One company is creating a plant-based salmon that tastes and feels like the real thing: Are alternatives like these actually healthy?
Key Takeaways
Plant-based alternatives are popular—due to increased interest in vegetarianism and veganism as well as environmental ethics.
While plant-based foods (and other meat or fish substitutes) can help reduce fish and meat consumption, experts say these are also processed foods, the intake of which should be limited.
Growing interest in veganism, increased environmental awareness, and the realities of overfishing have paved the way for meat and seafood alternatives. From pea protein–based burgers to fish filets made from soy derivatives, most supermarkets are stocking the shelves with vegan or vegetarian options—and there’s a chance your patients are eating them for ethical or health purposes.[][][]
A new plant-based fish made by Toronto startup New School Foods claims to have created a salmon substitute that offers the taste and texture of real fish. The startup says that the company’s fish is still in “beta” mode but plans to launch a pilot program for chefs in North America and begin distribution in grocery stores after that, according to Ars Technica.
The company says its plant-based salmon “looks, cooks, tastes, and flakes like wild salmon.” How did New School Foods achieve this? The startup uses a proprietary technology—made up of “muscle fib[er] and scaffolding technologies”—to create a slab of pseudo-salmon that appears and feels like the real thing, complete with “aligned muscle fib[ers], connective tissue, fats, and other components.” The fish, the company says, starts off “raw” and can be cooked like real salmon. Its flavor is due to its “same level of Omega-3s found in wild salmon.”[]
According to an article in Scientific American, food scientists like those at New School Foods are discovering new ways of recreating a fish’s complex sheets of muscle fiber. One such technique is known as “directional freezing”—a process based on the premise that ice tends to form in a certain direction, starting from the coldest point and moving outward.[]
When blocks of gel made from edible algae are frozen, the water inside it solidifies into “needlelike ice structures, creating a matrix of thousands of tiny tubes,” the article explains. From here, food scientists can play with the size and temperature of the gel, making channels that create texture. The channels are then filled with flavor, protein, and fat. Other synthetic fish makers use 3-D printing to build fish filets and add layers of ingredients like pea protein or omega-3 fatty acids.
What to consider when eating plant-based substitutes
The benefits seem clear, at least from an environmental and ethical standpoint. Synthetic fish can play a key role in a world where overfishing threatens sea life. In fact, the World Wide Fund for Nature’s 2022 Living Planet Report says that over the past 50 years, there has been a 69% decrease in monitored wildlife populations around the world between 1970 and 2018).[][]
Can fish substitutes also provide adequate nutrition? Salmon offers healthy proteins and fats, with studies showing that regular salmon consumption can lead to decreased risks of coronary heart disease.[]
Jabe Brown, BHSc, MSc, Founder of Melbourne Functional Medicine, agrees that the topic—which he calls “controversial”—is multifaceted. For one, he says, “Plant-based seafood is an innovation born out of a merger between biotechnological advancements and the genuine need for sustainable dietary choices. If you're passionate about preserving our oceans, adhering to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, or keen to cut down on animal proteins, this could be a welcome addition to your diet.”
Brown says that some plant-based alternatives can be healthy. “Made primarily from legumes or other plant proteins, alternatives often contain fiber—something actual seafood lacks. They are also low in saturated fats and free from cholesterol, offering a great source of lean protein without the risk of mercury contamination.”
There are flipsides, however. Beyond the question of how synthetic fish could potentially impact the traditional fishing and aquaculture sector, Brown says that plant-based alternatives are still processed foods and that patients should be encouraged to consider their ingredients. “Some may contain high sodium levels, along with additives and preservatives [that] ordinary seafood doesn’t contain,” Brown adds.
In fact, many plant-based alternatives contain processed ingredients that patients should avoid eating on a regular basis, says Cindy Klinger, MS, RDN, LDN, an integrative nutritionist. Klinger says that plant-based meat products, for example, often contain ingredients like vegetable oils, natural flavorings, and emulsifiers that should be avoided. “[This is because they can contribute to a dysregulation of our delicate omega fatty acid ratios, promote inflammation, and more,” Klinger says.
For MDs, Brown says, “It's essential to understand the nutritional value of plant-based seafood when guiding patients. Knowing what these products are made of, as well as their pros and cons, can aid in offering comprehensive nutritional advice.” Brown says that plant-based seafood is relatively new to the market, so it’s important that patients are encouraged to stay informed and proceed with mindful consumption.
In the end, a 2023 article in Nutrients says that while consuming plant-based alternatives could reduce the animal product consumption in populations that rely heavily on meat and provide an “intermediate phase on our way to (semi-)plant-based diets,” people should focus on eating unprocessed plant-based foods.[]