Assessing the Effect of Plant-Based Mince on Fullness and Post-Prandial Satiety in Healthy Male Subjects

This study aimed to assess the effect of substituting plant-based mince for beef mince in a standard pasta meal on the amount consumed and on objective and subjective measures of post-prandial satiety. Healthy, adult males (n = 24) consumed a pasta lunch meal containing either plant-based or beef mince at separate visits, and the amount consumed measured at each visit. Perceptions of hunger, fullness and satisfaction were recorded and blood samples collected before and for 3 h after eating, when a buffet meal was provided. Participants consumed 586 kJ less of the pasta meal prepared with plant-based mince compared to beef mince (p < 0.05). Energy intake at the buffet meal and measures of fullness, satiety and satisfaction after the pasta meal were not different between plant and beef mince (p > 0.05). Post-prandial Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), but not insulin or leptin concentrations, were lower after the plant-based pasta meal (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that the pasta meal containing plant-based mince was more satiating than an equivalent meal prepared with beef mince, and that this was not associated with greater energy intake at a subsequent meal occasion. Further studies that evaluate the longer-term effects of replacing meat with plant-based mince on energy intakes and explore the mechanisms underlying the lower consumption of the plant-based mince meal would be valuable.