Plant-based alternatives to meat are better for the planet and mostly healthier than products such as burgers and sausages made from animals, new research has found.

Environmentally the production of meat substitutes involves far fewer greenhouse gas emissions and much less water than that of meat dishes, according to UK food policy group the Food Foundation.

Fake meat products also perform well nutritionally in comparison with the real thing. They contain fewer calories, less saturated fat and more fibre, the charity’s study found.

The research compared the environmental impact, nutritional profile and price of 68 plant-based products with that of 36 meat products, including dishes such as – real and fake – bacon, chicken nuggets and meatballs.

However, some of the three main types of “alternative proteins” emerged as being in some ways worse in nutritional terms than meat products, said the foundation, a UK charity and lobby group campaigning for public access to affordable and healthy diets.

“A lot of the more recently developed processed meat alternative products are more likely to contain higher levels of salt than other alternative proteins, and only a third are fortified with iron and vitamin B12, as would be found in meat,” the research found.

For example, the Richmond brand’s meat-free sausages were found to contain worryingly large amounts of salt, said Rebecca Tobi, the charity’s senior business and investor engagement manager. But manufacturers could reformulate their products to make them more nutritious, she added.

In addition, “plant-based meat alternatives are on average lower in protein relative to meat”, the researchers found. However, that finding was not a concern because the difference was small, and the UK population already eats more than enough protein to sustain health, said Tobi, a co-author of the research.

The research comes as the market for non-meat foods continues to expand – in tandem with the popularity of vegetarian and vegan diets – despite the collapse in recent years of a number of plant-based brands and a dip in sales last year. Analysts such as Bloomberg expect the market globally to keep growing significantly until 2030. And an analysis last year by the Green Alliance forecast that the sector could be worth £6.8bn a year and create 25,000 jobs in the UK alone by 2035.

The Food Foundation analysed traditional alternative proteins, such as tofu, seitan and tempeh; processed “new generation” products, such as those made by Quorn and Linda McCartney Foods; and less-processed alternative proteins, notably beans and grains.

The study noted meat-free products are often dearer than buying the real thing. “Consumers pay a premium for more processed plant-based alternatives like tofu, Future Farm and THIS brand compared [with] meat, despite their environmental benefits,” the research found. For example, “new generation” foods are 73 per cent dearer a 100g than meat, while traditional products are 38 per cent more expensive.

Beans and grains emerged as the healthiest, most eco-friendly and also cheapest of the four types of products analysed. They are “a natural source of protein, deliver the best bang for buck on health and environment, with lower amounts of saturated fat, calories and salt and the highest amount of fibre of all products”, the charity said. “They are also the most affordable category.” – Guardian