Fake Meat Linked to Depression Among Vegetarians

Eating ultra-processed plant-based alternatives to meat, such as vegetarian burgers, sausages and nuggets, is linked with a higher risk of depression, a study has found.

Health scientists at the U.K.’s University of Surrey analyzed the diets of more than 3,300 vegetarians—including fish eaters but not meat eaters—and samples of their blood. They found that vegetarians who ate ultra-processed plant-based meat alternatives were 42 percent more likely to have depression, compared with vegetarians who stuck to whole food proteins, such as chickpeas, eggs, beans, lentils and quinoa.

Ultra-processed food has been linked with a number of negative health outcomes, such as obesity, diabetes, inflammation, heart disease, skin conditions and cancer. As a category of food, it is the subject of some debate, but it is generally defined as foods that are industrially manufactured, using processing techniques and chemical ingredients that are usually unavailable to individuals cooking at home.

Some experts say ultra-processed food has negative health effects because most of it is junk food, with more salt, sugar and saturated fat than less processed food. However, the University of Surrey scientists found that vegetarians who ate more ultra-processed proteins did not eat significantly more salt, sugar or saturated fat than the other group.