What do we mean when we say ‘natural ingredients’? Foremost, it means that we aim to use only additives in our products that are not artificially made, but come from naturally existing sources. In other words: the colour that makes our minced products pink comes from beetroot powder, our Salmon Fillet orange comes from  paprika, and the taste that makes it fishy comes from nori seaweed.

There is one exception to our rule: methylcellulose. It optimizes the texture and therefore mouthfeel that makes our products taste so much like their original. Although made artificially, we conducted our own research that showed methyl cellulose behaves very much like a natural fibre, works the same miracles in our gut, and has no negative health effects. Because taste is our number one priority, we use methyl cellulose where necessary but always keep an eye open for (natural) alternatives for this additive.

Did you know that most plant-based proteins are less easily digestible by the body compared to animal proteins? Proteins are made up of small building blocks called amino acids. It is important to ensure an adequate intake of the right kind of amino acids (i.e. proteins), because it’s an essential macro nutrient that plays a vital role in the human body. For example, protein is the main building block of our muscles, bones, skin, and organs. In our PLNT meat and fish successors, we often combine different types of protein in our products, which improves the overall protein quality and digestibility of the products and ensures you get all the protein you need to live your best life!

The different types of protein we use in our 100% plant-based products are:

• Soy
• Pea
• Potato
• Wheat
• Rice

Did you know that your gut speaks to your brain? It’s called the “gut-brain axis. Recently, Multiple scientific studies have shown that the quality of our microbiome (= all bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and fungi that naturally occur in our intestines) has a significant impact on not only or physical- but also our mental health. ‘The balance between good and bad bacteria is influenced (among other factors) by the food we eat, and especially by the fibers in our food. Therefore, almost all of our products are ‘rich in fibre. This allows our products to contribute to people’s well being, benefiting both their psychical and mental health.  With our products we can contribute to both the physical and mental health of people to some extent.

Fat is not only something you want to get rid of, it actually serves an important purpose in your body. One of the primary functions of fat is to serve as a concentrated source of energy. Furthermore, Some vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, are fat-soluble, meaning they require fat to be properly absorbed and utilized by the body. Like protein, your body needs the right type of (unsaturated) fatty acids. At PLNT, we aim to use Omega 3 and 9 fatty acids where we can, because they possess anti-inflammatory properties and they have been shown to have positive effects on brain- and heart health. Furthermore, all of our products are low as possible in saturated fat.

To match our plant-based products as much as possible to their original, we add extra vitamins and minerals. During this process, we pay extra attention to the balance and dosage of these vitamins and minerals. Since plant-based iron & Vitamin B12 is generally more difficult to absorb than animal-based iron, & Vitamin B12, the dosage is carefully managed to enhance the bioavailability (so that the body can absorb it well). Especially in Western Europe, many adults suffer from a chronic vitamin D deficiency, so extra vitamin D is added which has been derived from organic mushrooms that have been activated by UV light.