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ou don’t have to eat animals to eat well and get your share of protein. Tofu has been on the menu for about 2,000 years. Falafel has been filling us up for 150 years. Linda McCartney sausages have been a freezer favourite for 30 years. But what’s next? The world of alternative proteins has flourished in the past decade, thanks to a combination of consumer interest, scientific curiosity and serious concerns about sustainability.
Five years ago the UN released a report that concluded global meat consumption must fall to help curb global warming. Shortly afterwards Lisa Sweet, of the World Economic Forum, said that expanding our diets to take in more alternative proteins is the “one way we can make a huge difference to the world’s sustainability and increase our chances of living longer, healthier lives”. Our meat habits need to change. Thankfully there are new temptations in the works.