Fully Plant-Based Hospital Menus Can Hit Clinical Protein Targets, Dutch Study Finds

A study conducted by researchers at Amsterdam UMC found that fully plant-based hospital menus can meet clinical protein requirements, offering a potential solution for Dutch healthcare institutions looking to shift towards more plant-derived offerings. The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, aimed to address the policy challenge of reaching a 40/60 animal-to-plant protein ratio by 2030. The researchers, consisting of a group of 16 experts, developed and tested recipes against protein quantity, quality, palatability, portion size, cost, and preparation feasibility criteria.

The resulting menus delivered 90 to 97 grams of protein per day, with most of the protein coming from sources like soy, lentils, grains, and nuts. Essential amino acid scores exceeded reference patterns, highlighting the high quality of the protein. Despite the use of some processed products like soy-based meat and dairy alternatives, the daily menu costs remained within hospital budgets, indicating that nutritionally adequate plant-derived menus can be implemented without increasing costs. This study provides hospitals with a template for achieving their animal-to-plant protein ratio targets while meeting clinical and sustainability priorities.