Eighty percent of Americans want to swap meat for vegan food.

According to market intelligence company Numerator, much of the recent increase in plant-based sales is due to curious meat-eaters. As vegan products become increasingly mainstream and accessible, more and more consumers are identifying as flexitarian.

Out of 450,000 shoppers, 80 percent intend to replace some or all meat with plant-based alternatives.

“Health and curiosity are the primary drivers of plant-based meat purchases,” says Numerator. It adds that environmental and ethical concerns are more likely to motivate vegans and vegetarians.

According to Numerator’s data, consumers “love the taste, perceived healthiness, and the fact that these products don’t involve harming animals and are better for the environment.”

Numerator adds, “most significantly, three out of four triers believe plant-based meat alternatives are healthier than real meat.”

Sixty-two percent of consumers said they were satisfied with current plant-based products. Eighty-three percent said they would recommend them to another person, and 81 percent said they would explore other vegan food alternatives.

Flexitarians Love Vegan Meat

“Nearly half of meat alternative buyers (48%) have no meat-avoidant members in their household,” explains Numerator, adding that “only 30% have a vegetarian or vegan in the household.”

“Plant-based meat alternatives are reaching a broad audience as 93% of buyers purchase these products for themselves,” says Numerator. “[Forty-five percent] purchase for their spouse or significant other, 28% purchase for children, and 26% purchase for a friend or another adult.”

Of the 80 percent of U.S. shoppers who said they may swap meat for vegan alternatives, 21 percent were ready to go completely vegan and 23 percent intended to replace a sizable portion of animal products with vegan ones. Thirty-six percent said they would replace just a small quantity.

Is Meat Healthy?

Many Americans are changing their diet to include more vegan food for health reasons, says Numerator.

A number of studies have linked meat consumption with a higher risk of serious diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Studies have also shown meat consumption could increase the risk of developing diabetes.

Surgeon and world authority on breast cancer Dr. Kristi Funk believes plant-based is the best diet for the human body.

She told LIVEKINDLY, “the body’s cellular response to consuming animal protein and animal fat is everything that feeds and fuels illness while choking health to death. She continued, “estrogen levels rise, growth hormones skyrocket, inflammation abounds, free radicals run around damaging cells and mutating DNA.”