New vegan bacon is on its way to supermarkets in the United States.
The meat-free bacon strips come from Slutty Vegan, a plant-based burger joint serving up vegan junk food in Atlanta. The brand hosts pop-ups in Atlanta that frequently sell out. It has also recently ventured into other markets with those events selling out as well.
Slutty Vegan’s mission is to bring good vegan food to communities that might not usually have access to it. On its website it says, “We actively seek to dismiss the notion held by many we serve, that vegan food is either too expensive or too bland.” A recent pop-up in the Hyde Park area of Los Angeles sold out within a few hours.
Slutty Vegan posted an image of the new bacon on Instagram. The product’s packaging says the plant-based meat is made from non-GMO soy protein and offers a smokey flavor. It’s low in sodium, has zero preservatives, and contains no trans fat.
The vegan bacon, imported from Taiwan and co-packed under the Slutty Vegan label, is “coming to a grocery aisle near you,” the food brand teased online. No other details have been announced.
Across the world, vegan bacon is rising in popularity. In the U.S, Whole Foods’ plant-based BLT — complete with avocado and tempeh bacon — proved popular with many, including actor and designer Tabitha Brown.
In the UK, Asda supermarkets offer vegan bacon-flavored fries and in Australia, Upton’s Naturals sells vegan bacon mac ‘n’ cheese.
Ethical, environmental, and health reasons are driving the move away from meat.
In 2015, the World Health Organization looked at the link between cancer and diet and classed processed meats like bacon and hot dogs as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same category as tobacco and asbestos.
This year, a group of healthcare workers in the UK has urged hospitals to ban bacon from patient and cafeteria menus, citing the fact that eating bacon is as dangerous as asbestos exposure. “The NHS spends millions treating cancer, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes,” said the founder of the group, Dr. Shireen Kassam. “Why serve food that can cause life-threatening conditions? Hospitals will argue healthier options are available, but there’s no safe limit with processed meat.”
Recent research from Oxford University found that eating just three rashers of bacon a day can increase the risk of cancer by 20 percent. Other research has found that going vegan can reduce your risk of diseases like cancer and heart disease.
This post was last modified on December 15, 2020 6:38 am