Singapore is becoming a hotspot for the growing plant-based food market. With an expanding range of products, restaurants and available recipes, going plant-based is easier than ever. You can now replace the meat in your meals without sacrificing flavor or nutrition. Whether motivated by the health benefits of plant-based diets or more sustainable food production, Singaporeans are making the switch. Plant-based meat alternatives offer benefits to individuals from improving health conditions to feeling more energized. Plant-based foods can also provide economic and environmental benefits to Singapore and its people. Despite the grave toll the pandemic has taken on people and businesses around the world, the Strait Times reports that “Hong Kong-based OmniFoods’ founder David Yeung calls the pandemic an ‘unexpected silver lining” for the plant-based sector.” It has shown that there is a demand for having healthier alternatives and OmniMeats is “ramping up production aggressively” to meet that need.
The production of plant-based foods is a unique economic opportunity for Singapore’s food industry. With 90% of its food being imported, the government has been looking for more opportunities for locally-based food production and greater food security. Plant-based foods could be part of the beginning to a more secure food industry. Fortune Magazine hypothesizes that “the future of Singapore's nascent protein industry may be a combination of animal and vegetable. “The trend we see right now is a mix of cultured meat and plant-based protein,” says Adrien Beauvisage, president for southeast Asia for Buhler, an innovative equipment company.”
Swapping out meat for plant-based alternatives has never been easier. There are more options than ever before for plant-based eating. Grocery markets and even convenience stores are supplying more and more products for low-meat, or no-meat, diets. You can also enjoy plant-based eating while you’re out in the city in a growing number of restaurants serving meat alternative meals. Check out our guide to Best Vegan Food - Singapore. TimeOut compiled a list of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Singapore that serve everything from protein bowls to burgers and broccolini tempura.
Plant-based foods offer as much, and in some cases more, protein as meat products. They can also be lower in calories. Meat alternatives tend to offer a number of essential vitamins and minerals that aren’t found in the meat they’re replacing. Studies on low-meat and plant-based diets suggest they can improve heart health, lower your blood pressure, treat prediabetes and more. In addition to these conditions, nutritionist Jaclyn Reutens, the founder of Aptima Nutrition and Sports Consultants, reported that in the long run, a plant-based diet can reward you with “good energy levels, a healthier digestive tract, mentally more alert, and a significant reduction of health risks associated with a high intake of animal products.”
The benefits of plant-based foods may seem too good to be true, but they’re not. These benefits are personal, environmental and economic. The market for plant-based food offers a means of sustainable food production for Singapore. The products offer a healthier lifestyle that Singaporeans can be a part of with ease. Plant-based diets offer the potential of a more food-secure, sustainable and healthier Singapore.
