Vegetarian meat substitutes may not be as good for you as you think

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New research has found 25 per cent of vegetarian meat substitute products on sale here do not contain enough protein.

A third of consumers who buy plant-based substitutes do so because they think they're healthy and better for them.

But a SafeFood study shows many of the vegetarian meat substitute products were highly processed, and full of sugar and salt.

Safefood’s director of human health and nutrition, Dr Catherine Conlon, says there are several reasons why people are buying meat alternatives.

These include for taste and because they believe they were a healthier option.

The study also found people choosing plant-based meat substitutes out of concern for the environment.