Image claims to show ingredients in plant based meats. Fact Check

An image titled “what’s in plant based meats?” claims to show many of the ingredients found in plant based “meats”, while listing undesirable qualities of each ingredient.

The conclusion of the image is that plant-based meats may not be healthier than natural meats.

LACKING CONTEXT

The aim of this article will not be to critique the fundamental conclusion or question posed by the image (natural meats are healthier than plant based meats) since this ties in to a larger, on-going debate that falls outside the remit of this article.

However we will critique the methods used by the image above to demonstrate how it potentially misleads readers.

The information presented in the image is correct in that is presents several ingredients likely found in many plant-based meats, and also correctly states an attribute for each. However the method in which the information is presented is akin to the “dihydrogen monoxide effect.”

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The “dihydrogen monoxide effect” originally refers to a series of “pranks” where those in on the joke have continually managed to trick unwitting members of the public that ordinary tap water is dangerous and should be prohibited. This is achieved by only referring to water by its more scientific chemical compound name, dihydrogen monoxide, while simultaneously describing its potentially detrimental effects and apparent undesirable qualities (for example, dihydrogen monoxide is found in acid rain and cancer cells. Dihydrogen monoxide in excessive dosages can be fatal etc.)

It is a good demonstration that information, when chosen selectively, can be used to persuade someone of making decisions or arriving at conclusions that are demonstrably incorrect. It also exploits a common misconception – that chemicals or chemical compounds are bad, while omitting pertinent facts such as that water itself is a chemical compound.

This image discussed here does essentially the same thing; listing a number of chemical compounds while simultaneously attributing what appears to be an undesirable quality for each. However, unveiling the tricks we discussed above, it becomes apparent that the image does not present a fair review. We outline each of the alleged ingredients to plant based meats that the image lists below.

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The following is not intended to blanket endorse the below ingredients, rather it aims to provide more information than presented in the above image.

Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide is a naturally occurring color additive. While it may be found in white paint, the compound can also be found in a number of foodstuff, including low-fat milk, coffee creamer, powdered donuts, frosting, candy and chewing gum. It has been approved as a color additive by the FDA.

The image above implies a logical fallacy; that because it is also found in white paint, and white paint is harmful to humans, then each ingredient found in white paint must too be harmful to humans. The implied conclusion here is incorrect.

Propylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol is an organic compound that the FDA has labelled “generally recognised as safe”. It is used in e-cigarettes for flavouring, but can also be found in cake mixes, carbonated drinks, popcorn and is also used in the fast food industry.

The fallacy implied by the image is the same as above.

Methycellulose

Methycellulose is an FDA approved additive for creating a thicker texture to foods, and can be found in ice cream and fried foods.

Ferric Phosphate

Also known as Iron(+3) Phosphate, Ferric Phospate is “generally recognised as safe” by the FDA, though has been prohibited by the EU. It is often used to fortify bread.

Magnesium Carbonate

Again Magnesium Carbonate is “generally recognsied as safe” by the FDA. It is often found in biscuits, fizzy drinks and in dietary supplements. It can also be used as a food whitener.

With all the above points, it should be noted that in all cases, the ingredients were FDA approved, and are also found in a number of other food products other than plant based meats.

The image, with all of the above ingredients, simply provided their name coupled with the claim that each ingredient could be found in a substance that is not fit for human consumption, with the apparent implication being that too means the ingredient is not safe for human consumption. This is a fallacy. The image also negates an important factor that it is often the concentration of a particular chemical or compound that could make a substance unfit for consumption as opposed to its presence alone.

Beyond listing a substance unfit for human consumption, the image does not back up the implication that each chemical compound is therefore unfit for human consumption.

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Plant based meats are different depending on the manufacturer, and the ingredients within them will vary as well. The question as to whether plant based meats are safe, or are healthier (or not healthier) than natural meats is not addressed here. While the image correctly determines that plant based meats are produced with a variety of chemical compounds, it does so exploiting the assumption that chemicals are inherently bad and should always be avoided.

This article simply highlights that the image above is not a reliable method of obtaining an answer to questions about the nutritional value of plant based foodstuff, since it relies on fallacies and one sided information. Or as we stated earlier, the “dihydrogen monoxide effect”.