried cane sugar juice with chicory root fiber, a naturally sweet prebiotic, to promote beneficial gut bacteria and keep the bar’s sugar content approximately 50 percent lower than traditional white chocolate options.

Blonde became a fan-favorite when it was launched as a limited-edition item in 2024, prompting customers to beg Ombar to bring it back in the comments section on Instagram.

“After overwhelming demand, we’ve brought back this fan-favourite treat for good,” said the company. “With flecks of Madagascan vanilla, a rich caramelised sweetness and creaminess coming from organic desiccated coconut, our Blonde is back and tasting better than ever!”

Ombar Blonde is available now from Tesco stores nationwide at £2.75 per 70g bar.

Read more: Vegan Chocolate Brand LoveRaw Rescued From Administration

Customer demand for ethical, clean-label, and plant-based chocolate

Richard Turner co-founded Ombar in 2007 to prioritize plant-based, wholesome ingredients, including high-quality cocoa. The company’s full range now includes a huge variety of chocolates, including matcha and pistachio creams, M’lk Chocolate bars, 100 percent cocoa bars, and many more. Pistachio Centre, Peanut Butter, and Blonde are all available in Tesco.

According to new research from Future Market Insights published earlier this week, the vegan chocolate market is set to reach USD $1,545 million in 2025, and is projected to reach $4,798.6 million over the next decade. An increasing consumer shift towards ethical, clean-label, and plant-based products is the primary driver of this “robust” predicted growth.

Read more: NOMO Just Launched Two New Vegan Chocolate Bars In UK Supermarkets

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

The Veg’chops come in four flavors, including Original, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Tikka Curry, making them a versatile way to eat more nutritious plant foods. Original and Mexican flavors are currently the only varieties available to purchase from Tesco.

Oh So Wholesome co-founder Jason Gibb created the product when he was unable to find a convenient plant-based protein that wasn’t tofu or tempeh, and that didn’t emulate meat. Co-founder Simon Day, on the other hand, was simply looking to eat more plants and fiber.

“Although it is a new concept, people will be familiar with ingredients like lentils, quinoa, sweet potato, and chia seeds,” Gibb told The Grocer. “I wanted something that tasted like the plants it was made from and that I was happy to eat daily with my family.”

Veg’chops feature vegetables, pulses, and seeds – including lentils, quinoa, sweet potato, and chia – formed into nugget-sized, nutty-tasting chunks. The original variety includes more than 10 plants per serving, including whole foods-based protein, fiber, and other nutrients.

Read more: What Are The Benefits Of Lion’s Mane Mushrooms And Where Can You Buy Them?

‘What began as a personal quest has coincided with a real movement’

A growing body of research indicates that the perceived backlash against processed and “ultra-processed” plant-based meat products is largely unwarranted. However, unprocessed, whole, plant-based foods are still thought to be some of the healthiest ingredients available.

Nutritious alternative proteins like tofu and tempeh are selling well, and customers are increasingly seeking out products that brands might market as “clean label” foods. Companies such as Meati, Plants, Beyond Meat, This, and many more have all launched new products that emphasize whole plant-based ingredients in place of realistic “meat” alternatives.

“We’re delighted to secure such a big listing for our first launch,” said Gibb. “I think that speaks to the growing appetite for minimally processed foods that are nutritious and satisfying as well as tasty. What began as a personal quest has coincided with a real movement.”

Original and Mexican Veg’chops are available now at 649 Tesco stores across the UK. They have an RRP of £3 per 250g pack, and can be found in the refrigerated section.

Read more: Beyond Meat Launches New Unbreaded Vegan Chicken Pieces

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

According to Beyond Meat president Ethan Brown, the investment will support the growth, investment, and advancement of “strategic priorities” for the company moving forward.

“We are pleased to welcome a new investor who deeply understands our industry and is mission-aligned with our plant-based ethos,” said Brown. “In addition to securing access to this substantial new financing, we are continuing to evaluate opportunities to further strengthen our balance sheet and best position our business for the future.”

The Ahimsa Foundation’s for-profit venture capital arm, Ahimsa Companies, acquired New York’s Blackbird Foods earlier this year. In 2024, it acquired Wicked Kitchen, Good Catch, and Current Foods. At the time, Ahimsa Companies CEO Matt Tullman said that “consolidation will drive success” for the now overcrowded plant-based sector.

Read more: Beyond Meat Launches New Unbreaded Vegan Chicken Pieces

Plant-based meat market growth and future uncertainty

Beyond Meat has had a difficult first quarter, and recently reported a 9.1 percent decline in net revenue driven by an 11.2 percent reduction in sales volume. The company’s Q1 made a loss of $1.1 million, with a gross margin of -1.5 percent compared to 4.9 percent last year. 

In February, the company announced a six percent cut to its total workforce, including 95 percent of its China-based team. Beyond Meat plans to suspend operations in China entirely by the end of June and will be making executive leadership changes, intending to turn a profit by 2026. Brown has noted that an uncertain economic environment nationally and globally likely “exacerbated category challenges” such as “weak category demand” in the US.

While some media coverage of the sector has depicted the future of plant-based meat as uncertain, recent market research indicates that the market could “more than double in value” by the end of the decade. More specifically, growing consumer preference for “clean” label foods, nutritious ingredients, and sustainable products is helping to drive growth.

Read more: Plant-Based Meat Not Associated With Adverse Health Outcomes, Government Report Finds

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, which is the UK’s largest indoor music venue, announced the “100 percent plant-based food menu” earlier this month. While this is a notable first for the arena, Co-op Live permanently features a large array of solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, intelligent energy controls, reusable cups, and a zero waste-to-landfill policy.

The 23.5 thousand capacity venue will utilize seven kitchens across three levels to prepare the dedicated plant-based menu, which includes Vegetarian Butcher NoBeef burgers and fries from Soundbites; NoChicken burgers from Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken; bao buns, hotdogs, and meatball marinara ciabattas from the Co-op Live kitchen; Koko’s Hot Dogs; Loaded Fries; Saucy Chips; and a selection of pizza and dough balls from the Co-op Kitchen.

Read more: New Film Merges Art, Disability, And Animal Rights – How To Support ‘Liberty’

Upcoming Massive Attack show will have the ‘lowest emissions’ possible

Last year, Massive Attack hosted the record-breaking Act 1.5 festival in their hometown of Bristol. It featured plant-based foods and renewable energy, banned high-impact glitter and disposable vapes, and encouraged concert-goers to use public transport and active travel.

“The Co-op Live gig allows another iteration of the show to materialise and for us to underpin that production with the lowest emissions measures possible,” said Massive Attack’s Robert “3D” Del Naja. “We’re pleased that this event will be the first ever 100 percent plant-based major show in Manchester with an extensive, curated menu, and that the arena is powered by renewables.”

The trip hop pioneers are well known for their politics and environmental messaging, and they also encouraged those attending the upcoming gig to join them in taking the train, where possible, to further cut pollution and help create “smarter, cleaner events.”

Massive Attack will headline the Co-op Live Arena on June 5, 2025. The band’s tour also includes a show at London’s Victoria Park in London, followed by dates in mainland Europe.

Read more: Massive Attack Serves Entirely Vegan Menu At Eco-Conscious Gig

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

The study is the first to comprehensively map the health effects of traditional African diets. It found that swapping Western foods for indigenous ones had a positive impact in just two weeks. Conversely, adopting a Western diet had a measurably negative impact.

As noted by the study’s authors, chronic inflammation is a key driver of many common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, the latter of which is the current leading cause of death worldwide.

Like the Mediterranean diet, African heritage diets tend to emphasize plant-based whole foods, including greens, fermented fruit, legumes, plantains, whole grains, roots, and tubers. These plants are rich in micro and macronutrients, fiber, and anti-inflammatory compounds like polyphenols, and overall promote “favorable” gut microbiome composition.

In contrast, the study also found that swapping traditional foods for a Western-style diet high in refined carbohydrates, fats, sugars, and animal-based proteins resulted in increased inflammation, weakened immune responses, and disrupted metabolic pathways.

The study focused on 77 healthy men around 25.6 years old, all of whom reside in the Kilimanjaro region of Northern Tanzania. Participants kept food diaries, and researchers took blood samples at the start of the study, two weeks in, and four weeks after it ended.

Twenty-three rural men who typically followed a traditional diet switched to a Western diet, 22 urban men used to a Western diet switched to a traditional diet, and 22 men who typically followed a Western diet added Mbege, a fermented banana and millet drink, for one week. Those who drank Mbege alongside their Western diet also saw improvements relative to those without it.

The new study was published in the scientific journal Nature at the start of April. Authors from Radboudumc and KCMC University collaborated with international partners to complete the work. They highlighted how traditional African diets are notably under-researched compared to those from well-publicized “blue zones” like Italy, Japan, and Costa Rica.

Read more: Regular Chicken Consumption Linked To Elevated Cancer Risk, Says Study

Traditional African diets include ‘plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, and fermented foods’

The researchers noted that “even brief dietary interventions can have prolonged effects” on the immune and metabolic systems, both positively and negatively, underscoring “the importance of preserving indigenous dietary practices” for disease mitigation in Africa.

“The African diet includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, and fermented foods,” said lead author Quirijn de Mast in a statement. “Our study highlights the benefits of these traditional food products for inflammation and metabolic processes in the body. At the same time, we show how harmful an unhealthy Western diet can be.”

According to the authors, replacing traditional, nutritious whole foods with Western-style ingredients and meals is now a growing trend in many urban African households. A growing body of evidence links plant-based diets with decreased disease risk and inflammation.

Read more: Plant-Based Diets Represent ‘Significant Opportunity’ To Address Global Challenges, Says Study

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

The team was led by scientists from the University of Exeter in the UK, who filmed “the repeated ingestion and sharing” of naturally fermented breadfruit by various combinations of chimpanzees at the Cantanhez National Park in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.

The researchers employed motion-activated cameras to capture footage of chimpanzees sharing alcoholic fruit on 10 different occasions. Their work was published in Current Biology last month and builds on previous studies that document alcohol drinking amongst chimps.

Chimpanzees do not always share food with one another. One previous study suggested that apes have the same reciprocal willingness to share as young children, meaning they do it primarily with those who have shared food with them first.

The new footage implies that the sharing of fermented fruit, in particular, may be a bonding activity comparable to human alcohol consumption. The accompanying study notes that the sharing of alcoholic fruits “may have played a long-standing role in hominoid societies.”

Read more: Spanish Government Finally Opens Period Of Consultation For ‘Great Ape Law’

Use of alcohol ‘rooted in our deep evolutionary history’

The team’s work noted that late ripe fruits – with significantly higher alcohol content – were prioritized by chimps in 50 percent of the filmed interactions. In two out of the 10 interactions, the fruits that were not selected by chimpanzees were “clearly” less fermented. The most alcoholic fruits were only around 0.61 percent ABV, which is relatively low, but researchers said this could be the “tip of the iceberg” as the bulk of chimps’ diet is made up of fruit.

“Social eating and alcohol consumption comprise two key components of feasting behaviour in humans,” wrote the Exeter-based researchers. “But do the origins of feasting behaviour derive from a shared common ancestor? Our data provide the first evidence for ethanolic food sharing and feeding by wild nonhuman great apes, and supports the idea that the use of alcohol by humans is not ‘recent’ but rather rooted in our deep evolutionary history.”

In October of last year, an analysis of existing research on non-human alcohol consumption summarized how widespread the phenomenon is amongst wildlife, including chimpanzees and other apes. In addition to ethanol, naturally fermented fruits are rich in calories and vitamins, and their consumption is both “ecologically relevant” and potentially ancient.

Read more: Conservation Funding Prioritizes Large Mammals Over More Threatened Species, Study Finds

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

New York City (NYC) took the top spot with at least 2,420 vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free restaurants, which works out to just over 30 per 100,000 people. NYC notably had around 1,500 more vegan-friendly restaurants than Chicago’s 926 and Los Angeles’s 885.

The rest of the top ten were San Francisco, Las Vegas, Houston, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, and Boston, which had between 500 and 815 vegan-friendly restaurants each.

The research was carried out by Betway, a British gambling company, and primarily cross-referenced information from sites like Tripadvisor and World Population Review. The vegan data was analyzed as part of a wider search to find the “coolest” North American city.

Read more: Over 50 NYC Bodegas Add Plant-Based Eggs To Breakfast Sandwiches

New York City’s abundant vegan options

As noted by Betway, NYC is home to a huge number of popular vegan restaurants, including local favorites like Vegan On The Fly, Ras Plant Based, Spring Cafe, Planta Queen, Orchard Grocer, Cadence, the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park, and many more.

Research from 2022 found that around 70 percent of the wider US population consumes plant-based foods, in addition to the roughly six percent who follow strict vegan diets. According to a Google data-based map by Newsweek, people from New York search for vegan-related terms more than all other US states, apart from Hawaii and Oregon.

Last year, Happy Cow included NYC on its list of the top 10 most vegan-friendly cities in the world, while WalletHub’s most recent analysis of the top US cities for vegans and vegetarians placed NYC at number 11. In addition to the number of vegan-friendly eateries, WalletHub also analyzed factors such as affordability in restaurants and at grocery stores.

“While vegetarians and vegans are still a relatively small share of the population, businesses are recognizing their impact on their market,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo at the time.

Read more: ‘I Dined At The World’s Only Michelin 3-Star Vegan Restaurant – Here’s What It Was Like’

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

Researchers from Italy’s National Institute of Gastroenterology found that people who ate over 300g of poultry per week were twice as likely to die from one of 11 different gastrointestinal cancers, including types affecting the stomach, bowel, and pancreas.

Furthermore, eating more than 300g per week was linked to a 27 percent increased chance of death overall. The mortality risk from excessive chicken consumption was also higher for men than women, which they hypothesized could be related to portion size or hormones.

The researchers conducted the study on 4,869 middle-aged participants from Castellana Grotte and Putignano in Apulia, southern Italy, over nearly 20 years. Gastrointestinal cancers, or “GCs,” accounted for 10.5 percent of participant deaths, and white meat consumption was notably highest among those who died of gastrointestinal cancers.

The researchers noted the need for further study, including around participants’ exercise levels and other contextual factors.

Read more: Most Americans Wrongly Think It’s Important To Eat Animal Products For Protein

Meat consumption and cancer risk

The study was published in the scientific journal Nutrients last month. While the researchers said the precise cause of an increased mortality risk was unclear, theorized possibilities included cooking processes and farmed animals’ exposure to hormones and medications.

Eating more than 350g of red meat per week, equal to around two steaks, was also found to increase the risk of any type of cancer, the researchers found. But where poultry previously enjoyed a health halo, red meat’s links to negative health outcomes are well established.

Poultry was the most widely consumed meat in the world in 2023, and studies indicate that consumption per capita in Italy, in particular, is on the rise. Cancer rates are also rising, including for younger people, which is thought to be due to a complex range of factors.

Diet is generally considered to be one of these factors, and Cancer Research UK previously suggested that 21 percent of bowel cancers and three percent of all cancers in Britain are caused by the consumption of red or processed meats, as reported by the BBC.

In contrast, a growing body of evidence links meat-free and plant-based diets with a reduced risk of developing cancer, including gastrointestinal varieties like bowel cancer.

Read more: Healthy Plant-Based Diets Lower Risk Of Death From Cardiometabolic Disorders, Finds Study

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

The California-based brand announced the launch of its Beyond Chicken Pieces at more than 1,900 Kroger stores nationwide on May 1, 2025. Beyond Meat said that the launch was a direct response to fans requesting the return of unbreaded vegan chicken, which was one of the brand’s first-ever products.

Beyond Chicken Pieces contain 21g of plant-based protein per serving and “heart-healthy” avocado oil. They contain 0.5g of saturated fat per portion, compared to the 3.8g in a comparable 100g serving of traditional chicken, and no cholesterol or antibiotics.

“The Beyond Meat journey began with a game-changing plant-based chicken product, and today – after several years of research to raise the bar on taste, clean ingredients, and nutrition – I am thrilled to re-introduce this platform as Beyond Chicken Pieces,” said Beyond Meat founder and CEO Ethan Brown. “Beyond Chicken Pieces reflect our commitment to ingredient integrity and outsized nutritional benefits.”

Read more: Juicy Marbles Unveils ‘Market First’ Plant-Based Pork Whole Cut

Plant-based meat and healthy eating

Beyond Meat’s new vegan chicken is certified by the Clean Label Project, and meets the criteria of the American Heart Association’s “Heart-Check” program and the American Diabetes Association’s “Choices For Life” program,” both of which encourage healthy eating.

Beyond Meat has also partnered with the National Basketball Players Association to produce a digital cookbook titled GO BEYOND THE BUZZER to further highlight nutritious, plant-based food. It includes dishes inspired by NBA athletes such as Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Cade Cunningham, and features Beyond products like chicken, beef, and steak.

Recent studies confirm that well-balanced plant-based diets have several key health benefits, and that alternative proteins are just as good at building muscle as traditional meat. Despite increased public scrutiny, even highly processed options are healthier and better for the planet than animal-derived meat, and are not associated with adverse health outcomes.

Read more: Beyond Steak Makes UK Debut At Hundreds Of Tesco Stores Nationwide

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

California-based Eat Just is best known for its plant-based Just Egg products, which are also made using the sustainable and nutrient-dense mung bean. According to the brand, its new vegan powder contains 30g of protein per serving, said to be the highest of any comparable product on the market.

“We spent years trying to find a clean, single ingredient protein that could make it a little easier to eat better,” said Joshua Tetrick, CEO and Co-founder of Eat Just. “We’re so excited to see what folks make with it.”

In addition to the original, single-ingredient version, Just One is also available in three additional flavors: Maple + Banana, Chocolate + Peanut Butter, and Vanilla + Chai. The flavored varieties contain 17g of protein per serving and include additional ingredients such as cashews, premium cocoa, and chai spices. All are complete sources of protein.

Read more: Just Egg Is Coming To The UK And EU

US demand for vegan protein powder

Along with its high protein content and minimal ingredients, Just One is notable for its versatility. According to Eat Just, the company’s proprietary technology means that the protein powder gels, emulsifies, leavens, and binds, without adding density or grittiness.

“My chefs and I have fooled around with Just One in our kitchens for the last six months. We’re in love,” said Andrew Zimmern, a chef, restaurateur, and TV personality. “From pumpkin bread to mushroom meatballs and silky smoothies, this single ingredient can do it all. It’s best in class.”

Eat Just noted that approximately 85 percent of Americans would like to consume more protein in 2025, while 81 percent say it is important to them to purchase clean-label foods. In March, a survey found that 87 percent of Americans incorrectly believe animal products are an important source of protein, despite vegan protein being at least “as effective.”

Read more: Study Finds No Difference In Muscle Fiber Protein Synthesis Between Vegan And Omnivore Diets

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.