The response by the meat industry is to be expected. So much of the American life is dictated by a fear of poverty/loss of income and /or the drive for more wealth. The violence of the meat industry is astounding, and on the one hand folks like to argue that we are animals too, but on the other hand these same folks will argue that we are somehow above the other sentient lives that we share this planet with. And I think we should be held to a higher standard of living experience, but we obviously can turn our eyes and consciousness from the suffering of other people if it is too inconvenient for us (the pandemic is a terrific example of this), so the thought of disrupting an industry and challenging what has become such a cultural norm for the sake of lives that we can so easily other ourselves from, well, it doesn’t surprise me that the majority of us continue to falter. I don’t know what it will take for people to change, and it seems that the emotional response folks have associated with a lifestyle is as if not more important than the ethics of that lifestyle. All of these folks screaming “don’t tell me what to eat”,make choices based on the culture they were raised in and thereby fight for the right to do what they have been told to do. If you don’t feel anything when you look into the eye of another life it is not because nothing is there, this absence is in you, not the other. Dig into that abyss,in the heart of nothing is everything. Own the privilege of a human life.
Sure. An objection to fake meat from the meat industry sounds completely above board and without ulterior motives. /s
The meat industry should instead acknowledge it's contribution to cruelty, climate change and negative health outcomes, and put forth their solutions, before picking on well-intentioned meat substitutes.
Everyone can see what they're doing. You can fool some people sometimes, but you can't fool everyone all the time.
1
We gave up all meat, poultry, pork three years ago. We did this for health and ethical reasons associated with factory farming of animals. Today the thought of eating a chopped up body part makes us sick at the thought, if you think about it, the process is disgusting and cruel.
If you want to talk health we have both dropped all excess body fat (myself 35 pounds) perfect blood work on every metric. Sleep is amazing I could go on and on. Once you walk away you wont go back to eating animals.
3
Maybe I haven’t had enough of my morning coffee, but many of us choose plant -based products because we don’t want to eat animals. As you are chuckling and sneering at me, I’ll say it. They are sentient creatures living in a country that treats them as products to be manufactured for consumption. Have you seen where pigs and piglets live, etc. etc. Sigh. I don’t want to eat them. I choose vegetarian eating. Beyond and Impossible are two of many choices— sometimes. Not daily certainly. Could you have mentioned this in your article!! It’s not about health for many of us. It’s about Animal Welfare.
4
I agree that ultra processed “Frankenmeat” is probably as bad if not worse than regular processed meat.
What is the footprint of a plant based meat factory? How much raw material ends up in the final product? How much energy is used per pound, compared to regular meat? Most of the plant based products I see are frozen. What is the energy cost to keep them frozen?
I read a box of “burgers” and was surprised at all the non-natural ingredients. Have they all been vetted in long term studies?
Still, I don’t care what you eat.
So stop telling me what I should eat.
As one famous meme, picturing one of those wholesome family dinners from the 50’s, the kid asks “Daddy, how do you know someone’s a Vegan?”
“Don’t worry, they’ll make sure you know.”
1
"Americans purchased 6.4 billion beef burgers at quick service restaurants during the 12 months that ended in May, compared to 228 million plant-based burgers in the same period." How do these stats add up?
There are many wonderful alternatives these days to eating dead animals. I love a good veggie burger made with black beans and spices. Yum! We've come a long way since the 1970's when we would make our own almond milk and tempeh to grill. The future no longer means the confinement, dismemberment, and death of sentient beings in polluting, large-scale, animal "processing" facilities. The future is restorative, compassionate, and ecologically minded. You can see how threatened big AG is.
1
Stop saying "plant based!" Every shred of food on this planet is plant based. What the dickens do you think cattle and pigs and chickens eat? PLANTS! Eat whatever "burgers" you want but have some respect for the English language.
3
Good news for EU meat producers-
The Guardian-
A ban on farm feed made of animal remains introduced during the BSE crisis is to be lifted in the EU to allow cheap pig protein to be fed to chickens over fears that European farmers are being undercut by lower standards elsewhere.
Liked the Beyond Burger (which I cooked), not so much the Impossible Sausage I got at Hardees, er 'Carls' (and it was just cooked).
the blood lust of carnivores is not to be discounted.
I was vegetarian for many years because of the impact of industrial scale confined animal feeding operations. Also the
meat producers destroyed local markets and jungle environment to create feedlots in middle America. If its ugly, livestock
farmers will do it. Confined animals are subjected to horrible conditions and fed growth hormones and anti-biotics. The people that eat meat all the time, absorbing meat additives, start to resemble Hindenberg after a heavy meal. That said, the blood and flesh in meat is a big source of iron and protein. I went back to occasional meat dish. But the white-spotted tick bit me and I can't eat beef.
Why does it always seem that it's the big capitalists that are most afraid of capitalism. I was always taught competition is good for the soul. But again and again, it's big businesses from the "heartland" using the power of government to squash competition. The same thing happened with residential gas bans. What are they so afraid of?
9
The more fundamental question is why do vegans even want to eat something that emulates something that they claim is immoral? Would someone observing kosher eat fake pork? Absurd.
2
Like the movies, non meat manufacturers need to add the following to their products
“ no animals were hurt in the making of this….”
1
"Meat" is a euphemism. Humans don like to say they eat flesh.
2
@Kaari
This response is etymologically incorrect. "Meat" means "food" or "the edible portion of something," as opposed to the outer shell or hush. Hence, a kernel of corn is the meat of an ear of corn. "Flesh" is specifically soft tissue, but again refer to things that are not mammalian, i.e. the "flesh of an apple." The two words are not synonymous and have completely different etymologies.
1
We don't eat a lot of beef but decided to try Beyond Burgers. They were quite good and we enjoyed them. Until I read the label and saw the amount of sodium in one burger. My partner has been told he has to cut back on his salt intake so Beyond Burgers are off the menu. If we decide we want an old fashioned burger I'll buy lean ground beef and make my own.
"The bill calls for the products to carry a statement on their packages “that clearly indicates the product is not derived from or does not contain meat.”"
Just label it Vegan.
1
I’ve tried the fake meats. Patties, sausage, meatballs. They taste like wheat. They do not taste like meat. So if you want to go meatless just eat veggies. Fake meats are not worth the expense.
Let them put the word “imitation” on the package.
Do they really think that we are confused when we select Beyond or Impossible???
This omnivore, for one, would welcome labeling that makes it even more clear that I am selecting a product that is better for the planet, that doesn’t involve the torture and murder of an animal, and that tastes pretty good.
They’re right, having the beef industry come after them is a badge of honor. It means they’re losing share and that our choices are making a difference.
News flash ranchers and big beef: we know it’s imitation meat. That’s WHY we buy it!
7
I don't get why there has to be imitation meat. Why do people even like the taste of meat? In my book, the smell, taste and texture of meat are all disgusting. Isn't tofu good enough just by being tofu? If there's not enough flavor in tofu, I have a recipe which my grandma used: freeze it, then thaw and cook it in whatever seasoning you prefer. The spongy tofu will soak it up and taste 1000 times better than meat.
1
Lol love experts like Dr. Hu - a plant-based burger isn't healthier if you also have fries, a coke, and 4 chocolate cakes for dessert. Can't argue with that logic.
1
Vegans will never convince the majority of Americans to give up meat with their silly scare tactics. If vegans really cared for livestock, they’d put their energy into helping the animals who languish in industrial farms.
In the last five years, I’ve bought all my meat and poultry from two local farms. The animals are raised on pasture from birth to death. They never see an abattoir. But most Americans can’t or won’t pay for this way of eating.
Many Americans think it’s all right to crate their own dogs for hours a day. What makes vegans think people will care for cows?
2
@Mathilda I agree, no pet owner should crate their animal for long periods of time. And while your local farms may seem idyllic to you, you're still killing animals for food
1
The plant based Pattie’s make the mistake of emulating a fat meat ground beef patty. Yuk. Too thick a patty makes it hard to cook through. You wonder what the uncooked pink ‘flesh’ in the middle is? I try to slice the thick patty into two Pattie’s- but it’s very messy. Flavor and texture plus environmental benefit is the draw- so ditch trying to produce a gross fat burger.
Why is there no discussion here about the enormous environmental cost of raising beef ?
2
no more meat for me
no more fake meat either-gmo and crazy plastic packaging
sticking to real plants thanks!
1
“…The Wall Street Journal criticizing plant-based meats as highly processed and no healthier than meat.”
Talk to me when you can compare the cruelty of the two. I say this as a guy who enjoyed his prime grade ribeye last night.
Does anyone make plant-based filet or prime rib?
1
I don’t get the love affair with burgers regardless of what they are made of. Most of the American diet is some version of bread/meat/cheese or those plant based substitutes. Just give me real veggies and whole grains.
There are some real concerns raised on both sides. First, it the false notion the “real meat” is natural. For decades, the meat industry has destroyed a healthy nutrient by over producing and ruining the biology of meat. We are just beginning to return to having natural food. This is not to justify animal slaughter, but humans and our predecessors have been killing for food for many thousands of years. Just saying. Second, we have absolutely no data with regard to the long term health effects of fake or artificial meat substitutes, the same can be said for artificial so-called milks. We just don’t know. Just because something is plant based, does not make if safe or efficacious. Get over the notion of anything from a plant is ok, you don’t know what you talking about. What is needed in more long term information gathered from real science, not opinions. We have seen in this country the damaging effects of industrial campaigns to sell products. Meat industry, dairy industry, salt industry, grain industry and sugar industry. We have also been told to eat larger portions by food producers. Portions sizes have tripled over the past 5 decades. We must return to nutrition based on sanity, not commercialism including from the fake meat industry, they also are in it for the money
5
I stopped eating meat several years ago and only rarely eat plant-based meat, but I'm slightly bemused by the 'ultra processed' argument against plant-based meat. Most real meat is also highly processed in my opinion -- hormones, antibiotics, irradiation (and/or other chemical processes to kill pathogens), nitrates and other preservatives. Eat a hot dog or sliced turkey if you'd like, but realize they come from a place called a processing facility.
12
Interesting that R. pols want SO MUCH government intervention on how and where legal products are labeled and sold. Very un-American and anti-capitalist.
7
If only nature had given us something that can itself process plants into something that tastes like meat. We could call it a “cow.” If we spent more energy on how to humanely raise cattle and mitigate their impact on the climate we wouldn’t have to worry about trying to turn beans into something they are not. Personally I prefer hummus to fake meat, but that’s a personal choice.
4
In the last (expensive!) ground beef I bought for burgers, there were a couple un-chewable, gristley things I had to remove from my mouth while eating. Bones? tissue? who knows. That was it for me. I have two packages of Beyond Burger in my freezer. I like it a lot.
4
My wife and I have tried Beyond/Impossible faux meats. While their taste and texture was acceptable there are ingredients in them that fall into dubious nutritional territory in my view. On the other hand, Dr. Prager's meat substitute products don't contain coconut or canola oils, heme, soy or potato starches. They use high oleic sunflower oil and have moderate sodium levels. We have no economic incentive on our part promoting their products, just recommending them as possibly healthier alternatives to the industry leaders in faux meat.
3
Plant-based meats are fine, unless you are allergic to soy or other legumes.
3
I can't help but wonder how many comments here are from someone with ties to the meat industry.
I guess late stage capitalism breeds this kind of PR warring over the revenue pie.
All I learned here is that the meat substitutes are enough of a revenue threat to cause the PR war to start.
But one thing is for sure, as humans spread across the planet, they can't all have the same amount of cows raised for their food - the planet can't handle it.
10
My wife and I are in our 60's, and have been lifelong meat eaters. Last year, we stopped bringing meat or poultry into our home for one reason: with reasonable alternatives like Beyond/Impossible burgers and Chick'n available, we are no longer comfortable eating animals who are raised solely to be slaughtered. Anyone who has visited a dairy farm or petting zoo knows that cattle and pigs are just as sentient and capable of feelings as dogs or cats. Everyone has their own line in the sand, but this article ignores one of the primary reasons so many people are eating these new substitutes for beef.
21
Why isn’t a filet from a grass-fed cow that was born of a grass-fed cow not considered plant-based? Meat made naturally from plants.
5
@LLT Because you have to kill an animal to eat the filet.
@JBHart
But that doesn’t answer the question. And I thought research supports the idea that plants have feelings, too.
Long time vegetarian here. I've lost the craving for meat; the idea of chewing a hunk of flesh is revolting. So I suspect the fake meat products are really geared for meat eaters who use these products to cut meat consumption and make themselves feel they are taking action. I use soy based deli products because it gives a boost to the occasional sandwich.
3
The sodium comparison makes no sense: Impossible Burgers or Beyond Burgers taste great with no salt added, while a beef burger tastes completely bland unless you add a lot of salt.
11
@EJS This is a personal preference that's simply not true for everyone. I occasionally make a beef burger and I never add salt. It tastes fine to me. I have it with lettuce, tomato, a slice of avocado and a little low-sodium ketchup or mustard.
3
@EJS
"Impossible Burgers or Beyond Burgers taste great with no salt added.
Uh, didn't you read the article? Impossible Burger: 370ml sodium. Beyond Burger: 390ml sodium.
2
@EJS
I have never added salt to a burger
2
The tag 'ultra-processed' is an interesting smear label from the meat industry -- who have been medicating animals for decades to speed growth. May be welcome by some but IMHO it is not based on any reality I can see or experience. My family is largely vegetarian -- our protein comes from tofu, cheese, eggs and seitan, the fakemeat that makes up most of the commercial items. But I make our seitan, just as I bake our bread. Seitan is a mixture of wheat glutin (protein) with an assortment of spices to produce the flavor and texture wanted. No artificial colors, preservatives or other food-like substances. The seitan is then cooked to set the mix. Not much different from a meatloaf but no dead critter. And it keeps really well in the freezer. So I make a batch and cut it into meal size portions. In the store, fakemeat products are often more expensive than the meat they imitate. But making it at home is very inexpensive -- odd, that. And we do occasionally think that no one died for our dinner -- and for us that seems enough.
12
You know, the meat industry taught me a long time ago 100% meat does not mean 100% beef, and 100% beef does not mean 100% meat. Has everyone already forgotten pink slime?
Ground beef IS processed.
Joe
11
I have nothing against the idea of plant based meats but their ingredients are very highly processed themselves. For example google how they process canola oils. If I avoid canola oil why would I eat plant based meats that include it as a key ingredient. Same for soy protein. Plant based meats remind me of the margarine/trans fat craze in the 70’s. Also, the standard today is a food’s impact on our gut health(micro biome). Lots of studies show that highly processed foods are not good for our gut health. I also fail to see how a soy mono crop that kills every living plant and organism around it and destroys biodiversity is better for the planet.
5
I have a "real" burger about 6 times a year. The only read meat I buy is ground beef on rare occasions for chili.
2
Ground beef is utterly unnecessary for chili. The gushing compliments I get for mine, made with Beyond let me know it’s,the texture that matters.
1
@Y O Ming - and I make it with no plant-meat and its great too. Just tomatoes onions various beans spices peppers etc
3
Impossible and beyond are realistic alternatives for those of us that no longer eat meat, vegetarians. Like the CEO of Impossible said its an alternative. I am not living on impossible and beyond patties. I eat a pretty typical vegetarian diet but when I want a burger these brands are a great substitute...
12
Impossible and Beyond meats are certainly healthier for the cows.
23
Well, it’s not like people in the US are going to start keeping cows as pets. If they aren’t economical they aren’t going to be born, raised, fed, slaughtered.
All sounds like Soylent Green. There is no reason to eat red meat or fake food, there are so many real food options.
It’s a great way to lose weight: no processed foods, no fast food, nothing from a box or a can. Lost 20lbs that way.
7
The key concept here, one that seems to be taking a beating these days, is choice. Want to eat a meat burger? You do you, friend. I will never eat meat again, and your taking out a full-page ad will never convince me otherwise. I supposed these folks talking about the hefty processing of fake meat eat whole food all the time? They never have processed food pass their lips? Highly doubtful.
The way I see it, protein is protein. When my meat eating friends disparage plant-based food traditionally made from animals, like burgers or sausages, I gently remind them that protein comes from plant sources too. I make porchetta and shawarma from wheat gluten (protein!) and bolognese from soybeans (protein!)
Just like enjoying your meaty Whopper or whatever should not be every day, neither is a plant-based meat burger. Most days I eat lots of veg, grains, lentils, and beans. But: If I can enjoy a nice burger from my barbecue on a hot summer day, one that does not cause a lifetime of misery to another creature, why would I not do that?
25
@Kelly The "protein is protein" argument is not entirely true. Plant sources of protein are generally less bioavailable to humans than meat sources. This is a limitation of having one stomach (ruminant animals have four). So even if a label says 10g of pea/soy/nut protein, only a portion of that will be usable, especially if it's not cooked for a good amount of time. Meat protein is 100% bioavailable to humans.
7
@Andrew
Whey (from milk) is the most bioavailable source of protein. Meat provides 80% protein bioavailaibility for humans.
And although nuts and plants may not offer full protein bioavailability for humans, people tend to each nuts and beans (and other plants) with other foods, which can provide full protein bioavailability for humans.
The additional benefit of plant-based proteins is that you also consume many other macro and micro nutrients from eating plants such as vitamins C, Flavonoids and Fiber. Additionally, growing plants is far less environmentally damaging than raising animals for human consumption. And as is obvious, eating plants is far less destructive to animals.
2
Actually long ago I realized that it all the non meat items on a Whooper that I occasionally crave. So I just order a Whopper with no “meat”. Made fresh every time.
4
Yes, this! A burger is just a delivery mechanism for all the accoutrements. Realize that, and the ‘faux’ meats are ez-peazy.
@Ellen If you're ever in a state with In n Out, try the grilled cheese, animal style. You can thank me later. :)
1
It is simple economics at play here. The meat industry is noticing a significant shift in the direction of people eating non-meat products and accompanying loss of money. They would say/do anything to stop that.
39
Franken food. I ate the plant stuff twice and that was enough. I'd rather eat meat than a super processed food. Meat is 1 ingredient. Who knows how many processed to oblivion ingredients are in the imitation.
16
Meat containing hormones, chlorine and in some cases antibiotics?
30
@Hal Paris - "One ingredient" (plus, growth hormones, antibiotics, herbicides, pesticides, chlorine, ammonia…)
26
And don’t forget the GMO Franken Corn that is the main stable of the animal’s diet. Transferring that and other “additives” of hormones, antibiotics, possible pathogens due to feed lots into the muscle mass that is called meat. Yum!
15
Meanwhile, those of us with red meat allergy (in my case, also a dairy allergy), are quietly celebrating being able to eat something while on the road again. Burger King is found in most podunk towns on the highways I drive down. I once drove my kids to my in laws for babysitting (1 hour), left immediately for a wedding (3.5 hour drive), attending the wedding with no food but pretzels (3 hours...nothing was dairy free), then headed back. I had not eaten since 7am and would not until 10pm, except for a small town Burger King that felt like a miracle.
I wish, at the same time, that vegetable dishes were as plentiful as these new meat substitutes. Can I order sautéed vegetables in the drive thru? Why not? Sigh. I live in this culture, and meat is at its center, so Impossible burger is my go-to when I get stuck with a day where packing enough food is impossible or highly difficult. It's very odd getting stuck in the middle of an economic and culture war when I really just want to be able to eat something that didn't come from a cow. Milk and beef- they are in almost everything prepared or processed.
One final thought - Beyond is disgusting. It tastes weird, nothing at all like meat. It tastes like Dr. Robotnik came up with it when stuck on the mushroom planet. It doesn't even pass the sniff test.
18
@Camille
In a lifetime of working at many jobs where you packed your lunch, I look back on lots of reasons you failed to choose to accommodate your own needs. Why didn't you simply pack something to eat knowing you have all these special needs instead of bellyaching to us about how BK's large presence makes your life doable?
@Mike Hi Mike! I hope you never ever eat out ever and always pack every last bit of your food for a road trip, trip by airlines or train, cruise, boat trip, or anywhere else life takes you. I really can't imagine why anyone ever eats at a restaurant ever! It can't be convenience, eating a hot meal, or anything like that, surely. What's with all the people eating at restaurants? Odd, surely. Anyway - glad to hear you are committed to never again purchasing food to eat while traveling or going about daily life! Happy travels (with your cooler)!
What happened to Morningstar and Gardein? An article that doesn't mention them is out of touch.
17
@Runner24 probably because they don’t resemble meat like Impossible and Beyond do. They are quite obviously “veggie”.
1
I didn't like the taste of ground beef before I became a vegetarian so Impossible/Beyond do nothing for me. But why would anyone would believe a competitor when they say "Hey! Our competition that you love is bad for you actually!" The conflict of interest is obvious.
6
Oh, you mean the Center for Consumer Freedom that Rick Berman founded to protect tobacco companies.
https://www.desmog.com/richard-berman/
11
For all those commenters insisting that raising cattle/beef is better for the planet (green house gases/global warming) than growing plants... Please stop insisting.
Go ahead and eat your meat burger - but stop with the silly statements and non-facts.
Is it your guilt that is making y'all defensive? Cause no one cares what you eat. Just don't make stuff up.
BTW - Meat accounts for 60% of all green house gases.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/13/meat-greenhouses-gases-food-production-study
22
@Mountaintop Actually, I care about what they eat because eating meat is one more thing destroying the future for children.
But yeah, it's particularly awful to eat your carbon bomb burger while spouting nonsense.
Fake news.
Impossible Burgers are quite delicious, no sentient being was slaughtered, and it's a win for the planet. Of course the greedy meat purveyors were wigged out.
30
@LLTK I tried one long ago and found it not even close to good and I am a Whopper fan who rarely eats one at that. Mostly we never eat fast food cooking at home.
1
@LLTK if only they would create compostable packaging and skip gmos
Sounds like the meat industry is petrified. Also this "regulartory" backlash in Red states like Missouri and Kansas sounds like they are embracing government to me. Where is the consumer chokce and hands off mantra ol Republicans?
24
Red meat is for those that want an early grave.
12
Time for an updated column, please!
Fascinating when consumer tastes are mooving on, sacred cows are attacked, and the people who's oxen are being gored go crazy on laws attempting thought control.
3
"... Representative Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas and the top recipient of livestock industry donations in the House..."
How can an elected official on the payroll of a corporation be trusted to make good decisions regarding that industry? This is the definition of corruption yet it's the American way of governance.
14
I eat/like both Beyond & Impossible products as a Vegetarian. Living in MT, I have the opportunity to observe cows, sheep, goats: they are affectionate and protective of their offspring, mourn for absent friends, play, enjoy life etc. We treat our cats and dogs like our children, yet raise/slaughter cattle, etc as if they aren’t also sentient beings. We’ve been taught some animals are “food”. We vilify countries who raise dogs for food but really, it’s no different from us raising cattle/chickens/pigs for food. I believe both are morally wrong. Live and let live!
38
Why waste print space on what the meat industry says to eat? It's like asking a mother if her baby is beautiful.
In the course of writing my dissertation on dietary fat and benign breast disease, I took almost every nutrition course UCB offered. It was acknowledged protein was oversold. Unlike excess carbs that are stored as as fat, excess protein cannot be stored and is urinated out every day. For the elderly and those with failing kidneys, the work of eliminating excess protein in a health risk. As a rough guide, the protein in a quarter pound hamburger is sufficient for the proverbial 70 kg male.
Because our industrial production of meat is filthy, cruel and ecologically not sustainable, but because I haven't learned to cook palatable vegetarian meals, I settle for plant based meals. But today, I avoided all meats with a lunch of beans with meatless chorizo and dinner was an Impossible burger.
But ultimately, I want to learn to cook vegetarian foods developed over centuries in China, India and other lands where spices were more abundant than livestock. Those dishes have the complexity of flavors developed over time.
15
Why not eat a something like a black bean burger, instead of something so highly processed? What do they have to do to make those meat substitutes taste and bleed like meat?
11
@AB Remember too that real beef ain't so great either with its disgusting bones, connective tissue, tumors, feces, bacteria etc. that frequently get included in spite of efforts to keep the filth out.
10
But, why do you care? It’s so simple: eat what you like and don’t eat what you don’t like.
Pat is spot-on that being attacked by the CCF is a badge of honor. They've been attacking progress for years. They got their start campaigning for big tobacco to fight smoking bans, and we know how that's gone for them.
Anyway, the real reason to choose a plant-based burger instead of meat is not because it is healthier or better for the environment (though it is). The real reason is so you don't hurt an animal.
31
I have LONG maintained that products that don't meet the "standards of identity" be labeled as "fake" or "genuine imitation."
That goes for not only burgers, but mayonnaise, ketchup, American Cheese (as in American Cheese spread), etc.
2
I have one on the grill now, love 'em.
15
Eat what you feel like eating, just not too much of it and not too often!!! Variation is the key and include lots of fruit and vegeys!!!!
10
If it’s got freedom in the title beware! A corporate propaganda and misinformation outfit.
11
Great Article--So basically "Impossible" and "Beyond Meat" are better for you (and the environment) than red meat, except for the sodium. It just makes sense for "Impossible" and "Beyond Meat" to offer a low sodium choice....are you guys listening?
6
@CATom
I think people add salt to their meat burgers AFTER they grill or fry them, right? So, it's not quite fair to compare this with a plant-based burger that doesn't need any more salt.
9
Sodium as a preservative and salt as a flavoring are not the same.
1
@Jessica I haven’t heard of adding salt to a meat burger after it’s cooked. Do lots of people salt cooked hamburgers?
1
It’s not about health. It’s about being able to enjoy a burger without feeling sick at how animals are treated in our livestock industry
48
For many of us, it's the without-the-cow that is the point. The cruelty involved in meat production is eliminated. If Impossible/Beyond have more salt than unsalted meat, I don't care.
52
I'm reading an authoritative book on vegan nutrition, Vegan for Life, and it describes fake meat as a particularly good source of protein for vegans. I was surprised to learn how important it is for vegans to work at getting enough protein.
4
@Cathy
It’s equally important for everyone to get enough protein. But doing so isn’t difficult for vegans. For example: beans and rice provide plenty.
11
For Cathy in Michigan- you are correct in that many vegan diets aren’t necessarily healthy. A better standard is whole food or non-processed vegan. Almost all processed foods contain too much salt, sugar or oil, often all three. My husband, an ultra-cyclist, “cured” his rheumatoid arthritis with a whole-foods-based-diet and often cycles 100 miles in a day.
2
@Mary Ann BACLAWSKI Oops! I didn't mean that vegan diets aren't healthy. It's just that you have to eat more vegan proteins to get enough protein. Fake meat is more like regular meat in that the processing makes the protein easier for the body to absorb. A plant-based diet is extremely good for your health.
1
How about if everyone stops using the word "meat" and more accurately describes their products as "cow," "pig," etc. or "dead cow," "dead pig," if they prefer?
Calling animal products "meat" allows us to distance ourselves from the reality of what is happening.
40
@SeaAlTell Brilliant! The fake meat industry should start putting slogans on the packages like:
"No dead animal tissue in this product."
"Zero percent dead cow in this package."
"No cows were slaughtered in the making of this burger."
The fake meat industry should counter with videos about how cattle are treated and slaughtered. It's "The Jungle" out there;)
7
@SeaAlTell and then there's the use of "protein" to describe meat, which kills me. Also "grass fed"- that cow could still be stuck inside a factory farm and fed grass. People assume grass fed= free range
1
The vast majority of people that eat burgers add lots of salt. So the salt comparison is rather weak tea (OK, I like weak tea but that is a matter of taste.) As are most meat substitutes. If one wants to cut back on red meat and chooses these products, yes, it helps the environment. Maybe healthier to consume (certainly no worse.) As for taste, to me they are similar and hard to tell apart.
11
@Dennis in all my 63 years I have never seem anyone salt a gast food burger.
5
@Any dots,
Perhaps he's referring to the salt that the fast food corporations add to the ground cow.
4
As the article points out, most commercial veggie burgers contain too much sodium, which rules them out for me.
Of course, it's a bit misleading to compare them with a plain four-ounce beef patty, because most commercial and many home-made beef burgers also have salt added to them.
I wish the big players in commercial veggie burgers would produce low-sodium versions. I think they would have customers.
For now, I make my own low-sodium veggie burgers.
11
@Richard The salt is a concern for me too. When you add another 200-300 mg for the bun, it does get up there quickly if you have a low sodium diet.
I would love a low sodium veggie burger option. It doesn't need to taste like meat, it just has to taste good.
2
Who are the cattle industry trying to convince exactly? The Impossible burger doesn't make me eat fewer burgers. That number is still pegged at zero. The Impossible burger doesn't make me eat more burgers. It taste exactly like meat. Let's be honest with each other. No one cares what the burger is made out of. We're all just in it for the sesame seed bun.
5
The meat industry may be shooting itself in the foot -- if the word "meat" acquires a negative connotation, products that proclaim they are NOT meat will win the day.
13
I don't eat red meat. I tried an impossible burger but I didn't really like it.
I experimented by putting a small amount of organic dark meat ground turkey in a bowl, added a ton of chopped tiny organic yellow onions a little at a time, mixing it in, salt, pepper, parsley, and made burgers.
They were definitely more delicious than beef burgers or save-the-planet burgers.
I was surprised how I could keep adding tiny chopped onions to the ground turkey and it would absorb them. It made the small amount of ground turkey swell into a burger, which I sautéed. The flavor was delicious. I topped it with mustard, kosher dills, and a bun.
8
The meat industry is going to do the same as it did with milk.
Trust no one.
6
Obviously, the meat industry is being a bit shady w/ these ads, and the powers that be are trying to protect their industry. But it's also true that the current "imitation meat" products might be a little similar to dog food. In fact that was my first thought when I tried one. It's also true that the meat substitute industry is labeling things to look like meat and perhaps to confuse consumers. I'd prefer a clearer line. real and imitation. It seems everyone would win if we all ate less meat, fewer processed foods, and try to buy local as much as possible, but that's not a message either big meat or big fake meat will ever send.
3
How about balance?
Enjoy meat, plants, alcohol, sugar, and whatever else you deem joyful in moderation and balance, and remain physically and socially active, and repeat the mantra of the stoics: Memento Mori. Remember that we must die. So while we are alive for this very brief time, enjoy the balance that this amazing life has to offer, and have a beef burger. Have an impossible burger. Sometimes with fries and a coke. Most times without. Balance.
10
@robert - It's not about "joyful… moderation and balance" for the individual. It's about global impacts at a time when every aspect of our environment is incurring huge damage because of our practices.
Meat animals, especially beef, create unacceptable, and unnecessary, global environmental impacts in terms of the amounts of land, water and food they consume relative to the amount of protein produced. Rich countries consume huge amounts of meat and developing nations want to eat just like we do. It doesn't work w/ 8 billion peeps now and it'll be worse when we get to 10 billion
Meat, especially beef, has negative impacts on the health of the typical American - who eats 214 lbs/year of the stuff! Those impacts stress our healthcare systems and increase everybody's costs.
The methods Big Meat employs to grow large amounts of cheap meat are inhumane to the animals every step of the way. We are cruel to other sentient creatures.
You might like to eat meat, but you don't have to in order to get ample protein. There are better, less harmful, ways to feed ourselves.
21
@Miss Anne Thrope So many good and valid points but the overwhelming one is that the production of feed stock and clearing land for grazing cattle is doing the greatest harm to our world, by far.
6
@Miss Anne Thrope It's not the animals that are the problem. It is the industrialization of the process which once called farming. Cattle roaming on a prairie serve the same function as the bison/buffalo once did, they are part of the ecosystem. Cattle in a feed lot or a jungle ... not part of a healthy ecosystem. As for the health, again it's not the animals or the meat, it's the person doing the eating. All things in moderation.
I'm a lifelong carnivore, but I don't eat near as much meat as i used to, for reasons both personal and economic. I lost my taste for beef years back and tend to stick mostly to chicken, fish and (occasionally) pork, preferably all hormone-free and naturally raised. I love Asian cuisines: Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai. I enjoy vegetarian cuisine, but I wouldn't want a permanent diet of it any more than I would want a steady diet of meat-based meals. I have tried "Impossible" burgers a couple of times and learned how they got their name; I found them impossible to eat; simply dreadful. I frankly don't understand the point of "fake meat". To me it seems little more than Methadone for meat-eaters. There is a vast array of possibilities in vegetarian cuisine, many derived from other cultures, and this imitative approach ignores those. It's better, I think, for individuals abandoning meat to adopt a wholly-developed alternative way of eating and leave behind their bad old habits altogether. Leave the "burgers" to we who have not yet been saved.
7
I don't like the meat substitutes. Nor does my wife who has been vegan/vegetarian for 20+ years. And vegan isn't automatically healthy. You can eat french fries every meal and be vegan. Since she switched - i have been eating much less meat, and trying to buy better. If I have beef (a few times a year at most) - or cow, for some commenters - delicious cow - I get it from the farm 6 miles from my house. Grass fed, small footprint, no added hormones or antibiotics, local, and so much better than anything from a grocery store. It costs a LOT more, but, it's such a rare thing and I am buying for one person, that I can make it work.
10
We like the Impossible ... We use it for burgers, meatballs and even pastichio (Greek 'lasagna'). When we are cooking for guests, we'll mix 50% Impossible with 50% ground beef or lamb, because the Impossible alone is not quite an exact replica...
The Beyond stuff we tried but can't stomach it. The after-taste is awful and stays with you for hours!
3
The term fake meat is disrespectful and unprofessional. In late 70s I was part of a project at the former Anderson Clayton Co., to develop an individual wrapped slice cheese under the brand of “New Age”. It was not fake cheese but a substitute based on vegetable fat, that in many respects performed better than regular cheese. The response of the cheese industry was to attack the new product with TV commercials that accused us of using the same raw material used to make glue in our product. It was a reference to the fact that we use caseinates, a derivative of milk, in the formula. Had the cheese industry embraced the new technology, instead of fighting it, today they would be the proud owners of a multi billion dollar business.
3
Better idea than trying to fool yourself eating fake meat with fake blood….Switch to actual vegetarian recipes as much as possible. We love the many, various beans available and dairy and nut- based proteins you can substitute for meat. You don’t have to get all new-agey to do this.
12
Just eat a slice of cheese pizza instead of a fake burger. Tastes a lot better.
5
I’ve tried two different brands of fake breakfast sausages. One, I could choke down but did not enjoy. The other was bad. The taste and mouth feel were awful, I threw the rest of the package away.
2
Of course the meat industry hates fake meat. This is predictable. Of course they're pouring money into anti-plant propaganda. Despicable.
Is fake meat perfect? Of course not. Some of the burgers I get are loaded with sodium! But I'd trade plant-based food over dead animal flesh, forever.
19
@Ricardito Resistante Why do we need fake meat? Either eat meat or don't. I find it somewhat disingenuous of vegan eating fake meat. We don't need substitutes for real food; there are plenty of parts of plants that we can eat. Why not change our menus instead try to fake something that you profess not to eat? A Thanksgiving dinner doesn't need a turkey ... fake or otherwise. Perhaps instead of trying to create substitutes let's create a new vision of our meals.
4
@Monika Who is the "we" in "Why do we need fake meat?" If others want to enjoy the taste of meat once in a while without harming an animal, who are "we" to object?
And no animals are harmed.
19
Down with meat.
7
"Meat producers are taking the fight to lawmakers." Also known as: "Finding themselves unable to compete commercially or on public opinion, Republican meat magnates are trying to move the discussion to a more bribable venue: state legislatures and courts." What a surprise.
For what it's worth, I really love Impossible. I spent most of the pandemic perfecting my Impossible Chili recipe. It's good! I get requests! The corresponding Impossible Meatloaf recipe still needs some product development but it's getting there.
13
“The niche that this fills is not the same niche that a kale salad fills,” he said. “If you’re hungry for a burger and you want something that’s better for you and better for the planet that delivers everything you want from a burger, then this is a great product. But if you’re hungry for a salad, eat a salad.”
This seems pretty reasonable.
10
@Mark "If you’re hungry for a burger and you want something that’s better for you and better for the planet that delivers everything you want from a burger, then this is a great product."
The problem is that it does not deliver everything you want from a burger. It does not have optimal composition of essential amino acids as meat does, and it has way too much salt. The tase is also a poor imitation.
3
I eat plant based products, not because it healthier, but because I don't want to contribute to the murder of animals.
25
Long ago I gave up factory farmed meats although I did not become a vegetarian. When I could get sustainably sourced humanely raised grass-Fed meats I would buy them. I still do on occasion. However, the ground beef always comes frozen in a one-pound block and sometimes I just want a single hamburger with cheese and tomato and pickles or relish on a toasted bun. I have found that the impossible burger works very well when it comes to scratching that itch. And they’re very easy to prepare, come in single serving portions, and I can keep them in the freezer until I’m ready to pop one out. No need to defrost them, they cook quickly in a frypan. Works for me. Since I always have added salt and pepper to my hamburgers, as well as cheese and other salty condiments, the fact that there’s already salt in these is irrelevant. I eat them so rarely it’s not a concern.
11
Funny. Remember not too long ago when the Dairy industry was warning us about the evils of plant based milks? This fake news lobbying by industry associations is the main reason why people have lost respect and concern for farmers.
15
So when these people have their way only Venture Capitalists will be able to eat real meat.
Just watch the film “What the Health.” If you have any conscience or humanity at all, you’ll never eat beef again.
9
If Roger Marshall is against it, I'll take two, and a diet coke.
3
"It depends on how you eat them, said Dr. Frank Hu, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Replacing a hamburger with a plant burger is not an improvement in diet quality if you chase it with French fries and a sugar-laden soda, Dr. Hu said."
Nice redirect, Dr. Hu! Yes, if you substitute A for B in your meal but you're still eating X poison afterwards, you haven't made a significant dietary change. Hard to disagree with that!
13
@Justin Right - Hu's comment was at best a cop-out.
@Justin lol "Replacing a hamburger with a plant burger is not an improvement in your health if you chase it with 3 rails of cocaine".
"replacing a hamburger with a plant burger doesn't help your carbon footprint if you're eating it while clearcutting the amazon in a tractor modified to roll coal."
"replacing a hamburger with a plant burger won't increase your life expectancy if you're eating the burger while riding a motorcycle without a helmet"
When the environment implications are factored in, there seems to be no dispute that the plant based burgers are healthier in that they result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The livestock industry is also responsible for a good amount of water pollution and soil degradation. The plant based foods, unlike the animal based burgers have less saturated fat, a known contributor of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. If the US government were to subsidized plant based burgers they way they the livestock industry, these foods would be much more affordable and I believe we would see an increase of purchases not only in grocery stores, but in restaurants where the is often a $3 upcharge to get and Impossible or Beyond burger.
8
@AStanford Right! One-third of all edible fish caught in the oceans are now fed to livestock. Despite the fact that meat and dairy products are a leading cause of GHG emissions and ocean dead zones, they receive $38 billion a year in US government subsidies. (Farmers who grow food for human consumption receive only 0.04% of the subsidies). Change is coming, as always, from the people. We are learning that meat and dairy are leading causes climate change and preventable diseases. More and more of us are refusing to participate in such violent cruelty toward animals.
8
It's interesting that they compare uncooked sodium content. No one eats a beef patty without adding salt, so I imagine from a health perspective they are almost the same.
4
@Kevin - Yeah, they also studiously avoid mentioning all the herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, neurochemicals, hormones… that are in Big Meat's "foods".
12
@Miss Anne Thrope Why would herbicides and pesticides not be found in plant-based products? Herbicides and pesticides are applied directly to the plants, not to animal products.
3
@Miss Anne Thrope Don’t forget the pink slime. Yummy!
Extreme eating is not good for you. Eating that burger once or twice a week is probably better than eating plant based "burgers" every day. They are based on soy products. Moderation in all things is the best way.
7
@Chris Hi. Soy products are not bad. They contain phytonutrients that are available in all plants. Research has shown that the phyto-estrogens found in soy can help reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer. In Japan, where there is a high level of soy consumption, breast and prostate cancer were extremely low UNTIL they started adopting a western diet, and started eating they way Americans do, that's when the cases of both breast and prostate cancer increased, not to mention heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.
10
I eat Impossible once in a while. It's more of a treat. It does contain far too much sodium in my opinion. Fortunately I've been a veggie lover all my life, with the exception of mushrooms and eggplant! I stopped eating real meat products after an impromptu visit to a slaughter house and poultry farm. (That's another story). Suffice it to say it was horrific, so much so the sight and smell of animal products is a huge turn off for me. Yes, even in a grocery store. As for the argument plant based is better for the planet, yes as far as producing methane. And I do think factory farms and people in general waste far too much of what is slaughtered. But plant based diets consume a lot of natural resources too. I think humans need to get better at using only what they consume, instead of wasting so much. There's a balance, whether you are someone who consumes real meat or someone who consumes plant based products.
12
I think it's disingenuous to compare the sodium content of plant-based burgers to that of uncooked beef patties. Don't people add salt to them AFTER they're cooked? Which is unnecessary with the plant-based one.
Besides that, I'm totally thrilled with the many comments in favor of ending the barbaric suffering endured by the poor animals that end up as food. PLEASE, invent (and promote; I know it exists) plant-based chicken to reverse the horrifying treatment these birds have to endure.
12
The Impossible burger contains 21 listed ingredients, one of which is “natural flavors”, another is beet juice to simulate beef blood, and two of which are genetically engineered soy products.
Grass-fed, organically-raised cattle contain, let’s see, grass and water?
Oh, and real blood, of course.
1
@MValentine and also an unconscionable contribution to global warming. So there’s that.
9
@MValentine Except that the vast majority of cows eaten in the US aren’t grassfed organic. They’re fed GMO corn and soy. Many of the plant based meat alternatives on the market are non-GMO.
5
Another David vs Goliath moment in our worlds business history, but when your competition starts trash-talking you, you know your doing something right, something that is disrupting the markets! It happened in the No-Load vs Load Mutual Funds, in the Foreign Automotive Makers vs the U S Manufacturers, and so on through history, so look out cattlemen, it’s time to show some respect (and fear) to the plant-based food producers, they are our new nutritional sources of food going into the future!
6
18 ingredients?! And the I-don't-eat-things-I-can't-pronounce crowd is loving these. SMH.
6
@Lari a good portion of the people who are eating the plant based burgers are meat eaters who want the taste, but don't want to do more damage to the environment. And perhaps, they don't want to continue contributing the animal suffering either. The bottom line is, the livestock industry is one of the biggest contributors to environmental destruction - deforestation, greenhouse gas emission, water pollution and soil degradation. We could all end up a lot healthier if we all switched to more environmentally friendly foods.
11
Why is there no mention of the fact meat is a cruel industry. fake is more human
19
@Amy Watt
humane
''Humane'' is an adjective that describes specific human qualities like compassion and kindness.
Garbage in, garbage out.
Yeccch.
1
Not to mention that plant based "meats" don't require the inhumane treatment of animals. I'll choose that option for that reason alone.
28
There is nothing more chemical-based and processed than artificial meat.
3
And there is nothing more inhumane and cruel than supporting factory-farmed meat or dairy.
18
Um... I wonder why the author forgot to bring up a very important point, the fact that processed animal meat is listed as carcinogenic by the WHO.
One would suspect that gives plantbased meat quite an edge in that area.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/11/03/report-says-eating-processed-meat-is-carcinogenic-understanding-the-findings/
Also, calling non-animal meat "fake" is misleading. In the English dictionary (Merriam Webster to be exact), "meat" has several definitions. The first definition gives no mention of animals:
Meat
1a : FOOD
especially : solid food as distinguished from drink
b : the edible part of something as distinguished from its covering (such as a husk or shell)
Plantbased meats are not "fake", they are "non-animal" or "plantbased" meats. They are edible, nutritious and most importantly, they are not carcinogenic (they also consume MUCH less water and land than animal meat).
There's nothing "fake" about that.
20
There are so many tasty vegetable dishes in various cuisines, why bother with a junk burger?
11
@M DuPont Because it is delicious.
1
This is what I don’t understand either. Most vegetable and grains/grain-based foods taste fine without being manipulated into imitation-meat products. Eating “plant-based” is basically just eating. (Does anyone truly eat an “animal-based” diet, other than some Maasai and some native people of the Arctic circle area following their traditional diets?) If someone chooses to give up meat, but still craves meat, eating the occasional hamburger made from actual beef seems a lot less strange than eating soy or other legumes and vegetables mixed with salt and oil, and compressed into a patty. Junk food is still junk food, even if it’s “plant-based.”
1
Animal meat is processed.
It's called slaughter.
Don't rule out all the land that is processed to grow the food to feed the animals who are processed.
Then the food that is grown is processed into animal feed.
Also animals have hearts, souls, blood, consciousness, love, life.
Give me a plant burger.
32
For anyone who has been a vegetarian for decades like me, it's SO nice to finally have something to grill at a cookout that isn't a frozen bean burger or veggie kabob. I'm not so concerned about the health benefits. They are a treat in the same way that a hot dog or beef burger are treats.
21
I purchase all the meat our family consumes from local farms and we grow our own veggies. I have no desire to support giant companies and purchase their ultra processed foods made from herbicide and pesticide covered ingredients that are then shipped by fossil fuels to me.
If there are local meat alternative producers that would be fine be me but I've yet to see them. Until then I'll continue supporting my local community with my food budget. We do order veggie burgers that are made locally when we rarely eat out, and they taste fine but I am not going to buy from a brand.
6
Impossible burgers are tastier than real meat and more satisfying
too!
My grandsons love them,I love that there is zero cholesterol,especially since I take a statin.
A win win alternative to beef!
9
Good intentions, both dietary and ethical, may not be so easy if you are allergic to pea protein, soy or gluten. I had an unexpected trip to the hospital from seitan myself. I now just make my own veggie fritters or black bean burgers so I know what’s in them.
6
My favorite veg dishes are Indian delicacies like Aloo Gobi (spicy potatoes and cauliflower), Bhindi Masala (spicy stir-fried okra), and Dhal (spicy lentil soup). I do enjoy Impossible and Beyond Burgers from time to time, but I could not eat them every day. Bottom line: Veggies, prepared the right way, are much more delicious and nutritious than real or fake meat.
10
I've avoided meat for years, to the point that I now find it repellent. Health and the environment are just two of the reasons I became a vegetarian.
Perhaps most important is the unconscionable suffering of animals on factory farms, a topic this article doesn't address. Animals have feelings much like ours.
I urge every American to buy a book by Temple Grandin, the wonderfully readable "Animals in Translation." And then watch the extraordinary documentary "The Biggest Little Farm."
15
@Robert Steiner I was a vegetarian for twenty-five years before finally going vegan. I told myself that being a vegetarian was an ethical choice, conveniently ignoring how the dairy and egg industries actually operate. Truth is, the dairy industry is every bit as cruel and violent as the meat industry.
5
Not everyone chooses these alternatives as a healthier option for themselves, but for a humane option for the animals.
36
Red meat consumption is linked to increased risk of cancer.
11
I've been eating a plant-based whole-foods diet for the last 4 years and the cultural change and effort is well worth making for the benefits. I don't understand why vegans need to simulate meats and cheeses and use processed oils when there are so many delicious dishes one can make from the great variety of vegetables, beans, legumes, and non-gluten grains. The ingredients in nearly all plant-based burgers contain processed oils and refined carbohydrates and gluten-free pastas (except chicken pea and red lentil pastas) contain refined carbohydrates. Seeds, nuts, and avocados are superior sources of plant-based oils and fats compared to processed oils that are pure fat with Northern nutrients and are subject to oxidation if not hydrogenated to begin without.
3
@Mike I am also WFPB and never touch these products, but I know a lot of young ethical vegans who are reaching for meat alternatives because they make it easier to give up meat and live their values; I find that making the next step to WFPB is more likely for older folks who are discovering the impact that many years on an animal-product diet has had on their own health. I think these products are a good stepping stone for people, many of whom will probably give them up in the end and ditch the processed foods for good.
4
So the idea is that Millenials will use Impossible imitation meat as a way to wean themselves from carnivorous dietary habits?
How’d that work out with vaping?
1
@MValentine
Vaping is not nearly as bad for you as smoking.
By the time you get through the onion, pickles, sauce, lettuce, tomato, the bun, and maybe a slice of something-cheese on an Impossible burger, there could be a slab of styrofoam in the middle and you wouldn't taste it (actually, I like 'em once in a while).
2
This newspaper should publish videos of meat processing plants (which is what the industry calls farms these days). Let people see what kind of “processed” they can live with.
42
@John McKnight Spot on. Thank you for making this point!
9
Impossible plant based meat is great! Beyond Burgers sausage plant based is really good for a nice kielbasa like hot dog.
9
the fake stuff is costlier than the real thing.
2
@William Harris Plant based producers don’t receive millions in taxpayer subsidies like Animal Ag industry does.
5
I'd rather eat less meat than eat fake meat. I just don't feel good about eating ANY highly-processed foods. I don't eat chicken nuggets, and I won't eat an Impossible burger.
4
Killing an animal so we can eat it was once a means of survival. As thinking creatures, to time we move on from that barbaric and cruel practice. Plant based products are a step in the right direction.
35
Much like the gun lobby, beef producers are fighting hard to kill Citizens & planet… In the international space station, lab grown steaks are grown and enjoyed and have been for a few years already… That is the way to go, but of course cattlemen and others want to perpetuate the filth cruelty & destructive nature of Factory farming and feed lots… Factory farming is socially accepted sadism… Red meat is associated with cancer diabetes heart disease and other health threats
20
Of course meat producers are trying to counter the growth of plant-based meat. They'd rather keep abusing animals and destroying the planet. They must be enjoying the excessive heat they've helped produce. Give me a break, does anyone really see through this? Just like the dairy industry, one of the cruelest on the planet, tries to claim rights to the words "milk" and "butter."
15
There are two key, empirical, questions that need to be answered, and unfortunately, this article does not answer them satisfactorily. 1) Are the meet substitutes better nutritionally than beef, and if so by how much? And, 2) Are the substitutes better for the environment, and if so by how much? The best way to answer these questions is to ask neutral scientists (who have no significant conflicts of interest). I don't really care what industry spokes people have to say regardless of which industry group they represent. I suspect the answer to the first question is that meat substitutes are not significantly better nutritionally. I am even less clear on the answer to the second question.
7
@gdavidj Take a look at the research on climate change and animal agriculture published by Oxford University, Stanford, and the Lancet.
Plant-based meat substitutes are fine for those who like them. I would rather eat less real meat as my contribution to reducing global warming and leave the substitutes for others. If find the substitute burgers have an odd texture and much less flavor than real meat. I am always happy to eat a good veggie burger. I prefer not to "pretend" I am eating meat (that isn't meat) because for me it just doesn't measure up. Another problem for me, since I have diabetes, is the substitutes have a lot of carbohydrates.
3
@Barbara
An Impossible patty has 19 grams of protein and 9 grams of carbohydrates.
I am now craving an Impossible Whopper, which I did not know existed.
5
As a young vegetarian, I would order my Whopper without meat. Turns out most of the flavor is the sauce, lettuce, sweet bun and various artificial flavors anyway. And they would always reduce the price as a courtesy.
5
I like that people are free to choose what they want to eat and this gives us all another option. I would question, however, the nutritional equivalency statements and whether a plant based burger actually is better for the planet. Life cycle analysis, including a weighting of nutritional factors, of the plant based vs local grown pasture raised beef would suggest otherwise. For more detail see Nicole Hahn Neiman's book Defending Beef.
2
@Karen
It takes around 6 pounds of corn feed to produce 1 pound of beef. Plant-based foods are undeniably better for the environment.
14
hi, thanks for the response. corn is used in a lot of feedlot production of beef. but grass fed or pasture raised beef does not. To borrow a phrase from Judith D. Schwartz. It's not the cow, its the how.
Understand that the same ‘big food’ mentality (and often the same entities) are behind both the meat and fake meat industries. They are setting up a similar scam as Coke v Diet Coke. Do you want to ‘be good’ and order Diet Coke/Fake meat or do you want to ‘indulge guiltily’ and order Coke/Real meat? Each choice perpetuates and supports the continued appeal of the other. This has been ‘big food’ strategy for a long time, now they are brining ‘environmental consciousness’ into the con.
3
This article uses, to me, a very narrow definition of health. My partner loves making and eating burgers, but I find that I never feel great after eating a "real" burger. We've switched to Beyond Burgers because we like the taste and can have burgers without that heavy burger feeling afterward. Nutritionally, I assume it's more or less the same as a beef burger - it's not an everyday food. But for those of us whose bodies just don't want meat all the time, it's a nice treat.
9
Does Congress really think a plant based hamburger labeled imitation will cause someone not to buy the product. That is EXACTLY why someone would buy a Beyond or Impossible burger. Reminds me when margarine first came out ad Wisconsin congresspersons tried to pass a law requiring artificial butter to be dyed green. Note to Kansas farmers, promote your product but no need to debase your competitors
6
I'm a vegetarian and eat a Beyond Burger once a week or so. It is a fine substitute for beef. I readily admit that everything I ever eat, every single day of the year is not optimal for health. I'd like to know who does eat that way.
10
Article did not clarify for me the better product. There is nothing like a beef burger.
2
Many cuisines around the planet have been preparing appetizing and flavorful foods for thousands of years: developing a taste for these foods is far better than chasing the taste and feel of meat.
5
I like both plant-burgers and beef burgers.
I don't eat a plant burger mistaking it for beef. I know the difference.
And I'm 50.
But I also appreciate that things like Kraft Singles are labeled as "Pasteurized Processed Cheese Food," because, indeed, *they are not cheese. Neither are Beyond/Impossible burgers meat. If the word "imitation" offends you, how about "plant-based, contains no meat." That will be a plus for some people and a minus for others.
9
I flummoxed as to why someone chooses to be a vegetarian and then wants to eat stuff that tastes and feels like meat! Eating vegetarian foods has put me off meat - and the thought of tearing into dead flesh is rather revolting.
7
@ellie k.
I feel the exact same way. I do not eat meat and find the thought of doing so revolting. HOWEVER, what about people who really like it but are trying to do their part to reduce animal cruelty, environmental degradation, and all the other horrors that come from raising meat? What's wrong with that? To that end I hope the plant-based meat industry continues to thrive.
26
@ellie k.
Because, deep down, humans are meat-eaters...no matter what we try to tell ourselves, and no matter how many tasty creatures Disney personifies...
3
@Belzoni Make a choice, if it's important enough to you than commit to not eating meat or looking for meat substitutes. Accept that lifestyle or don't.
2
My dietician pointed out that Impossible Burgers and Beyond Meat both contain coconut oil, the oil highest in saturated fat. Better to eat a veggie burger, a black bean burger, or a turkey burger. A burger made with lean hamburger is also a better choice.
4
@jc Health is not why I'm eating them. People have different motivations and it's a bit presumptuous to assume you can tell us what is "better"
1
I’m a huge fan of Burger King’s Impossible Whopper and Starbucks’ Impossible Breakfast sandwich. Now, if only, McDonald’s would do a fake meat burger.
9
@Mom These places focus on real meat they don't owe it to anyone to provide fake meat options. Vegetarians and vegans don't belong at most fast food restaurants. and DD stopped selling theirs because it probably wasn't selling.
@JC These restaurants focus on whatever the market demands. If they are offering a plant-based product, they are doing it because the market demands it, though it would be nice to think they are trying to help move the planet to a more sustainable way of eating. I don't understand why meat eaters are so defensive concerning those who choose not to eat meat.
7
@JC bold of you to assume vegans/vegetarians never go on road trips. I think the fact that more and more fast food places are offering non-meat items indicates that those businesses are aware of the rising number of people who are reducing their meat intake to various degrees.
8
For some consumers, the availability of meat substitutes often has nothing to do with concerns about what is the “healthiest” option. The article assumes that the target faux meat consumer wants a product that enhances their personal health and vitality, one that delivers a direct benefit to us a humans. In other words, the assumption is that this is just another selfish “First World” lifestyle choice.
But for some, the overriding issue is the ethical dilemma of factory farming. In nature, predators hunt and kill prey to eat and survive. But large-scale factory farming of livestock is cruel and unnatural. It’s also disastrous for the environment, creating rivers of animal waste and methane gas.
Sadly, I’m a self-hating hypocrite when it comes to eating meat, I’m an addicted carnivore. Bacon can seem like the Food of the Gods, yet in the back of my mind I remind myself that pigs are more intelligent than dogs. I savor a well-marbled ribeye, and I love the fat from a pot roast, it’s like a drug that instantly delivers a warm sense of well-being to every cell of your body. Yet I remind myself that cattle have been known to plan and execute escapes as they are marched to the slaughterhouse.
The market for meat substitutes includes more than vegans looking for diet cheat. There are also plenty of meat-lovers who, for personal moral and ethical reasons, just want a product that will help them break the habit.
27
I had many Beyond Burgers when it came out, I liked the taste, but I couldn’t understand why they felt heavy on the stomach, just like regular burgers. Weren’t these supposed to be healthier? Or are they just big oil sponges? And I was eating them without fried or soda. In the end I quit eating burgers altogether.
4
Not a lot of substance to this article on a topic that is built on so many debatable points.
First of all, one could easily find two reputable and ideally less-biased nutritionists who would disagree on which product is healthier for individuals, but instead we have to hear from clearly biased sources on each side. Nutrition is such a controversial field to begin with, and here we have it impossibly entwined with ulterior motives (Why hello, voice from the climate change arena! Hey there, not-at-all-biased big beef defender!).
Next, if we want to consider the environmental impact, shouldn't we decouple large-scale factory farm meat with regenerative agricultural methods?
...Uh oh, that might require us to talk about how much meat people are actually supposed to eat. But we wouldn't want to ask people to change their habits - we'll just give them this other thing that mimics the first thing that comes excessively packaged at the grocery store with a hefty price tag, too. No worries about further isolating the average consumer from their food producer. Wave goodbye to your local food economy without even talking about it.
And then let us avoid the topic of death entirely. Meat necessitates killing, as does all agriculture, even vegetables. We could talk about it, weigh the options, dissect the ethics, or just, you know, ignore it and talk to a few "experts" from each side who are woefully corrupted by their involvement in two warring big industries.
7
@A "Killing" vegetables?
4
@Beth Nope, I don't think the argument for vegetable sentience is very compelling. I mean klling bugs and rodents and even birds to harvest virtually anything. Basically all food production does involve some killing, is what I'm saying.
4
@A Regarding the killing of animals required to harvest plants for food: regardless of how many animals are killed harvesting plants, you will always kill more animals eating meat because you have to harvest a vastly higher amount of plants to feed the animal you are eating.
I am indifferent about pretend meat vs real meat. As performed burgers, pretend it's equal in experience. As an alternative to grind beef for other dishes, it does seem to have a consistency more closely resembling pet food, so I'm less inclined to use it.
That said, I hope pretend beef/meat does not do the same to us as that miracle replacement for sugar, high fructose corn syrup, did.
3
The typical play of cowards, afraid of change, with no ideas of their own.
In another words ... conservative Republicans.
14
Why listen to an industry group? They don’t have the public’s best interest at heart. No, they see a threat to their profits and are fighting back. They’re not on my side; I’m not on their side.
I’ll listen to the scientists and, until definitive studies are completed, I’ll err on the side of the product that is less destructive of our environment. Pass the ketchup for my plant-based burger, please!
28
Given the cruelty of the slaughter house, the extremely detrimental effects animal agriculture and factory farming have on the environment - and global warming, the amount of food wasted on feeding animals raised for meat that could be fed to people who are hungry...I'll eat the veg burger. I grew up eating burgers but made the switch easily to plant-based. Never going back, for so many reasons.
51
There are many reasons to eat less or no meat. This article glosses over the cruelty to animals and harmful environmental effects of our meat industry. Just, why? Why include torture in our food production if we can avoid it?
It's old news that cutting meat isn't enough to eat healthy. Anyone who's ever known a mac-and-cheese/cheese pizza vegetarian (lots of teenagers) knows that.
With beef, it's such a high cost for such a mediocre experience. This ain't even an Omelas utopia, it's a McDonald's burger we're talking about. I hope many more walk away.
29
I very rarely eat red meat and never eat chopped meat. I have tried the Beyond Meat burger and all I can say is that after one bite I threw it out. It tasted horrible. no amount of mustard, ketchup or pepper could make it edible.
1
If only the makers of imitation meat could make a great imitation sushi product. Until then, I can’t go completely vegetarian.
3
@Maverick
I understand... I have been there. So i have a piece of advice: try vegetable sushi and vegetable rolls. I was so sad when i went vegan to have to drop sushi and dreaded the day my husband would say: let's eat sushi! And then I tried the vegetable rolls and i was very, very satisfied. No, nothing will melt in your mouth like a buttery salmon or burst with raw flavor like tuna but, the overall taste of the sushi experience is there, and amazingly enough, if you picture the oceans healthy and strong because of your decision, you get a very satisfying and delicious diner. There is also vegetable tempura! Try it next time! Good luck! :)
10
Plant-based products aside, with meat consumption shifting to poultry, let’s not forget that chicken and turkey farming are the least regulated meat industries and these animals are endure incredible suffering before ending up on people’s plates. I am vegan but I have a little flock of backyard chickens, they are social, communicative and sentient beings. Please be mindful of what you consume.
34
Criticism from the beef industry that gave us pink slime.
25
Come on NYT, this is almost a puff piece. If you’re gonna talk about plant based meat and how it’s “processed”, you need to talk about beef and how it’s processed with hormones, chemical feed, etc. There’s more information in the comments than in this article.
46
If you are on a plant based whole food diet or a heart healthy then the meat substitutes are not healthy. They have very high fat and saturated fat content. They do have sodium but as another reader pointed out, no one eats a real burger or any beef without adding salt. But the meat substitutes do not have cholesterol which is good. They have many ingredients but a lot of them are plant based ingredients, not man made invented chemical compounds. The meat industry has nerve pretending the meat we get in stores is not ‘processed’ and is all ‘natural’! Long and short of it- it might be ethically better to eat the fake meat but it is not something I would add to my diet if I was aiming to eat a healthy plant based whole food diet.
5
@Dennis R I agree, as a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I regard them as an occasional indulgence, eaten as infrequently as would a health conscious omnivore eat a fast food burger.
Yum! Commercially-produced, hormone-disrupting soy AND methylcellulose? I think they also call that a sponge. No thank you. This holds zero appeal. Anything that 'produced' is going to create more problems than it claims to solve. A marketer's dream that unfortunately too many people are falling for.
9
@Bronwyn Exactly. People really fall for this. If you really want to be a vegetarian/vegan you shouldn't even be looking for food that represents beef patties etc. Stick with your salads and stop pretending your methylcellulose patties are better than pure beef.
5
Plant based burgers taste like plastic with no mouth feel……
Back to real beef and never going back.
3
@Mé I disagree. My husband and I have been using Impossible for 18 months and love it. It actually tastes BETTER than beef!
15
The cattle industry is searching for a defendant. Where's Oprah?
4
And now, children, let's consider what's contained in that Conagra Stockyard All-Beef-Burger on yer' plate: pesticides, herbicides, manure (that's poo, for you city dwellers), growth hormones, feathers/hoofs/bones/skin and blood from unnatural animal-based feedstocks, plastics, unnatural amounts of grain, gobs of adrenaline from the terror of being led to slaughter, blah and blah…
In tomorrow's lesson, we'll learn all about the Lives O' Misery led by the critters who are "products" of Big Meat. So Sad…
30
Since this article was originally published, Dunkin’ has withdrawn its Beyond Sausage breakfast sandwich from most markets. A pity; it was tasty.
4
@David Reiffel They won't keep items that don't sell. They are looking for the most profitable items.
1
I eat meat but I feel bad about doing it, eating the flesh of dead animals. I've tried burgers made of Impossible meat. As far as I'm concerned it fulfills my expectations so I am a convert.
12
Let’s not forget that eating plant-based foods does not require unspeakable cruelty to animals.
36
Those suppposedly concerning ingredients in plant based burgers seem pretty tame to me. No multi-syllabic chemical names. Just "Pea proteing, Beet juice"....etc
15
"Meat" is a euphemism for flesh- used by those humans who don't want to acknowledge how cruel they really are.
20
@Kaari In spanish and portuguese Carne means both flesh and meat and that does not stop people eating meat.
2
@Marcelo As in German 'beef' and 'flesh wound' are Rindfleisch and Fleischwunde. It never stopped the German enthusiasm for Schweinfleisch. These linguistic wisdoms of Americans are always completely provincial in this way. Nothing else is real.
Before the pandemic I walked into my local
grocery store . I could not believe the smell. It was rancid and overwhelming. Upon walking down an aisle I saw that the latest fake meat burger was sizzling and sample ready. I really could not stand the smell of it cooking and had to leave the store. If it smelled that bad I cannot imagine what it tastes like. I’m not a meat eater and will never be a fake meat eater. I think there are plenty of recipes for making your own burger without meat.
2
The closest this article comes to answering the question it raises is to say that fries and soda are unhealthy whatever you eat them with. What a cheap dodge! And while repeatedly referring to mock meats as "processed," the article fails to mention the antibiotics and other chemicals that find their way into animal food products, or the superb minimally processed substitutes like Butler's Soy Curls. Having sworn off meat close to 30 years ago -- for purely ethical reasons at the time -- I am used to this sort of industry propaganda. We also saw it in the early days of hybrid cars. I don't necessarily blame the Times for being suckered; these PR folks draw high salaries for a reason. But to the extent this article says anything germane, it is largely nonsense.
17
Real meat isn't going anywhere.
&
Why do folks blame ancient foods for modern disease?
Stop eating sugar & anything from a crinkly bag.
5
Why not make your own? Lots of easy recipes out there.
4
Of course, one major benefit of the vegetarian burgers Is that animals were not tortured and killed to get dinner on your plate.
29
Simulated artificial imitation synthetic ersatz fabricated mock meat substitute. Yum!
2
@Rheumy Plaice Exactly. And why don't these people overly obsessed with preservation of animals focus on their own health and wellbeing before that of animals and prioritize what they consume. Standing up for animals while consuming fake unhealthy meat what kind of stance is that anyway.
2
Get used to it, kids. All our food will come from a test tube sooner rather than later, thanks to climate change.
3
My son and I can’t tell the difference between Impossible and real beef burgers so all this nonsense about re-labeling strikes me as the old adage: “If there’s flak, you must be over the target”. The beef industry is surprised and scared
18
Hang on. The meat industry--backer of hot dogs, sausage, and chicken nuggets--wants to warn us off ultra-processed foods?
30
Nobody eats a ground beef burger without added salt. Even an 1/8th of a teaspoon of salt will add 300 mg to a meat hamburger bringing it equivalent to the plant based alternatives. Let’s compare apples to apples.
18
I was curious about this, so I measured out an 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt. It looks like much more salt than most people would sprinkle onto a single cooked burger patty.
More about the animals, please. I gladly eat a beef, pork, lamb or chicken substitute, even if it is "processed," if it means less suffering for the animals involved.
40
The Center for Consumer Freedom? That tells me everything I need to know. A phony industry-based PR company, promoting their clients’ products over any alternative. The playbook already exists, just ask Big Tobacco, the Sugar industry and the Dairy groups. As with everything, we have to be an educated consumer and make choices for ourselves.
21
Precisely. Critical thinking is today’s most important tool in maintaining good health. Industry propaganda arms like this group have ZERO to teach us, except reminding us to discount everything they say.
4
I understand the "better for the earth" argument but solving the process by consuming ultra-processed alternatives can be misleading. Consider almond milk as opposed to dairy milk. According to one study quoted in the Irish Times, a single almond requires about 3.5 liters of water to produce. A single serving of almond milk contains about 4 almonds and is about 99% water. There are maths do come up with the true water cost for 250 ml of almond milk vs the production of dairy milk.
As an alternative, I've become a "localterian." I mostly eat foods that were sourced within 100 miles of my home. This eliminates the massive environmental costs of large factories producing processed foods and shipping them hundreds of miles to make it to chain grocery stores. It's a bit more expensive, but my wife commented on the salad I made last night, "this tastes so super-fresh! It's delicious." Think about it,
4
@Chris - Typical of our arid Western states, roughly 75% of UT's water is sucked up by Big Beef and the Big Alfalfa that's grown to feed 'em. Eating a Local Cow is not a positive alternative.
8
Local, non-human animals still end up slaughtered. There is no humane way to kill someone who doesn’t want to die. Environmental impact is reduced, but the killing is the same.
Tell me again how red meat is healthy and not linked to cancer, heart disease, and numerous other adverse medical conditions.
Either way, I’ll still occasionally supplement my largely whole-food plant-based diet with the occasional Gardein meatballs (the best), Field Roast sausage, or Trader Joe’s soy chorizo.
12
The real interesting change is going to come when they perfect lab-grown meats.
5
@todji I suspect a lot of dedicated animal-meat consumers and industry propagandists will find themselves tongue-tied arguing that something molecularly identical to the farm-grown counterpart is not the same and should not be labeled as such.
Being a vegetarian I thought I would try Beyond Burgers but they are inedible, at least for me, and they have almost 20gms of fat. Why would I want to load my body with so much fat unless I am on Keto diet or something like that. I prefer to eat just plain beans for my protein.
8
@Gandhian
Yup. Or veggie burgers that don't try to imitate meat. They're fun on occasion though- I made good "meatballs" from Beyond Beef last week and on occasion make tacos with. But as you say, I usually just prefer bean tacos or ricotta/eggplant polpettes.
3
The plant based “meats” are certainly healthier for the animals, sentient creatures that suffer tremendously and are slaughtered in the 10s of billions in the United States (not counting fish, measured in tons rather than individuals).
Surely future generations will look at our treatment of animals as we look at slavery, inferior treatment of women, racial and ethnic persecution, and homophobia and ask “wasn’t it obvious to them that what they were doing was wrong?”
32
I pray that future generations will not equate African Americans and women to animals.
1
@Matt Santangelo Just like you and me and everyone else, African Americans and women ARE animals. And just as that biological equivalency suggests, non-human animals have the same capacity for suffering as we human animals do.
That's why so many thoughtful human animals refuse to support companies whose standard business practice is designed around the torture of animals.
3
That's something I NEVER UNDERSTOOD:
If somebody becomes vegetarian or vegan, then why on Earth would somebody pretend to still eat meat and cheese or drink milk? Why not just eat fruit, vegetables and grain? Why that fake stuff that has been industrially adulterated?
9
@A German voice
Not to mention that these foods are all ultra-processed and contain chemicals and other ingredients that our grandparents would never have considered edible.
5
@A German voice Because not everyone changes their diet for the same reason, and many vegans and vegetarians grew up eating meat and miss the taste of, say, a burger. I went vegetarian because I got depressed about climate change, but I also desperately miss the bolognese a friend and I learned to make together. Now I can have it again - Beyond and Impossible both work quite well for it.
25
@A German voice why, if someone abhors violence, do they watch action movies?
2
My husband and I find these products delicious. They offer a great alternative to people concerned with the environment and animal cruelty but who grew up as carnivores and are now vegetarians. I can understand why the meat industry is worried.
17
@Mary Jane Timmerman : "people concerned with the environment and animal cruelty"
This statement lacks the word "seemingly" or "allegedly" before "concerned".
And ask those people for WHAT animals this is supposed to better. Growing soy that is replacing meat for vegetarians/vegans in a place where there was jungle before, is definitely NOT GOOD for "animals" in general.
But if it's animals that you do not see and never saw, then you can handle it, right?
And vegetarianism is not generally good for the environment. Eating regional and seasonal food is far better for the environment - even if it includes locally produced meat.
But giving up the strawberries in winter, as well as the banana, the coffee, the pine apples and the orange juice that you consume almost every day is far more difficult, isn't it?
And I didn't mention the plants needed for your protein supply. Soy, amaranth and the likes do not really grow around the corner ...
1
this reminds me of a similar attack on organic foods that came out a few years back. a research study concluded that organic foods were no more nutritious than non-organic foods. this was touted as a huge blow against organic foods.
most people eat organic foods because they're free of pesticides and dangerous fertilizers. they never considered nutrition.
I don't eat plant-based meats because they're supposedly better for me. I eat them because they're better for the world.
a lot like why I wear a mask in a crowded space.
51
A lot of people here commenting that they prefer less processed veggie burgers that aren’t imitating meat at all.
I get it: a great veggie burger made with black beans and bulgur etc is delicious, and sometimes I prefer it. I truly love veggies in general.
But as an omnivore cutting back on meat, I love that there’s this option, especially when it’s available at Burger King and you’re making a pit stop on a long car ride. My kids really love plant based nuggets and fake fish sticks too. It all adds up.
25
I understand the meat industry’s fear. It was explained to me by a vegetarian that Beyond and Impossible burgers were not marketed to vegetarians. Vegan and vegetarians are going to abstain from meat no matter what. On the other hand a meat eater that decides to forgo meat now has options. It can even be argued that both Beyond and Impossible products may be the bridge that facilitates less meat consumption in the meat eating population. Good for them and good luck.
29
Beef burgers taste great, but there's a lot of cruelty in every patty. Plant-bases alternatives work for me. Goodbye McDonalds!
39
@David McDonalds sells about 2 billion burgers a year, it's not going anywhere for most people.
2
I've gradually started reducing meat from my weekly menu planning. I am finding that there are really good alternative plant and bean based recipes. It's actually been a good experience turning away from meat and educating myself on ways to get enough protein without having to use it.
10
Were I a vegetarian the last thing I would do is eat anything that remotely resembles meat.
The world is full of exciting vegetarian fare from a plethora of
cuisines, why fake it?
18
@Krykos I think most vegetarians and vegans like the taste of meat, but choose to stop eating it for ethical and environmental reasons. The plant based meats are thus nice to reach for on occasion, such as in social situations in which everybody else is eating meat or for the occasional nostalgia meal. Just like any other reasonable diet, the less healthy options are eaten selectively and in moderation.
7
@Krykos Some people can't really commit to a goal such as their goal of being vegetarian when it really comes down to it so they look for fake alternatives and that's one reason for companies such as Beyond Meat finding customers.
Plant-based meat is obviously processed, but the decision to label it "ultra-processed" certainly can't be trusted to the meat industry, which produces the world's ne plus ultra toxic product.
It is impossible to compare eating a plant-based burger to the experience of munching on a poison-plumped animal cadaver.
14
@Sequel Right, "ultra-processed" is industry propaganda that gets parroted around as if it contains meaningful health information, or is distinctive in any way from the typical western diet.
1
McDonalds quarter pounder nutrition information:
Sodium 636mg - 730mg depending upon the source
Quarter pounder with cheese:
1120mg - 2500mg depending upon the source
This obviously not just the meat but...
At least compare a prepared item to the ready to eat item.
9
I was thinking exactly the same thing as I read this. And it’s not just about the added salt in fast food burgers. Go watch any of the millions of YouTube videos showing famous chefs preparing gourmet burgers and you’ll see them liberally salting the beef patty, condiments and bun on the grill. I do not add salt to my occasional Beyond patties.
4
The plant-based meat alternatives taste just as good as meat; they are cheaper; and they last longer in the fridge.
7
As a vegetarian, my contrarian take is that it’s too bad we need highly processed fakes like these to make the case against meat. Restaurants have increasingly stopped offering house-made veggie burgers, and I’m left with these things made of food derivatives and stuff from labs that they plop out of a package.
14
A subset who will never be satisfied...
1
Veggy sausages are so close to the meat based alternative I really can't tell the difference.
9
@richard baker
You may be right, but why not try to avoid the processed aspect of the food you eat? We can eat in a vegetarian or vegan fashion and avoiding the resource hungry
processing of foods. Get a few cook books from a variety of cultures and there will be plenty of inspiration without having to use anything worked over.
5
We can but it gets fairly boring. That’s why the majority of people that try vegetarianism return to eating some meat (less than before! But still meat) within three to four months of their attempts. These burgers and products are a nice middle ground for those that see meat flavours and textures as part of their diet but want to reduce meat intake
8
Large scale animal agriculture is harming our plant. We are running out of water. Meat processing plants use millions of gallons of water each day that is not recyclable. It contains blood and animal parts and is kept in large ponds to dehydrate or worse yet is used for irrigation.
Meat processing and its supply chain carbon footprint is contributing an astonishing amount of suffocating greenhouse gases.
Plant based meat alternatives, while not necessarily lower in calories, contain no cholesterol or antibiotics. Saturated fats can increase the risk of heart disease. Antibiotics absorbed in the body, over time, inadvertently make our bodies resistant to bacteria.
An occasional plant burger isn’t so bad. You can’t stop progress. If the beef industry could make as much money growing peas or hemp, they’d be singing Impossible’s and Beyond’s praises.
36
These burgers are perfect for vegetarians who want the burger experience without eating meat, for whatever personal reasons they may have. For me, it’s not only about the burger, it’s the bun, the condiments, the sides that come with it—the other unhealthy things one may have a hankering for that may only come with a burger. As healthy as the real thing? Sometimes I sauté them with spinach and wrap them up in lettuce. I think they’re scrumptious and I appreciate the 20 grams of protein.
8
I have zero interest in eating highly processed foods like fake meat. I like to eat fruits and vegetables daily, but in a form that's not highly processed. When I eat meat, I want it to come from an animal, not a vegetable. I've tried those fake meats and cheeses and they just don't taste the same as the real thing they are trying to mimic because I have a very sharp palate. I've been to a slaughter house and it didn't faze me. If needed, I'd get the proper permits and licenses to raise/hunt animals for food. I don't smoke, I don't drink alcohol, I don't take drugs and I regularly exercise, so eating meat isn't going to harm my health. It's sugars and carbs I have to watch out for since diabetes runs in my family.
6
I love both beef and plant based!
1
For personal health reasons and for environmental reasons, I would, if I am seeking meat, eat meat raised by small farms practicing regenerative agriculture first. Otherwise I would just sooner prefer protein that is not highly processed: good old fashioned beans and legumes that takes a few hours of slow cooking. CAFO meat is bad for health and bad to the environment. Highly processed plant based meat is questionable too. Remember the time when magarine was sold to us as healthy? The soy used - does it come from monoculture? 25 lbs of beans uses less packaging, provides fiber and protein and lots of other wholesome goodness. Much cheaper than meat. One can seek out heirloom beans too. The bean broth is incredible - no meat needed. Just google for heirloom beans and you can find suppliers.
8
Of course, plant based burgers won’t make any difference to the cattle industry. Burgers are made of what’s left over after the expensive cuts are removed from the carcass. If you want to make a difference, you have to create a steak/ribs substitute.
Eat a plant burger if you’d like (and I find them very good!) but don’t think that they’ll save cows.
4
@D S "Plant burger" is what they should market these foods as. No need for misleading terms such as meat or beef.
4
@Alan They literally all label themselves "plant-based." It's a point of pride, not something the companies why away from. The crux is that some politicians, at the behest of campaign donors, want to ban the label "plant-based burger" and force grocers to make the products more difficult to find in the grocery store.
For me the 3 pillars (aside from taste) supporting food choice are Health, Environmental Impact and Animal Welfare.
If a plant based food is even close on Health then it's got to be the right choice. The grotesque treatment of animals in the food industry and the extraordinary environmental damage need to be remembered.
54
@PSD Wow amazing few mentions of methane, water consumption....like silo brains.
I eat impossible for the earth, not health. Expecting processed food to be healthful is like expecting organic food to be different in nutrition from conventional crops.
17
The meat and fossil fuel hacks, flaks, and shills who try to undermine meat substitutes and fossil fuel replacements remind me of the anti vaccination crowd—trying to evoke fears of extremely remote possibilities, phantoms, and boogeymen to distract from the real and documented life-threatening harms meat agriculture, oil, coal, natural gas, etc., and things like measles, polio, COVID-19.
So these non-meat burgers are processed food? Are any of these meat industry hacks going to say with a straight face that fast food burgers aren’t processed? Fast food beef patties are so processed that they need to be flavored with added beef extract! What is the point of killing billions of animals (and chopping down huge acreages of forest, degrading massive acreages of grassland, etc., to raise/feed them before slaughter) if their flesh becomes so flavorless through processing, freezing, and defrosting that you need to add beef flavor to it? Why kill animals if you can replace their meat with a plant burger that tastes just as good (or better)?
56
It’s nice to have a meatless alternative when there are the usual backyard cookouts and block parties, where food is secondary to the friends and family gathering to enjoy one another’s company.
19
74 year old ex-dairy and meat eater here, proudly using coconut/almond milk and delicious fake burgers and sausages. Cow and pig industry, get used to it.
As a kid I visited my uncle's meat packing plant near St. Louis and witnessed how they put cows on a conveyer and simply slit their throats with a mechanical arm with a knife. Lovely. Still haunts me today.
62
@Oui Nodis I've often felt if any meat eater could just take an hour (maybe longer; maybe shorter) to observe and 'get to know' just one individual cow, pig, sheep, chicken, deer, dog, squid, fish or ANY sentient being one may think of killing and eating, look them in the eye, and watch them go about unfettered in their 'natural' existence, foraging for food, tending to their young, mourning the 'death' of one of their group, carrying out life as they were exquisitely and perfectly evolved to carry out, then fewer people would want to be involved (ie: directly responsible, whether or not they themselves used the knife, the electrocution prod, the gun, net, hook etc) with the suffering and death of such creatures...at that point, would humans still truly feel the desire to taste in their mouths and stomachs or carry the notion that they 'need' the flesh of any other sentient being on the planet for their own existence? Perhaps many may consider it a pipe dream, but the longer I live/exist myself, the more crystallised this question becomes..
3
@ BhaniOM One year, I was in my country of origin for the holiday season. Our family bought some live Guinea hens and a turkey for various holiday meals. As is the tradition, we kept them a few weeks, feeding and fattening them as they roamed the yard. My then 5 year old cousin fed and played with them every day during that time, yet very happily devoured their meat when they were cooked. He “got to know” the poultry, but still understood them as food, just as many other animals see prey as food, rather than as fellow sentient beings.
I can’t believe that you would stop eating animals, like I did 5 years ago, and would want anything resembling it. Yuck!
Plant based “imitations” are obviously super processed.
I went plant based but for real. Raw veggies and fruits to cook, beans of every kind from which you can make patties for burgers or whatever yummy concoction you can create.
I don’t understand why you would want to resemble eating skin, blood and gore.
10
Love the comments on these articles, my favorite is the vegan sanctimony, pretending it’s the healthiest diet. You know what’s vegan…Oreos, and french fries and margarine and palm oil - can’t do vegan baking without it. Palm oil is Terrible for the environment.
Let’s all just admit that our entire agricultural system is one big science experiment and it’s likely to implode - that includes the rows and rows of soil degrading pesticide ridden soybeans/corn/peas etc and water guzzling almonds.
15
@Allison
Quite interesting, I’m vegan and never use palm oil or margarine for that matter… it just shows how people who don’t understand how to cook vegan foods make some inaccurate assumptions.
Oreos are not marketed vegan btw even by their own company.
31
@Allison You are incorrect. I am vegan and bake without tropical oils.
17
@Allison
You know what MY favorite is? Logical fallacies touted as arguments. Naming unhealthy vegan foods to slam vegan a vegan diet - genius! Noting that many foods contain pesticides? Slam dunk! "Oh I should eat 'natural' things? So I should just eat dirt and drink seawater, you mean?! Those are natural!" Brava. You did something really special here. I teach speech and debate. This argument gets a zero.
By the way, way off on the almond thing - that's a myth.
7
The imitation meat/beef products are a step in the right direction for many people, and the planet, but as with meat, they shouldn't be a regular part of a healthful diet. Moderation, which seems forever impossible for Americans to comprehend and practice, will get us where we need to go much more quickly than will the next food trend. Have you seen the people walking out of the gluten-free bakery with their boxes of refined breads and pastries to last a week? What other nation is as unhealthy as it is obsessed with "being healthy?"
14
Not one mention about the treatment of the animals? It's why so many of us do what we do. And I don't eat processed stuff so I don't eat much of this stuff in this article (and I stay away from Canola oil which unfortunately Impossible uses). I will say Amy's Sonoma burgers (frozen section) come close to something healthy and yummy (especially low sodium version, though I'd prefer no seed oils), and you can even make similar on your own (mash-up quinoa, veggies, oats, walnuts, you can check ingredients).
23
Make your own veggie burgers! Beans of any kind, little bit of oil, bread crumbs, parsley or spinach or cooked kale, spices, salt and pepper. Bake or pan fry. Yum.
9
The crux of this is in the second sentence: marketers don't care about you, your health, climate change, or what's in plant-based meat substitutes.
Marketers care about money, and that makes them an unreliable source on literally every topic they touch.
52
Reading some of the anti-real meat comments sounds like one of those old DuPont commercials: Save the planet through chemistry. When did eating lunch become an act of micro-analytics of resource allocation. It would be such an elitist and privileged view point if it wasn’t so fundamentally neurotic.
14
No one should be eating meat in 2021. Come on.
65
@Pim Meat is a core component of the keto and low carb lifestyle and those following them do seem to be loose weight and improve their physical and mental health. So i would argue that meat eating in 2021 is alive and well and - surprise - is good for your overall health.
10
Devon, the keto and low-carb lifestyles you refer to are silly health fads.
3
Plan based "meat" can actually be pareve (neutral) for Jews (with the appropriate hechsher and ingredients), allowing Jews to actually have their "cheeseburger in Paradise."
But more important for everyone, no animal dies for me to have a "meat" meal.
43
Imitation meat is not meat but it is not a meat substitute, either. It is a highly processed product that resembles the chemicals and the physical structures found in meat products. It may be better for people than the real thing or it might prove to be not a good product to eat. It will take time to see how the human body adapts to to it or does not.
10
I don't much care what people eat, but I really dislike this way of calling something what it's not. Almond water is not "milk" and these things are not "meat."
There should be legislation, even this city boy knows that farmers will make investments for years in advance based on reported milk or meat sales. Lumping the other products into the same categories is not only dishonest (yeah, quaint idea, i know) and lazy, but it creates financial uncertainties as well.
Today I read about a "quick" recipe for Hollandaise sauce which isn't Hollandaise sauce and, when you add A-1, NO, it's most definitely not Bearnaise sauce.
Make up as much new food as you like, just stop calling it what it's not. And, not to put too fine a point on it, I doubt there's a single vegetable in our food supply which hasn't been genetically modified over the centuries.
14
@David F I suggest a brief appointment with a dictionary. The OED gives "white juice of some plants and trees" for milk (n.) (3). Likewise, what you refer to as "almond water" has been called "almond milk" in English since at least the 15th century, by which point various cookbooks give recipes for "mylke de almoundys".
As for the second point: this one-time farm boy can tell you with certainty that vegetarian alternatives are not, in fact, lumped in with meat and milk sales: data on meat sales are reported by animal (beef, pork, chicken, …), and milk sales do not include vegetable milks.
Certainly, a market for meat alternatives is bad for farmers who rely on livestock, but I think that argument is roughly analogous to claiming that it creates financial uncertainty for coal miners when we talk about decarbonizing the global economy, or maybe better yet, lump solar energy in with that generated by fossil fuels. It's well-documented that animal agriculture does tremendous harm to our planet—15% of all CO2e emissions, not to mention the immense contributions to nitrogen pollution, erosion, deforestation, &c.!
I'm sorry for your hurt at reading a bad recipe. As an example what I gather you view as an attack on meat, though, it's incoherent at best.
45
@David F You know what really drives me up the wall? Honey Nut Cheerios. The gall of General Mills to continuosly serve an erroneously named product to it's consumers YEARS after removing any trace of nut from the cereal. If legislators can't find anything else to do with their time, then reviewing product labels would be time well spent.
Hopefully they take a hard look at Grape Nuts, too. That cereal has been insideously misleading customers into thinking they are purchasing the nut of grapes for generations.
23
Hilarious! I guess to avoid further labeling confusion we should question “cherry tomatoes”, “Healthy Choice” (when you consider sodium content, an oxymoron) and perhaps even Mac & Cheese!
2
You can make a really good veggie burger with chick peas. Or tofu . Or black beans.
It’s really not hard.
38
If you don’t want to eat meat, just don’t eat it. Enough with the imitations! A highly processed food must be very energy intensive and sodium laden. Bad for your health, bad for the planet. I eat mostly beans and vegetables that I love, and once in a while I have a steak or a burger. Eat real food and stop kidding yourselves America!
31
My wife and I are vegetarians. We've tried both burger substitutes mentioned in the article. They're great! We're not kidding ourselves! We know they're plant based. We prefer this to killing cows! Try it, America!
3
@Maria
No so. no one is kidding themself. america is eating more and more plant based food because america and the western world realizes that it is the right thing to do for ethical, ecological, health reason. Not every one has to take your orders, specially if they are misguided.
3
I’m going to eat a Buffalo!
3
Buffalo is delicious, but I save it for special occasions because it's not very sustainable, certainly not here! When I was in Alaska I had elk ribs, also very tasty. For everyday, impossibles will do nicely.
1
Love my plant based burgers.
22
I acknowledge that plant based alternatives are not healthier than meat. I never thought they were. (Also, can we please reserve the words cheese and meat for cheese and meat and come up with something else for their plant based alternatives?)
I don’t think that them being healthier for humans is the point. I think the point is to reduce animal cruelty and animal farming climate consequences
41
Many of the articles that question the value of plant-based meat strike me as propaganda against the movement. I'm not simply referring to articles in the NYT, though they are included, but all of them. I frequently see online articles about the perils of a vegan diet or the confessions of a lapsed vegan who suffered some health issue because of some missing nutrient. These articles imply that omnivore diets are the gold standard and that vegan diets are fringe. Meanwhile, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is replete with its own dangers - most notably, diabetes and high blood pressure - which in my opinion, are far worse than the manageable risks of veganism that can be easily avoided if understood. The issue of plant-based meat has nothing to do with health and never did, and the thrust of these articles intentionally obfuscates that point. It's about morality, ethics, and sustainability. In truth, it is the non-veg community that drives this market - flexitarians and those who care about the environment, not necessarily the cruelty to animals. I know more lactose intolerant people who buy non-dairy ice creams and cheeses than I do vegans. The aim is to replicate the taste and mouthfeel of those animal-derived products, not to create healthy alternatives. The added benefit for omnivores is sustainability, and for vegans, the lack of animal cruelty.
44
@Billy
Like everything else, reporting on different diets assume we all are exactly the same. We're not, so I would assume that which diet works best for any one individual is largely based on experience.
However, to compare a vegetarian or vegan diet to the "Standard American Diet" is a false choice. Most (not all) who thoughtfully advocate for eating animal proteins as best for human health are not saying eat at McDonalds and supersize it.
And many who advocate for foods that are "plant-based" but simulate the meat-eating experience are saying exactly that it is healthier, as they've accepted as proven fact that animal proteins - red meat especially - are unhealthy.
Personally, I feel better eating the correct amount of animal proteins for my lean muscle mass maintenance, understand that not all pasture can be farmed, conventionally or otherwise, that methane produced by ruminants isn't correctly understood as a GHG problem, and that these faux meats, while interesting for their achievement, aren't neutral in the impacts on the environment.
7
@Billy Protecting our environment and the elimination of animal cruelty are of utmost importance; however, the creation of healthy meat alternatives should be the main aim. The current plant-based burgers are not yet those. They are highly processed and not as healthy as real food. Like beans, nuts, dairy and other proteins. If you do not have your health....
1
@Sally P i understand if the creation of healthy meat alternatives should be the main aim for you. For many of us animal cruelty comes first. And one does not need plant-based burgers but i think it does help raise awareness.
13
I can buy the argument that "fake meat" is processed and therefore not a healthy food (though I'm not convinced it's any worse than hormone and antiobiotic-ridden "real meat") but the Centers for Consumer Freedom (a front group for the tobacco and meat industries) has promoted so much false information, especially about animal rights groups; they have no credibility, and I was surprised to see them referenced here.
22
If you are looking for a substitute for chicken try Garden seven grain crispy tenders. It's delicious! ( I have no ties to the company)
15
@Gene sorry that is Garden with an "e".
Imagine if we wanted a substitute for kale salads, wait, we don’t, because we inherently understand that it’s pure poison for us. Or maybe you really do enjoy eating it raw with no CREAMY dressing slathered over it.
1
@GO Add some oive oil and lemon juice. Maybe some quinoa and chickpeas. Bon appetit.
13
Plant-based - say it like it is, folks: Made from plants. It's not a burger. It's just not.
It IS a BSO - burger-shaped object.
If you eat meat in moderation (if you don't think we evolved to eat meat, please explain your incisors) then you will live a full life.
If you constantly obsess over miniutiae, well.....
I'll trade two years of slobbering on a pillow for a life fully lived. But of course that's just me. You do you.
11
@Mark Should the government require that pizza be labeled as pie? Or that peanut butter be labeled "blended peanuts"? What compelling interest does the government have in telling these companies how to label their product, especially when relabeling is sure to cause confusion where none currently exists? Or to tell private grocers where to place some refrigerated products but not others?
20
@Brian
Well, that was weird...I don't recall anything I stated having anything to do with government or its mandates.
What I said was the an "impostor" burger is not a burger. it doesn't meet the definition.
I don't care what the government calls it...that's way down on my list of things to care about.
9
@Mark You implied as much by commenting, "It's not a burger. It's just not," on an article that discusses legislationion in 25 states to restrict the use of the words "beef" and "meat," and continued lobbying efforts for the governments to intervene in where the meatless products can be placed in a grocery store. So sorry, I mistook your comment for being on topic.
9
When they have a nice rare T-bone where I can nibble on the bone and suck out the marrow, I might consider it, but maybe not. But I do like sautéed mushroom on my beef.
8
Don't care what the meat industry says; it's all propaganda.
Don't care if veggie burgers are high sodium; I have maybe 10 of them per year.
Do care about not eating meat, though.
34
NOTHING is clarified here; important questions are trivialized with diversionary NON-answers, such as: "But are plant-based meats really better for you than meat? It depends on how you eat them... Replacing a hamburger with a plant burger is not an improvement in diet quality if you chase it with French fries and a sugar-laden soda, Dr. Hu said". UN-salted beef is compared to prepared, seasoned alternatives.
17
@H B Snowden HUH! Do we inhabit the same planet. As near as I can tell, we certainly don't speak the same language.
It's incredible that we see the factory-farm-based meat companies using negative advertising against the plant-based meat companies and the plant-based meat producers never use negative advertising against the slaughter-based meat companies when all they'd have to do is show images of the animal suffering and environmental degradation that the factory farms are responsible for and millions of consumers would be repulsed and would shift their consumer dollars away from the factory farm-based industry.
It is incomprehensible that companies like Impossible and Beyond Meat will allow themselves to be the targets of negative ads and won't hit back with the kind of attack ads that would lay bare for American consumers the mass suffering, the industrialized cruelty and the environmental ravages that the factory-farm-based meat companies want desperately to keep hidden.
28
@Robert
The American public will feel the occasional twinge when suffering and cruelty is on the news, but then it's back to normal. We clearly tolerate a great degree of inhumanity, to actual humans, not just animals.
9
I'm a health conscience omnivore and home chef.
My advice is read the label.
Some of this meatless meat is highly processed and not at all sustainable.
12
@Bill Brasky
Why is plant-based meat unsustainable?
@JBHart
1. Read the label(s).
2. The amount of water required to grow and then process these.
1
I try to be Vegan, right now I'm about 40%? I do it for the animals. I don't like many of the plant based products so I make Vegetarian meals. I'm sure in time they will become better. I hear they are experimenting on stem cells to grow meat. You never know! All avenues I hope will be looked at.
The EU has passed laws starting in 2025, that will eliminate the Caging of Farm Animals in the Industrial Farm Industry.
After seeing pictures of what animals live through, if you call it living before slaughter, my heart cannot take it.
I grew up oblivious to this and only the last 2 years became aware.
23
i'm a vegan (and a physician) but i won't eat the fake meat from impossible foods or beyond meat. why? they contain coconut oil, which is a highly saturated fat, and one which the american heart association considers unhealthy.
individuals with risk factors for cardiovascular disease should take this into consideration. there are plenty of other plant based meat and burger options which do not contain coconut oil.
12
@tikcuf So that one cookout with the family and grandma you are drawing the hard line on?
4
The article misses the context of eating plant based foods: sustainability. Health, yes, but also health of the planet, health of our ethical selves. We have options to live lives of purpose and sustainability; this should not be treated as a fashion trend. It's the obvious way for a civilization that wants to survive, and much less thrive.
33
@Bellingham
I suggest to take a deep dive into how each component of these fake meats are manufactured.
Pea protein alone is not a "sustainable" product.
5
@MCD
Please explain why pea protein is not a sustainable product?
Highlighting the sodium content of vegan vs. animal-based burgers assumes we never salt, pepper and season our burgers. Most of us do.
22
We tried the plant-based burgers. Very tasty.
Too bad for the planet that every patty is individually wrapped in layers and layers of plastic. Why can't we just but a pound of ground substitute and make our own patties?
8
@Buttons Cornell, you can buy Impossible patties in a freezer bag of six for much less money and packaging. I think the current two-patty packaging is about patty-ready convenience and looking seductive on the supermarket shelf. I hope this is simplified soon as well.
17
Both Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods do sell packages of ground product so you can make your own patties (or tacos, pasta, meatloaf…). I find them in either the refrigerator and freezer sections (sometimes both) at places like Target, ShopRite, Trader Joe’s and Aldi.
8
@Buttons Cornell Ralph's (a Kroger store) has that in California.
Vegan diets for humans are not evolutionarily appropriate and cut people off from their connection to the Earth. Various ruminant such as goats, bison and cows are being used to produce food while also building the soil.
Our methods of agriculture are insane, from any standpoint other than short term bookkeeping profit, where the land degenerates and men decay.
For plants, we start by killing every living thing on or in the land, animals, plants, fungi, worms etcetera. We are just learning how important fungi are to plants. Then we add chemical fertilizes made using fossil fuel adding carbon to the biosphere and using the soil as practically a support for an essentially hydroponic production process. Then we spay
pesticides to be sure that nothing but our desired crops can live.
Then we feed a lot of these crops to ruminants whose role in the ecosystem is to browse on meadows and convert the browse to food for predators, of which we are one back probably back to the days of our stone tool making ancestors or before. Ruminants also return most of the water and biomatter to the land. Feeding grains to animals is just incorrect. They are low quality food for humans who are also, of course animals.
15
@WSB
My wife and I have been vegan for over 30 years and are as healthy as oxen. So much for vegan diets not being "evolutionarily appropriate."
We also organically grow a lot of our own food. We feel pretty "connected to the earth" as we work it.
I do agree with you on a lot of the rest of your post. Our agricultural methods are not just insane, but criminally insane. Growing rice and alfalfa in water starved California being a classic example.
38
@WSB This is just silly. Eating meat is only sustainable for feeding 7 billion people if we turn animals into livestock and livestock into products to be purchased on grocery shelves. The planet can't sustain wild animals to feed 7 bil. Meat eating is a niche market that is propagated by romantic notions of man's primacy in the food chain and corporate beef/ chicken industry. Vegan is literally the only sustainable diet.
17
@Concernicus There are many nutritional shortcomings that only become clinical after several decades.
If it works for you fine, but you can't generalize to everybody.
5
I'm currently living in Spain, where meat is plentiful and people look substantially healthier and thinner than in the US. I haven't seen "plant-based meats" anywhere and there are fewer vegetarians. The traditional diet of lots of ham and beef appears to be working very well for people here. I sincerely doubt that meat substitutes are good for anyone. I was a vegetarian for a decade and it left me with chronic disease from the processed foods, which reversed quickly when I started eating a more traditional diet again.
19
@Michelle being a vegetarian doesn't require eating a lot of processed foods. It requires thoughtful self-control to eat a variety of healthy foods.
36
@Michelle Take a trip to Greece or Italy while you are over there. See what they eat. Not all meat.
1
@Bellingham It doesn't require eating processed foods, but I've yet to meet a vegetarian who lives mostly on unprocessed foods. Like most people, I also don't do well with a lot of grains or carbs, and a low carb unprocessed vegetarian diet is nearly impossible.
Until beyond meat and the likes can create a rack of ribs, fillet minion, rotisserie chicken, oysters on the half shell, seared ahi tuna, etc that has the taste smell and texture of the real thing these companies have a looong way to go. Most meat eaters aren’t just stuffing themselves with ground beef/burgers for every meal. Although I applaud them for a good start.
7
Please do some research on the poultry industry. I used to love chicken but have stopped eating it in all forms because of the disgraceful way that the industry operates.
It is very difficult to find ethically raised meats and fish that are affordable. Pasture-raised eggs may provide a good alternative, but there is a lot of dishonest labeling in the egg industry, so I can't be sure if the animals are actually treated ethically.
34
I really don't get it. Why are vegetarians interested in finding foods that taste like meat? Duh... Trying to replicate something you have political, ethical, or environmental concerns about, is just weird. Be happy with your vegetables, and find ways to elevate their flavors and tastes.
20
@Joseph S Eggly
You’re right. I’ve wondered that too. I’m vegan and have no interest in eating anything that tastes like meat. That’s why I enjoy plant-based cuisine. For those who like meat and/of dairy, many studies show good quality meat or dairy as part of a varied menu is healthy, often healthier than highly processed non-meat products.
10
@Joseph S Eggly, nearly everyone raised on meat is imprinted to like it. Many vegans aren't put off by the taste and texture but rather the ethics (factory farms) and negative health impact (Google "TMAO" for red meat). There's nothing wrong with seeking out kinder, healthier alternatives. But perhaps a few generations down the road, those not raised with meat will change or add different foods to the evolving table.
15
@Joseph S Eggly Yes, I think the same thing. My mother was a lifelong vegetarian, since an early age anyway, and she couldn't stand the idea of a non-meat substance made to taste like meat. She didn't eat meat for ethical reasons, along with sheer revulsion at the idea eating flesh. She apparently could not forget where meat came from. Thus no interest in replicating the taste.
3
What about the stress on the environment to raise cow?
19
Real beef burgers have lower sodium than Beyond and Impossible burgers? Maybe...how many beef eating folks DO NOT add salt, do you think? While they're eating their salt soaked fries?
11
I don’t add salt to any meats that I cook.
Also when I use to go out, I would have my meat cooked without seasoning or salt and if there was a sauce I’d have it on the side.
As for french fries I order them without salt, too.
If any of the order comes with added salt, back it goes.
Beef tastes plenty salty to me as is.
I like my french fries to taste like potatoes, not a bucket of salt.
Not everyone adds salt to their food, whether it’s a meat product or veggies.
2
@Mel most people do add salt, and a lot of it. You are an exception.
5
Really! comparing sodium levels prior to seasoning the beef. Know anybody that can choke down a burger without salt?
What about the condiments to make the beef palatable. A little mayo, mustard (home made or out of plastic bottle).
Do the planet a favor - substitute for beef - don't add. Waiting for the chicken/fish/pork substitute that enables fast food restaurants to increase their profit.
And if you need to eat beef, then eat solar powered beef. Beef grown on cow fertilized grass and snow melt water. A renewable food source. Don't eat cows grown on people food (corn, soybeans) and pumped full of antibiotics to push on the pounds.
11
@crankier everyday, there are healthier options. I prefer pasture raised cows and chickens. I check the reviews of the companies against their websites. These farmers are family owned small businesses who respects the animals they raise and the pasture they graze.
Processed food is just that - processed food. It is supposed to be bad for you with all those additives and what have you.
5
"Center for Consumer Freedom," wow, that's rich, what a name.
Coming from the same geniuses who brought us "Military Intelligence," no doubt.
16
The same Republicans screaming about personal choice in mask wearing are doing their best to stop personal choices of meat-based vs. plant-based burgers. Talk about hypocritical.
30
@MSC Agreed. It is ironic.. Next step is probably legislation so that solar power can't be called power because it isn't made from fossil fuels.
10
even if they're worse for me, i'll keep eating the fake ones because they're way way better for the cows.
41
@ethan herschenfeld I'm sure they would agree.
3
One billion Hindus seem to be OK with vegetarianism. All the booga-booga from the meat industry tells me they're getting jittery. Good. Heh. Heh.
52
@Herself YESSSS, so true! That makes me happy to think about
5
@Herself YES!! and Jains, Buddhists et al. since ca. the 6th century BCE...including pregnant women and children
I might be willing to try a meatless burger if there was a cost advantage but they cost more than the real thing. I am not convinced of any significant health advantage. A quarter pound of ground beef once or twice a week is hardly going to put me in my grave. They are going to have to do better if they want me as a customer.
2
@Alan It's not about a health benefit, it's about an environmental one.
12
I do not eat meat - and enjoy a generally healthy, plant-based diet. I thoroughly enjoy a Beyond Burger as a special treat. I always appreciate this as an option at a barbecue or at a restaurant.
I also eat other veggie options, like a black bean chipotle "burger," but Beyond has the taste and texture of a real burger, though without the inhumane treatment of animals.
More plant based alternatives are welcome in my household. It's good for health and the planet.
49
I would love to eat these burgers on a regular basis, but I have an ethical problem with their cost. Vegetarian substitutes should be accessible to people in poor neighborhoods and not just those who shop at Whole Foods. Here in Canada the beyond meat burgers at $8 for two, so it costs $16 to feed a family of 4. Adding buns and toppings we're looking at $20+. This is crazy when I consider that I can buy two cans of organic beans for $4.
18
"The meat industry has a warning for consumers: Beware of plant-based meat.
That is the message behind a marketing campaign by the Center for Consumer Freedom, a public relations firm whose financial supporters have included meat producers and others in the food industry. "
...Marketing Campaign, being the key phrase here...
18
@Lisa
Reminds me of the cow holding "Eat more chicken" signs in Chick-fil-A ads.
11
These meatless subsitutes sources are from companies only interested in finding profit just like the horrors of the factory cattle farms. Soy bean farming is a massive industry wrought with environmental problems which greatly contribute to the cessation of carbon sequestration. When not organic this means pesticides and herbicides are passed on in the product to us.
Our agricultural practices in animal and plant are our nemesis. Until we can sacrifice the huge scale with which it is practiced and really re-learn what kind of farming helps our planet it will not help our planet or our health. Until we do real science based studies on nutrition we are fooling ourselves about what we believe is healthy and we are putting our trust in companies that are using the vegan movement are their pawns to make profit from them.
12
I eat Beyond burgers regularly. I eat them, not for the environment, not for my health, but because an animal doesn't have to die for my taste buds. It's a simple decision for me. Nothing suffered for my meal.
103
Ever consider how much energy goes into making peas look like beef?
5
@Miranda why don’t you eat a vegetable stew instead? Not that you have to, eat what you want, but that’s even better for your health and the planet. Processed foods are very energy intensive, plus with all the processing and additives are they really food anymore. This is not personal towards you but for the public in general in this discussion.
3
Overall, I prefer to be a vegetarian by eating vegetables. But there are a few dishes that I used to make with ground meat that I am happy to make with impossible meat, particularly for my grown kids, for whom these dishes are the stuff of nostalgia. I don't love highly processed foods, including meat replacements, but I am truly grateful to have the option of the meat replacements once in a while, particularly given the environmental impact of "real" beef.
28
@L. Frozen thawed tofu crumbles are also a nice alternative to ground beef, and much less processed
1
They're not "fake" anything. They are merely a plant-based patty meant to simulate the beef patty. While from time to time I prefer a good, juicy hamburger, I also eat (at home) a plant based alternative.
There's a place at the table for both.
22
@LesISmore
Simulated means fake. It’s a science experiment designed to take your cash and make you feel trendy. Eat actual food, not this plastic stuff
2
@northward
(1) - So just how are those ingredients getting to the factory to make meat substitutes? Using lots of fossil fuels I suspect.
(2) Grazing cattle consume rainwater collected on their grazing land. Grazing land is used for that purpose because it is not suitable for farming (this excludes feedlots). No human is being denied water in favor of a cow.
(3) Yes, and being ruminants they consume vegetation that is not digestible by humans including remains of crops where the human digestible component is extracted. No human is missing out on vegetables in favor of cows. Again feedlots are excluded here where cows consume corn. I'd be quite happy to get rid of feedlots.
1
@Michael K, so, those cattle get to the slaughterhouse on hoof?
You make some valid points. However, here in the United States, even "grass fed" beef cattle are "finished" by eating corn, on the feedlots that you mention.
These alternative meat-like products don't sound very appetizing, and they certainly aren't based on healthy plant foods. They are a manufactured product that looks, and "bleeds" [eww], like hamburger meat.
PS: I'm an omnivore, though I sometimes question my occasional consumption of fish. Beef cattle might be killed more humanely than fish are.
And finally, I don't like the notion of eating meat which might contain antibiotics.
To each their own, I suppose.
1
I do not eat beef, nor do i want food that looks or tastes like beef.
I think veggies should taste like veggies.
The plant food world, in its four main categories (legumes, grains, fruits, vegetables) is a wonderful universe of health and flavor.
Why do we want to “trick” people into making veggies taste like beef?
If you want a hamburger, eat a hamburger made of dead cow muscle. Eat a beef burger if you want the beef burger flavor.
Eat a veggie paddy, if you like the flavors of mechanically (i.e., no chemically) processed veggies.
I prefer veggie paddies, though I am not a vegetarian.
How can this issue be complicated?
3
I make burgers from 93% lean beef. While I'm not opposed to plant-based alternatives, the ones presently available contain a lot more fat than I can accept.
1
I think these two new high-tech meat-substitute products are getting too much attention. there are dozens of other lesser-known meat substitute products on the market, and some of them have much better nutritional profiles, and may even taste better to some consumers.
11
It's disconcerting that the New York Times chooses to mention the so-called "Center for Consumer Freedom" - a sketchy PR firm spouting subtly - or not so subtly worded - misinformation about a number of issues. Lobbyist Rick Berman has long taken money from the fur, meat, alcohol and tobacco industries, among others, in an attempt to denigrate individuals and organizations who have legitimate concerns about how those industries function.
This "center" should never be used as a legitimate source of information.
28
@Anita Should've known by the smell of it that the "Center for Consumer Freedom" was a Rick Berman creation.
5
@Anita, while I've never heard of the Center for Consumer Freedom, I'm skeptical of nonprofits that claim to be something that they aren't.
So, if an organization is named "the Voter Rights Forum", my initial guess is that they are actually trying to undermine voter rights.
While this is a rather negative perspective, it might be right a good percentage of the time. And then I can research the organization without jumping to any conclusions.
4
I much prefer real hamburger to the fake stuff but the fake stuff is OK once in a while.
2
The meat industry wants the upstarts to label their products "imitation." How about they use "animal corpse" on their products.
64
Or “a piece of an animal corpse?”
16
So, the meat industry now claims there is a concern among them when it comes to "ultra-processed" products - just how do they describe factory-farming and compare tHAT to what they are referring to as "ultra-processed".
If you're looking for a fraud, look no further than the meat industry and their "ultra-fraudulent" campaigns against plant-based products.
What actually concerns them is their ultra-profit. Their pretext smells worse than a real hamburger that's been left out in the sun for more than ten minutes.
29
I eagerly await the introduction of fake vegetables made from meat.
17
@Technic Ally Winner winner (real) chicken dinner
3
What I don't understand is why meat is somehow considered a contributor to carbon emissions. Cows are machines that turn grass (a carbon container) into other carbon containing products (CH4, C02, proteins, fats), but that's all within the normal carbon cycle. It's not fossil fuel which is converting plants from a million years ago into C02.
Yes, YOU produce CO2 and CH4 also, but I don't see any one quite arguing that human beings as animals are "contributing to climate change". It is nonsensical and political arguments like these that actually undermine environmentalist because if they are prone to exaggerate here, where else are they exaggerating?
3
In reply to OneView from Boston: you can type, “why does meat production have a large carbon footprint?” Into Google. You will find the answers!
17
@OneView
(1) the beef and dairy industry uses lots of fossil fuels, in growing feed, transportation. Much of the meat sold in supermarkets and restaurants in the US might have been produced in South America and fed on soybeans grown in Asia. It takes a tremendous amount of fossil fuels to coordinate that economy. That is why it is far more efficient to eat plants - lower on the food chain = less emissions needed to produce the food
(2) Beef and dairy industry also has other environmental impacts, such as (a) using increasingly valuable water supply to grow their feed and provide the cows themselves water (b) using up land that otherwise could be used to grow crops for humans (c) waste pollution into waterways, etc
(3) Unlike human beings, cows are ruminants. Their digestion produces methane, a greenhouse gas
21
@OneView
Off the top of my head...
(1) the beef and dairy industry uses lots of fossil fuels, in growing feed and transportation. Much of the meat sold in supermarkets and restaurants in the US might have been produced in South America but fed on corn gown in the US. It takes a tremendous amount of fossil fuels to coordinate that economy. That is why it is far more efficient to eat plants, preferably those grown closer to home.
(2) Beef and dairy industry also has other environmental impacts, such as (a) using increasingly valuable water supply to grow their feed and provide the cows themselves water (b) using up land that otherwise could be used to grow crops for humans (c) waste pollution into waterways, etc
(3) Unlike human beings, cows are ruminants. Their digestion produces methane, a greenhouse gas
(4) the clearing of forest for cattle is a leading cause of deforestation around the world. Forests are natural carbon sinks, i.e., they pull carbon from the atmosphere
(5) Grazing cattle need grass, and farmers often use nitrogen fertilizer on their fields to stimulate grass growth. The production of nitrogen fertilizer produces carbon
7
The NYTimes has many many veggie burger recipes. They are not "processed" and very healthy. I saw 12 recipes when I googled it.
20
Here's the key quote in this article. "Compared to a beef patty, the Impossible and Beyond burgers have similar amounts of protein and calories, with less saturated fat and no cholesterol." No cholesterol. Heart disease, from artery-clogging plaque, which comes from cholesterol, is America's leading (pre-pandemic) killer. Vegan products contain zero cholesterol. Right there, they are better for you. Processed meat has been declared carcinogenic by the World Health Organization! Where is the discussion of that? Red meat is a likely carcinogen. Where is the discussion of that? We must begin to dismantle the totally unsustainable meat industry that serves 80 billion land animals yearly to 7.9 billion humans, creating a methane hazard that was outlined in the most recent IPCC report. #TimesUp Big Meat!
22
Dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol are not related. It is animal fat, some chemicals, and stress that cause the body to increase cholesterol.
6
Whether or not a meat substitute is healthier and better for you than the beef burger, it certainly is healthier and better for the cow.
55
I've always found it mildly annoying that you can't label plant milks (a term that has existed for at least 800 years because it looks like milk) or meat substitutes as such in the EU and UK because of this concern over confusion. A reason why it's never been done in the US by the FDA is that people aren't dumb enough to make that mistake for the most part. In the EU it's mostly been done out of spite or at the behest of meat product producers who feel threatened. I don't understand Michigan and other places wanting to do the same unless it's for similar reasons.
9
There are three main types of people when it comes to meat.
1) Can't deal with any animal suffering.
2) Is okay if an animals suffers as long as it is for they feel is a good cause.
2) Couldn't care less about the animals they eat as long as it tasted good.
I fall squarely in the second category. I would hunt and gladly slaughter the animal myself if that was the only way I could eat meat. I also love veggies, grains, legumes, and fruit. I eat free range and grass feed whenever reasonable possible, i.e. always at home but I don't sweet the details at restaurants. I mostly eat at home. I eat less beef, not for health reason; but because of the environmental impact. I like "fake meat" too, I frankly don't understand while people are militant for or against meat. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.
11
@MJ (Mountain Junky)
I agree. If everyone in America just cut back and insisted on cleaner and more humane modes of meat production, it would make a world of difference.
20
Yes, I like that the Impossible burger is better for the environment, if not necessarily always "better" for me health-wise, depending on context. That is meaningful for all the reasons enumerated by many readers here, so I need not repeat them. But, frankly, the reason I love Impossible burgers and often prefer them to meat, is that they are hella' TASTY! Meaty, umami flavors with a lighter body than beef or lamb burgers, and a less fatty feel. You could also use bison if you could get hold of it. But for those among us who are both cooks and eaters, let's not ignore the simple fact that taste is important, and those of us who really love the taste of the Impossible burger can joyfully get our burger fix and feel a little better about our environmental impact while doing it.
10
The fact that the meat industry sees this only as a "what's best for ME issue" demonstrates why they will continue losing market share. Some people actually care what's best for US, hard as it is to believe.
16
Not much here for those with allergies to plant based proteins such as seeds, legumes, and pulses.
5
@Phil Try grasshoppers instead. (https://beholdisrael.org/israeli-innovation-grasshoppers-as-a-protein-alternative-that-could-feed-the-world/)
Unlike plants, grasshoppers have all essential amino acids. And 200 calories of grasshoppers has 50% more protein than 200 calories of the farting, graminivorous quadrupeds that real men like to sink their teeth into.
Use as a powder or add some crunchy grasshoppers to a salad.
1
I applaud the younger generations in their appreciation of plant-based foods. Clearly they are miles ahead of baby boomers (I'm 71) in ethical standards and concern for this planet we live on. By the way, I can testify that they are not sacrificing anything in taste by adopting plant based diets.
Personally I'm a big believer in Freedom. I strongly believe in the idea that cows, chickens, pigs and other animals should be Free of human induced torture and slaughter. Let them live, and let them be. Let's enjoy life in ways that are good for all creatures and the planet.
28
we can make our own. example, I make my own bread because my loaves have four or five (maple syrup) ingredients as opposed to 18.
it's up in the air whether flaxseed can be heated. ground, it is used as an egg substitute in baking. it also binds. peas and black beans need flavor. then oats, I suppose.
1
There are so many chemicals in fake meats, I can't believe people consume that stuff. Also, the expectation from vegans and vegetarians that they be catered to by burger places is outlandish, should BK offer impossible whoppers, no.
2
I think BK wants to make money from both carnivores and vegetarians. No one is asking to be catered to,
19
@JC
So instead you think burger places should bow to your dictates and stop selling something that they have found increases their revenues?
13
@JC Unlike the meat industry, which uses no preservatives?
7
"animal suffering and environmental degradation"
The exact same phrase in numerous comments.
What happens when Vegangelicals run amok.
(Spare me the retorts. I'm a vegetarian.)
5
i want to stop consuming meat for many reasons- but i also don't want to eat plant-based food grown with pesticides- Please address this!! (in growing pot as well)
2
@cait farrell grow your own veggies using veganic soil.
2
What's hiding in your real meat?
Now that is the question that meat "producers" don't have to answer because of their political clout.
Let's just say it's a whole lot of of hormones and antibiotics. And a certain permitted level of animal feces (yep, that is allowed!).
And boat loads of unspeakable torture.
34
@Will. Most meat products do not contain hormones or antibiotics. Is this what vegans go around saying to get others to change their eating habits.
2
@JC If that's the case, then why is it that such a small portion of meat products that are sold advertise that they 'do not contain any hormones or antibiotics'?
Knowing that most people, if they had a choice, wouldn't want to eat meat that had hormones and antibiotics injected into the animals, why don't the Oscar Meyers, Hormels, Boars Heads and Perdues of the world have labels that say 'hormone- and antibiotic-free'? Hmmm....
4
@JC, most conventionally raised animals are treated with antibiotics, even when they aren't ill. The antibiotics, and hormones, increase the rate at which the animals grow / put on weight.
btw, it's amusing when poultry producers tout that their chickens are "raised without hormones". Because chickens are never raised with hormones.
4
I ordered a veggie burger at a restaurant and I called the waiter after my first bite. I told him I wanted a veggie burger and this was beef. It wasn't! It was a veggie burger! I could not tell the difference from the taste. The fake meat is a great advancement for the planet and for the elimination of much suffering of our fellow creatures.
31
I am a vegetarian and it's nice to see US population more accepting of vegetarian foods. However, the "simulated meats" - i.e., those that are designed to taste and feel like meat, including "bleeding") makes me say that the carnivores are hijacking the vegetarian movement. The reason I don't eat meat is because of its taste and texture. Giving me a veggie substitute with the same taste and texture as meat makes no sense! For most vegetarians, not eating meat is not a choice. The last thing I want is plant-based foods made to feel and taste like meat.
9
@Srini these products were not designed with vegetarians in mind. They were designed to get meat eaters to enjoy something tasty that is not meat, but tastes pretty darn close.
19
@Srini
There are plant based foods that gag me, too. Okra, plantains. Others I can't stand the taste. Turnips, Fennel. Complex solution? eliminate them. Simple solution? Don't eat them.
4
@Srini There could be a number of reasons why some folks don't eat meat. If you don't eat meat because of the taste/texture, that's fine for you. You can continue eating vegetables and veggie burgers, etc.
That's no reason to therefore decry those who do enjoy a meat-like taste/texture, but by way of meat substitutes.
6
There is space in the market for both, but neither should lie saying it is healthier than the other.
11
I don’t know about the health benefits, I can only say that I seriously love a good rare steak or hamburger. So I was very surprised to find that I like Beyond Beef better than ground beef!
10
I haven't eaten meat in 34 years and to me the Beyond, Impossible and Gardein products taste like what I remember eating as a child. With all the fires, floods, animal and plant extinction happening in the world now and being attributed to climate change, couldn't people who eat meat just go meatless for 2 days a week? Do we have to keep buying and investing in a product to keep a heartless industry in business? Why the resistance to healthy competition in the marketplace? Isn't that what capitalism is all about? Congratulations to Miyoko's Creamery for winning the case about calling her vegan product "butter"!!
33
@Elise
You inadvertantly (I presume) emphasize a point. That yuo do not like meat is fine, but there are those who LIKE the texture and taste of meat. In developing countries, there is a craving for protein, leading to a desire for MORE meat.
That is a disaster for the world-wide effort to transition to sustainable lifestyles. That a plant based product can help us transition from animal meat to plant based "meats" (satisfying a craving that tofu and pulses can't satisfy) is the point! Just like hybrid electric-fuel cars (Prius) were a transition to eventually all electric vehicles, plant based meat mimics are helping us transition away from an unsustainable dependence on animal based meat
3
The plant-based burgers have way too much sodium to eat regularly, could be an occasional indulgence, as beef burgers ought to be.
12
"In October, Representative Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas and the top recipient of livestock industry donations in the House..." Pretty much sums it up.
30
Isn't Big Meat the industry that brought us "Pink Slime"? Spare me their concern for my health.
39
18 ingredients! Ground meat has only one.
1
More than one if you count the added hormones and antibiotics.
40
@Bart The other ingredients in meat is the incalculable pain, suffering and terror of the animals.
22
@Bart
Hormones. Antibiotics. And animal feces (yep, that's permitted, but you don't see that on the label, do you?)
20
How did the animal products industry co-opt the word "meat?" "Meat" does not necessarily mean animal flesh. It also can refer to the fleshy inner parts of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Ever had a mince meat pie made with currants and raisins? Ever eaten a meaty tomato?
91
@Kathy Yes! It’s the same ridiculous argument as when the dairy industry was trying to ban plant milk companies from using the word “milk”. Apparently they had never heard of coconut milk.
2
Nothing is Perfect! At least not yet, but these burgers are a great first step Because we care about saving animals and the earth and our health. I would rename them the Imperfect Burger and the Because Burger.
20
I like Impossible very much, I had home made Impossible tacos for lunch yesterday (very tasty). I don't care for Beyond, it has a weird crumbly texture, in my opinion. I haven't eaten beef for over 30 years, for all the obvious environmental and ethical reasons. Bacon and ham, for me, are much harder to quit, but I'm trying to avoid those. I limit the amount of Impossible that I eat though, due to the high sodium content. If Impossible could keep the taste and texture and cut down the sodium (and develop plant based bacon and ham), I would be sold!
9
Not mentioned is the carb count of plant based burgers. I have been warned by doctors. That’s a concern for the millions of diabetics in the US and worldwide. Meat has no carbohydrates. If you are diabetic and hungry, but you want to avoid spiking your blood sugar with a lot of carbs, meat (including chicken, salmon, etc.) is a sure cure. So are nuts, but beans also have carbs in addition to protein. And unless you like feeling hungry and looking like a skeleton, you gotta eat a lot of nuts if you forgo meat. A lot.
5
@Sharon Simonson Yes, but part of the meat replacement industry/movement is also lab-grown meat, which is well on its way to becoming a reality and will be identical to real meat, and will be perfect for the situation you described. We need an 'all of the above' approach to tackle the very real problems the meat industry has caused in the world and the success of plant based meat will drive innovation in the lab grown space as well. All the while, the livestock industry will continue to try and crush any perceived threat to their businesses.
4
@Sharon Simonson Humans were meant to consume animal protein.
1
@Sharon Simonson
Given the energy (calorie) density of nuts, you are not running the risk of looking like a skeleton if you replace a palm size piece of meat (3 to 4 oz) with a small palmful of nuts (1 to 2 oz). You're more likely to run the risk of gaining weight.
2
Beef, real food for real people. Pork, the other white meat.
2
So what’s next? After the cattle industry gets their lackeys in state legislatures to label these brands as fake or imitation, are they going to attack the tomato industry? A beefsteak tomato has neither beef nor steak in it.
48
Attacking an upstart innovation that is coming after your industry only creates a longer, slower, more desperate and pathetic death. (Kind of like what the meat industry does to farm animals.) For a prescient example, go take a drive in upstate NY to all the dairy farms shutting. Just rip the bandaid off and get it over with. Use your ad money to invest in plant-based innovations. If PBM doesn't get you now, "clean meat" is coming for you in about three years. You won't win this. The future is plant-based and cruelty-free.
40
Exactly how would they defne chicken nuggets and luncheon meat? How would they defne that loaf of bread that stays fresh for weeks?
8
My guess is, and I don’t eat meat, that labeling these foods as not being meat will make it easier for those looking for meat alternatives to find them and won’t dissuade many. Meat producers might be wary of getting what they wish for.
14
By the time you get through the mustard, ketchup, pickles, cheese, lettuce, sauce, and bun on one of Burger King's Impossible Burgers it could have styrofoam in the middle and you wouldn't taste a difference.
9
Just like meat eaters eating fast food, vegetarians have many options, and may choose a processed non meat product once in a while.
7
Our primary source of animal based protein is venison. We have 25 to 30 whitetail deer that make their way across our property daily. I watch them closely. When fall hunting season starts I know which does have fawns too young to survive without them and which ones have raised their young. None are taken unless they can be taken with a clean shot and dropped on the spot. Then I field dress (remove the entrails) and take it to a processor to be made into hamburger grind, reserving the back strap and tenders for fajitas.
I think the plastic wrapped offerings in the grocery stores are so far removed from what it took to get that hamburger to the plate that if the average consumer were exposed to and participated in the process of harvesting cattle there would be a huge demand meat substitutes. The beef industry just that, an industry. Cattle, hogs, chickens are commodities, numbers, and bottom lines.
Our deer are anything but. We, and every hunter we know, never take them for granted. Our meat is free range, hormone free, and humanely harvested. Emphasis on humanely harvested.
32
@Sheltered in Place Not something I've ever done, but a lot of respect for doing it right and humanely. That deer lived a WAY better life than the cattle I pick up at the grocery store in a shrink wrapped package did!
6
I'll withold judgement on the health effects of plant based meats until the scientific community comes out with more reports. (Why would I listen to the meat industry on a competitive product?)
Giving up meats is no problem. I lost my taste for it ever since Michael Pollan's "Omnivores' Dilemma," which made me pay attention to the foul smell of cattle/dairy animals standing in their own muck on farms that bordered major roads in California. Chicken and hog farms were described in equally unappetizing detail.
I tried the plant based meats twice; found the prepared meat balls too salty to enjoy. The plain ground product was better. I cooked it with soy based chorizo to make taco fillings.
My strategy for the past few decades has been to use meat in the manner of poor people world wide: it in small quantities for flavor, if at all. As a graduate student in Medical Anthropology, I did research on life styles (including diets) and health. Best I could figure, a poor peasant's diet, with lots of physical work is what our bodies evolved to handle. And these traditional cuisines have had centuries to become complex and sophisticated. The problem I find is that traditional societies tend to have multiple people in the household to share the often labor intensive work of preparing meals. I don't. So I'm always torn between taking time to prepare meals from scratch vs quick, easy meat filled meals.
15
@citizen vox A few suggestions: 1) look for recipes that are quick and easy and yet still flavorful. 2) prepare a larger portion and freeze for another day.
I may spend 6 hrs+ making Tomato Sauce but I freeze it in 3/4 qt batches. I then have enough for four+ meals (not counting leftovers sometimes)
Better for the panel? Almost certainly.
Better for you? I'm not sure, but they're highly unlikely to be worse.
Better for the animals that would otherwise be subjected to nasty, brutish, and short lives ending in unspeakable horror and cruelty?
Do you even have to ask?
(I no longer remember what beef burgers taste like, but for those of you interested in these things, Beyond's version 2.0 has clearly taken the lead over its rivals for flavor and textural agreeableness.)
23
@Green Tea Better for the planet - for sure , just look at the waste and by products of animal factory farming.
7
So the article said Dunkin was rolling out the Beyond Meat breakfast sandwich in 9K of its locations. Yeah? Well, are they bringing it back because I haven't been able to get it where I live for several months now. Apparently it was popular, so why was it pulled?
1
@Michael It was removed because it doesn't sell. Restaurants won't keep products that aren't selling and aren't profitable.
1
We have seen this all before. Did you know that in 1930 "20,679 Physicians said Luckies were less irritating because they were toasted," and in 1946 "More Doctors smoked Camels than any other cigarette?"
Here's a great new slogan for these guys.
"Eat Real, American Beef: Your Cardiologist has two kids at Harvard and a new boat in the Ship Channel."
24
I quit eating meat or fowl about 28 years ago and, for the most part, do not miss it or need it (helped by taking B-complex supplements). I do not eat plant-based burgers, etc. either. I eat foods that I believe do not require the absolutely horrible, cruel treatment of animals and fowl in the housing and slaughter house practices. Also do not buy cosmetics that are not cruelty free. Put your money where your beliefs are.
10
Soybeans are an extraordinarily destructive food crop. Nothing that contains soy is natural or healthy. It kills me to get lectured about using glysophate by anyone who consumes soy products.
2
@PaulaC. 80% of the world soybean crop is fed to livestock, mostly beef cattle. It requires about six pounds of feed to get one pound of beef. If you believe "Soybeans are an extraordinarily destructive food crop," you should not eat meat, especially beef.
44
@PaulaC. If you eat meat, you are certainly indirectly consuming soy products in huge quantities. Roughly 7% of all soy globally goes directly to human consumption in the form of tofu, etc. As for the rest? About 80% is for animal feed. If you're so worried about soy being a destructive crop, maybe it's time to give up meat. Also, soy is unnatural? I guarantee soybean plants have existed, and existed in some form in nature, at that, for vastly longer than factory farms have existed.
Source:
https://ourworldindata.org/soy#:~:text=More%20than%20three%2Dquarters%20(77,%2C%20edamame%20beans%2C%20and%20tempeh.
P.S. - most plant based burgers are pea based, not soy based.
30
@PaulaC. Organic tofu made from organic soy beans doesn’t contain any of that
4
The beef industry brought this on themselves by their horrible mistreatment of animals. I hope like heck the chicken industry will be next. Plus I only eat plant based meat once in while as I am an ace at cooking tofu. So they can whine all they like I will never eat beef again. I am so glad an animal did not have a miserable life as to be food on my plate.
22
"Plant-based" is a marketing term that people are all too quick and dumb to fall for. Heroin is plant-based. Fake meat should be eaten with the same regularity as real meat: seldom, as a treat. But the greater sin of labeling something "plant-based" is that it places the focus on health, rather than the real reason we shouldn't eat meat: the absolute and unforgivable cruelty towards animals and the planet that producing meat requires.
6
A column discussing "fake meat vs real meat" which dances around without coming to any solid conclusion. No point in this thing ever being printed.
6
A correction, Pat Brown is Dr. Brown, emeritus Professor at Stanford University Medical School and former HHMI Investigator.
How can you write an entire article, purporting to analyze the differences between the two products and not include the elephant in the room, which is that meat production necessitates the killing of millions of sentient creatures?
How could you not mention that?
53
@Anthony Taylor It's like the cops arresting you for animal cruelty then stopping for a burger on the way back to the station.
3
If you look at the fat content of impossible or beyond it’s the same or greater (depending on cut of beef) than a real beef burger. I stick to a diet high in fiber, low in fat which on a daily basis means more veggies, and poultry or fish. If I want a burger I go for the real thing. If I want a veggie burger, I make my own. Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, has an excellent black bean burger recipe that isn’t made up of processed ingredients.
2
To me, the point of a plant-based burger was simple--so your vegan/vegetarian/humanistic friends can come to your barbeque and eat a meal that looks just like everybody elses. So they can fit in. So hosts can offer something that is just as convenient and accomodate all their friends.
Neither meat burgers nor plant burgers should be consumed daily. America--that is the concept of a "treat." Fun foods, eaten with your hands, no need for cutlery.
6
@drshar90 This is one of the best explanations for why such products exist - so they can fit in and pretend to eat what everyone else is eating like you said. However, if vegans/vegetarians really care about their health they stay away from these chemical filled convenience products and eat other healthy sources of protein.
1
"Impossible Foods, which makes a popular plant-based burger, said the campaign was misleading"
Hilarious for a company that packages its 12 oz packages to look exactly like the 16 oz versions of real meat.
3
Great idea with excellent environmental potential; but the additives are not something u want to consume.
2
@Cheryl R Leigh Beats being pumped up with antibiotics, chlorine baths, ammonia, carbon monoxide, bacteriophages and many other "germ killing" substances that have long lasting impacts even after the animal is consumed and flushed.
You can find a reason to avoid anything we put in our mouths. Food allergies, special conditions, additives, overly-processed - all things to keep in mind, but the extreme torture and experimentation and very short life span (which is a blessing, I suppose, based on the other things that happen prior) are enough to keep me from eating animals. If I get sick eating "fake meat" whatever that is, or "plant-based" foods which might not be the perfect word but beats calling myself a "vegan" which comes with a few hundred assumptions I can do without in my life, so be it. No animal need die for my food intake and that gives me a better life. Maybe not you, but for me - yes.
6
I don't understand how anyone can eat these products and think that they are "meat." To me, the texture is completely off, and there's an aftertaste that is just kind of unpleasant. They also smell bad when they are being cooked, IMO.
I've also never gotten the point of things like "Tofurkey." I like tofu, and if I want to eat some, I don't need it disguised as some sort of meat. If I want to eat a plant-based meal, I'd rather swap out meat and swap in something with less fat and more fiber that's not pretending to be meat.
Having said that, I never thought the pitch for Beyond/Impossible had anything to do with "health." The impression I got is that they are better for the environment, because they don't require the same amount of resources to produce as meat, and the plants don't excrete methane and other noxious gasses.
YMMV, but I'll take my meat "substitutes" less processed, thanks
6
The substitutes taste just fine; even better at times and certainly more consistent than the cow versions. If one wants to quibble first go visit a feed lot or cow processing factory. Then let’s have the discussion.
6
@Moses
You missed my point. I am content eating other non-meat proteins. I don't need to be "tricked" into eating this processed stuff, which doesn't taste good to me.
YMMV.
4
@JM It's hilarious how people want to be vegans yet desperately crave animal protein type foods - cheesesteaks, burgers....they want food that looks and taste like the real thing.
1
I tried the impossible burger and it was good. But I rarely eat hamburger and certainly not the high fat version. To convince me, they will have to make a leaner burger.
1
Article is missing the point-it’s the additives and factory-like production of meat from animals that is grotesque and dangerous to human health and the planet, not to mention horrifically cruel. The beef-producer hysterics in their offices seem to think that the occasional pea-burger simulacrum is going to change human eating habits; it’s not. But if they helps change the way meat animals are “produced”, they are worth eating.
24
Glad to see this article. Gives me an opportunity to express a frustration with some of these companies.
I farm in the Palouse, an agricultural region that grows many of the peas, garbonzo beans, and lentils that become plant-based burgers, humus, etc. You are being played when these companies tell you that plant based burgers are good for the environment.
Most farmers who raise the crops. Work the soil to the point that it washes away in the rain, they use chemicals to prevent weeds, and insects from damaging the crops. Soemtimes they spray roundup and paraquat over the crop to burndown the crops and remaining weeds before harvest.
No way this is better for the environment. Some farmers are trying to change that but most still raise these crops conventionally.
Not saying CAFOs are good but the way most farmers raise these crops are pretty bad for the environment.
8
@farmer Absolutely true that these crops have a major environmental impact, but also somewhat beside the point.
Raising animals for meat requires far more crops to feed them than the equivalent fake meat requires. More crops = more of the environmental impact you're discussing.
I 100% agree that moving towards more sustainable agriculture requires attention to how crops are raised. But any solution will also require a shift towards consuming less meat. If products like these help with that, then they can be part of the solution.
10
I am certainly not a vegan albeit I've reduced to some degree my meat consumption -- particularly red meat -- in deference to more fish and veggies.
What I've never understood about the somewhat "holier than thou" nature of the vegan/vegetarian "movement" is why they seem to want to make non-meat substitutes that mimic meat?
Is it some belief that unless they market things like "mock chicken a'la king" no one will buy it. Or do they secretly long to once again eat "real chicken a'la king"?
Why all these "substitute" names.
Cannot non-meat products and dishes simply stand on their own rather than seeming to want to "fool" people into thinking these alternatives are really "just like meat"?
And come to think of it. How do all these vegan/vegetarian even know what meat tastes like that they can produce non-meat mimics?
3
As a vegetarian, yes I do sometimes miss eating bacon and other meats. But I care about and respect animals too much to ever put a piece of bacon in my mouth again. There’s nothing wrong with being vegan/vegetarian AND missing the taste of meat.
And yes, I still remember what a burger tastes like. I occasionally enjoy an impossible or beyond meat burger just as I would a regular meat burger. But without the guilt.
21
@George S People eat all sorts of foods for a variety of reasons. As the article noted, some of these newer meat alternatives are very popular with meat eaters, suggesting that much of their value may lie in helping the general public reduce their meat consumption. Regarding your odd question about how vegetarians know what meat tastes like - did it occur to you that most of us were raised eating meat? I haven't had a bite of meat since I was 18, but 35 years later I can still remember what it tasted like (smelling it probably helps jog the memory too).
9
@George S. The answer is that if I offer you mock chicken salad you will sort of know what to expect, and hence you might buy it. If I say here is some flavored textured soy protein you don't know what to expect and hence you won't buy it. The comparisons and mimicking of animals flavors are to let people know what to expect. No one is fooled, they are just trying to eat food they hope will taste good.
1
The 25 States that have a beef against plants are probably the States that have a lot of plants that produce beef.
12
The bar for me is not detracting from all the other ingredients that I love in a thick, juicy hamburger. There are times that I just want a "where's the beef?" burger with the brioche bun, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and condiments. The Beyond Meat burgers are way above my basic threshold and Sams Club sells them at a reasonable price.
5
I buy vegetarian burgers all the time, but I tend to avoid the newer varieties because I think coconut oil is unhealthy. However, I just want to mention that there are many recipes for homemade vegetarian burgers using any number of healthy ingredients. I know it's not always easy to get a home cooked meal together, but I think it's a healthier option than store bought vegetarian options.
6
Also, I dont need a plant based burger to be like meat, that’s the false goal. Veggie burger recipes in all their variety are delicious! For me the red flag is corporate kitchens trying, by any means necessary, to recreate beef. Nope, no thanks.
If I’m really craving beef, which is never these days, I’ll buy actual beef. Beef, due it’s out sized environmental impact (water, feed, transportation, sewage and intermittent cow generated methane releases (aka farts) needs to become a sometime treat instead of a regular meal.
2
Not buying it, not eating it. Too processed with too many ingredients. I generally prefer my food raw to lightly cooked and containing one single ingredient. I'll add the flavorings. I eat very little meat in general and I look forward to when it's grown in the lab rather than harvested from slaughtered animals.
4
I hope you avoid all similarly processed foods, basically anything in a can or box that you buy at the store. Kinda like the antivaxers and their cheez whiz.
3
All meat (all food for that matter), whether animal- and plant-based, is processed, some more than others. And plant-based meat is not fake meat. BigAg has usurped the word, “meat,” to mean solely animal flesh, but its earliest definition is “solid food as distinguished from liquid.” And I eat plant-based meat (and plants) because it’s one way to live in alignment with my core values of unconditional compassion, mercy and kindness.
15
For many of us, reducing the need to exploit animals for food as well as the reduction of environmental degradation caused by meat production greatly outweigh the drawbacks of plant-based meat alternatives.
50
it's all a non-science based fear campaign from big meat, which is destroying the planet.
33
“What’s hiding in your plant-based meat?”
The possible demise of the cattle industry as we know it.
86
@GW Also, highly processed ingredients and a bunch of sodium
6
Meat substitutes? Psst…One word…Sodium.
If you have high blood pressure, Chronic Kidney Disease or heart disease etc… Steer Clear.
6
@Nick Gatti If you have any of those conditions, particularly heart disease, steer even clearer of actual meat.
14
Shouldn’t be eating beef then either. Stick to salads.
8
No red meat or dairy for me.
1
The meat producers may be against it, now, but just wait until they themselves start making plant-based products. It'll be like how the Big Three were all against electric vehicles until the began making them.
22
I do not eat any kind of faux meat. I have a soy allergy (it is the third most common food allergy), and most of them contain soy and soy derivatives. I am also on a low sodium diet, and all of them are very very high in sodium.
Faux meats may be healthier for some, but definitely not for me.
10
@K.P.
Yes I have real problems with soy! It is often thought of as being benign. I have seen it used in a lot of products and, as you indicate, if I am not paying attention can easily buy products that contain it
4
The only thing I will add is that I am a type one diabetic who must dose with insulin to accommodate the impact of carbohydrates in my meals. Those imitation meat products are carbs that cause me to use alot more insulin to keep my blood sugars in check. No the fiber can’t be “minused” from the total carbs when I calculate insulin dosages. Carbs are also higher in calories than most of my meat protein selections and proteins seem to be more filling than carbs. As I purchase from a local farm butcher my environmental footprint is pretty small.
5
@Linda Hoquist "As I purchase from a local farm butcher my environmental footprint is pretty small." Don't kid yourself. You've reduced the environmental impact of transport - which is great - but nothing else.
5
@Linda hoquist Health needs come first! Not sure why this person below felt like they needed to attack you on your statement about local meat, which invariably must also come with a lower "violence footprint" as well compared to CAFO meat. Angry, shaming comments like Stacey's that burden the individual in a world where 75% of the carbon footprint comes from the largest corporations is only getting in the way of the message. I'm a vegetarian, I'll eat an Impossible burger in your honor this evening. You cannot do all the good the world needs but the world need all the good you can do.
3
@Hannah I certainly did not intend my comment as angry or shaming; perhaps you misread it. I noted the partial (transport) benefit of the OP's choice to buy locally raised meat, but the fact is, those animals have just as great of an environmental impact otherwise. I don't know if there are non-environmental benefits, such as better treatment of the animals. I hope there are. But in terms of the environment, raising beef requires enormous resources compared with growing grains, veggies, etc. If that knowledge makes you feel ashamed for eating meat, I suggest you rethink your choices instead of attacking the messenger.
Historically when Margarine was first sold as a butter substitute the dairy industry got laws past that it could not be colored yellow.
They started selling Margarine with a separate mix in packet the consumer could use to color it on their own.
Over and over when new products move into a market segment those in the segment try to use regulation to block them (Almond "Milk" anyone).
All these years later butter and margarine exist peacefully and the same is going to happen with meat and fake meats.
16
@Bob Great example, margarine was a health disaster full of trans-fats.
5
@Adult But products like Smart Balance are not. And where are they located in the store?
6
Eating a burger every day is undoubtedly unhealthy. Whether you eat plant-based meat or grown beef from a cow, you don't eat them every day. Our world is being depleted of resources, and we contribute to climate change by consuming beef.
An average slice of pizza has 640mg of sodium. This is about twice the sodium in plant-based meat. If you willingly eat a slice of pizza or, most likely more, you should consider eating plant-based meat. Those at risk of stroke, heart failure, and other problems because of a high intake of sodium might want to avoid plant-based beef, as well as other high sodium foods and drinks. However, if one is perfectly healthy, I see no reason to refuse to try plant-based meat, as most people eat pizza very often. If one is afraid of eating highly processed food, I suggest they apply the concept to everything, including chips, soda, and most of the snacks available. If one is so concerned about being healthy and not eating processed food, the simplest answer is to become vegetarian but not eat plant-based meat.
It saddens me that some people would refuse to eat plant-based meat as an alternative to farm-grown meat. I hope more people will consider trying plant-based meat and be more open to saving the earth, as we don’t have much time left. I urge everyone to always consider other options and try to be welcoming to change instead of hesitating. We can help save the world if only we open our minds a little bit and dare to try new things.
22
@Olivia Tan please do not forget about food allergies. Soy allergies are the third most common food allergy, and most faux meats contain soy or soy derivatives.
3
I’m 74 and have been eating real food during that time. I will continue to eat real food for as long as I live. Let the millennials experiment on their bodies with ground plants and salt. Check their blood pressure in ten years, if they’re still alive.
11
@Joe Kazilionis Oh that is just funny and real food as you call it kills us slowly and keeps the pharmaceuticals alive. I think you know better
15
@Joe Kazilionis, I understand your hesitation to eat plant-based burgers. But the world needs changing, and I am sure many if not all of us have known this at least once. I hope you consider trying plant-based meat if you haven't, despite your current opinions. To save the next generations and stop climate change. We have a long way to go, that's for sure, but I hope you can keep an open mind about plant-based burgers. I always wanted to leave the world in a better place than where it was when I came. This is how we can do it. One small step at a time, for a better world.
19
@Joe Kazilionis I'mm 66 and have been a vegetarian for over 40 years, and fully vegan for 15 years. I'm in perfect health, but more importantly then my well-being, is the well-being of all our fellow animals who will be spared the horror and abuse of factory farming as we move toward a plant-base future.
37
Sure, processed foods aren't great, but they are fine to have sometimes, and I can't imagine a highly-processed plant-based food is any worse than a highly-processed animal based food. It's probably better for you, and at least I know it wasn't tortured to death.
I've had the Beyond Meat tacos at Taco Cabana, and they're quite good, and probably healthier than the bean-and-cheese tacos or cheese enchiladas that I would have gotten instead. That still doesn't mean it's a good idea to eat at Taco Cabana all the time.
And when people ask me "how do you even know what's in that veggie hot dog?" I get to say, "I know it isn't pig anus."
47
@April yes! No cholesterol, contains fiber, uses less water. Isn’t killing unnecessarily and definite no different and using same additives in processed animal products.
9
You seriously think these meat factories are concerned about the nutritional value of plant-based meat? No. They're worried about how it impacts the revenue and sales of the meat industry. They'll spin whatever controversy they can because they know plant-based meat is inherently less harmful to the environment and animals. If plant-based meat tastes equal to real meat and it's a more nutritionally viable option, it's a no-brainer. Regardless, if we're referring to hamburgers, why would you expect it to be healthy, including a plant-based alternative that's meant to mimic a greasy, fat laden hamburger? I swear, people are seriously dense. These companies want to protect their investment, and will do whatever they can to achieve that goal. Even if there is some truth to their claims (of which I have no clue) the intent is not for the consumer, rather, they want real, dead animal meat to look better.
67
@Tyrone Miller
So true - just more spin and ag gag laws from (federally subsidized) Big Ag
9
Why not address the environmental issues of factory farming, instead of creating a highly processed alternative to meat? There are environmental issues with some large scale plant based farming, too. Start buying your food from small, local farmers, who need to practice sustainable methods to maintain the viability of their land and resources. Yes, it may be more expensive to buy your meat from a small farm, so eat less of it and know that what you are eating was raised responsibly. And enjoy the fact that it has better flavor and is fresher than anything you will ever buy at the big chain grocery store. (And now, excuse me while I go out to the barn to care for my animals and collect fresh eggs...)
9
@JRB People should eat less meat/animal products period but the fact is local, small farm meat is not a sustainable nor efficient way to feed everyone especially considering a lot of those animals are grass fed and pastured which just takes up more land. That's why we need lab grown meat asap
10
I have multiple concerns with these products, which include the fact that they are heavily-processed products churned out by massive corporations and that they include an enormous amount of sodium (4+ times as much as in regular meats).
Yes, the climate impact of raising animals for food concerns me. I'd like to see more effort put into solving that problem, as natural low-sodium meat impresses me as a food that's far better for our health, our economy, and our rural landscape.
4
@ToddA not meant to eat daily but definitely no different than the proceed foods of any kind. People definitely care more about those ingredients when it’s plant based. There’s fiber and no cholesterol so that’s enough for me to have a treat a couple times a month. Helps the shift as people transition and learn how easy it can be not have animal products constantly. We put in everything so that we have no choice and have to depend on it. Reading labels has been a real education as far as dairy goes. The industries feel if it’s just in there, they don’t have to worry about the declining demand. With 70% of the world being lactose intolerant, the industry turns its head to how it affects their guts like they’re the minority. Claiming not wanting to cater to a vegan or plant based person so to speak but they forget most of those people eat meat but get pretty ill and need to take medication just to eat out as it’s in everything. Once addicted to cheese for instance most of us will say it’s worth it to have even major pain cause they can’t imagine a world without it. That’s definitely addiction. I think the overused, constantly kept pregnant cows feel the same.
6
Let's be honest with ourselves: the Impossible Burger is some of the most engineered and processed food product in history. Sure it is just as tasteless as a regular Whopper meat patty. But if you are against "ultra-processed food," then with these new fake meats are exactly them. They experimented with, what, 15 different engineered heme sources for it? I am not against these Frankenstein concoctions being in the marketplace, but let's not support them while simultaneously decrying "ultra-processed foods." It's what they are. Maybe it's a step in the right direction, but let's not be holier-than-thou about it.
10
Just once I wish I was hungry for a salad.
14
Ultra-processed foods whether they be traditional or plant-based meat substitutes are both IMHO unhealthy.
It’s all the additives that are a killer.
Eat clean and simply.
If you decide to eat red meat, choose lean, not marbled, and if you want tofu, just buy a block of packaged tofu.
Now, seasonings are another matter altogether.
Frankly, they’re often just as bad. The Cooking Sections has an article that says, if you want to cook Asian, you need the following (bottled) staples in your kitchen.
Have you ever read the ingredients in these bottles of sauces and flavorings?
I have, I grew up with them. I don’t consume them anymore.
Have you ever considered how much heavy metal toxins are in Chinese Pei-Dan duck eggs?
The eggs are cured/buried in ash, what exactly is the ash content?
I’m sure that depends on the country of origin and the individual manufacturer.
I grew up on them also and I also don’t eat those anymore.
Stick to real herbs and unadulterated (repeat, unadulterated) Tamari and Soy sauce.
Do you know what many commercial kitchens use for their chicken, beef and vegetable stocks; concentrated pastes wherein you need merely a fraction of a teaspoon for full flavoring, not very healthy by my reckoning.
This article and the other NY Times article about sugar should be conjoined
4
What if you don’t eat burgers but enjoy a nice juicy steak? Is there a replacement for that?
1
There isn’t yet a replacement but I believe there will be . This is the future of food in order for our planet to survive and also feed the many hungry people that we don’t realize exists .
resent calling it Fake meat , rather then a meat alternative . Fake implies it is inferior and a poor substitute .
6
All of these (fake) meat substitutes remind of the time long ago when we were encouraged to switch from butter to margarine. Look how that turned out.
Better to eat much, much less meat, naturally raised, and more organically-grown vegetables, grains, fruits, and nuts.
15
@Expat Steve Back in the "low-fat" and food pyramid days, when pasta, starches and grains were supposed to be the foundation of a diet, the starches and sugar/HFCS added to make such food palatable (and sell better) kickstarted the Type II Diabetes and obesity epidemics. Reading that potato starch is used to make artificial meats seems to be more of the same thing. Not a good idea.
3
“Plant-based foods like the Impossible Burger are designed to look, taste, even bleed like real meat” There is something inherently wrong with that statement. Whether one is vegan, animal activist, or naturalist, arguing that cows eat grass therefore, eating meat is vegetarian. One must look at the fact that this is highly processed and anything that processed might have issues. Moderation, No Added Sugar, no salt, exercise and a diet based on whole grains vegetables, legumes, proteins, works just as well. Have a burger once a month if you want or not. Fasting for 24 hours - And this is only me – once in every 72 hours seems to control my intake well enough. Personally, I don’t eat fast food. The real problem is, as the song says Mothers Little Helpers… if you don’t feel good about something, anything, we in this society have a little pill for everything.
5
@RN,PhD "arguing that cows eat grass therefore, eating meat is vegetarian" - wait, what?? If only the institutions granting RN and PhD degrees all taught their students to write coherently...
1
I find the concern over sodium in plant-based burgers specious. Sure, the uncooked products have considerably more sodium than uncooked beef. But how is it actually consumed? Burger King says their beef Whopper has 980 mg sodium as prepared while the Impossible Whopper has 1080 mg. So both versions have massive amounts of sodium added but the Impossible final product only has about 10% more sodium than the beef.
So if you need to watch your sodium intake, then yes, be aware of what you are eating...and maybe don't choose fast food. But comparing uncooked beef to uncooked plant protein is apples to oranges.
9
This is a frustrating read. Yes, processed foods are not as healthy for us as whole foods. But without a planet to live on, the health of our individual bodies is largely meaningless. And make no mistake, livestock production is a huge contributor to the failing health of our planet.
27
@Renee Do you think there are as many cows in the West as there were buffalos when we got here? They are both ruminants and both emit flatulence in equal volumes. Why are you concerned about cows now. It was never an issue before AOC and it’s not an issue now.
1
Estimated maximum of 60MM bison ever to have lived in in North America, Canada included.
https://www.fws.gov/bisonrange/timeline.htm
Average of ~100MM cows in the US alone in the last 20 years.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/194297/total-number-of-cattle-and-calves-in-the-us--since-2001/
... what is an AOC?
7
@Joe Kazilionis This is an absurd oversimplification that overlooks the reality of the industry. Even if there were an equal amount of cattle as there were bison, (there's not, as steve said) the circumstances of these animals is wildly different. Cows are shipped across the country and packed into mass feeding and slaughter operations, causing water and air pollution in addition to what they fart out.
8
I wonder how many people realize that their beef burger is a combination of the flesh of not just one or two different cows, but can be composed of the scraps of literally thousands of different individuals? That fact in itself was enough to put me off burgers when I was still eating animals. Vegan for 10 years now, and couldn't be healthier or happier.
33
That would be true of many other foods though; even a small bag of lentils could come from hundreds of different plants.
Anything that is a substitute for actual unadulterated food is by definition processed, and regardless of the meat industry's campaign against feaux food products, it is still wise to be skeptical of such 'foods'. I agree with those people who state that it is wise to define food as it originally is/was defined... as the actual thing that did grow... e.g. the vegetable, fruit, tuber, animal, etc. The more we introduce faux foods, the less that people will understand actual food. Just humans are already divorced from the land, on which food grows and animals feed from. Unfermented soy inhibits the thyroid, meat is the richest source of B12. The beets used to me this faux food is almost for sure GMO sourced, as one commenter pointed out. The smartest people, imho, seek to understand foods.... not create imitations.
5
I have no problem with properly identifying food, i.e. widespread use of milk and meat. But Americans play fast and loose with food terminology: champagne instead of sparkling wine, Caesar salad, natural, wild salmon, etc. Marketing runs everything - put the product people back in charge, and stop patronizing big chains of anything.
2
I think it may be a lot of hoopla over nothing. I tried one the other day. Fantastic? No. Edible? Yes, and not bad. If the idea is to get consumers to eat less beef it seems to be succeeding among young people. Concerns over sodium levels will not stop the same people who eat burgers at other fast food chains loaded with sodium.
11
In my opinion this article is based on the opinions of theoretically skilled people, but it does not really clear any doubts with any blunt data about what kind of food is best if plant-based processing or animal meat processing. Comparisons seem to me to be irrelevant to what each product provides and does not help to solve the social debate on the nutritional.
However, the ethics of each one of them in consuming this type of product beyond the opinion of a few "experts" or renowned newspapers to make the choice come into play more seriously. I consider myself impartial as I identify on both sides.
On the one hand, I think that animal meat is good in any balanced diet, if accompanied by exercise and a dynamic life, since for example a sector like vegans should take supplements in the form of pills to replace the deficiencies of their diet.
On the other hand, I think that the meat industry is cruel in the way of treating, breeding and feeding on processed feed, in the very short lifespan of most of them not to name the way to reproduce them based on a stallion male and several selected females pregnancy and reproduction.
I'd also like to say about the healthy diet about burgers or sausages What's the point of going to a Burger King and eating the trendy burger-plant and accompanying it with chips, sugary soda and a ice cream to feel like it's processed based plants don't feel better about yourself?
2
This is just one of the many many times this has happened in history. Obviously, the meat producers will be against these alternatives and they'd hate these products being sold next to the real meat. The same happened when the horse industry saw cars, the AC-DC war, etc. As said in this comment box, they target health benefits because the science in this matter is still really vague.
4
@Misael Simple critical thinking results in KNOWING that the meat industry will say anything against meat alternatives. It shows how dumb so many are if the meat industry would even waste their money saying this drivel. Healthy... not healthy... I will be vegan for life because animals are not here for our use.
12
@Misael Better analogy is perhaps the tobacco industry.
2
The reason why this lobbing group targets health benefits of plant based meats is because the science of nutrition is inconclusive over the facts. The very (VERY) best scientific evidence we have for what constitutes a “healthy diet” is poor quality evidence. The entire science of what is good or bad to eat is based on opinion, “expert opinion” and not evidenced-based information. This the perfect environment for lobbying. They can publish any claim in the media that will hurt the new industry that is hurting their business.
8
@J. Taveras M.D. F.A.C.C. Totally agree with you.
1
It is peculiar that many who shun GMO foods eagerly seek out Impossible burgers.
4
I can't eat red meat. My cardiologist has warned me not to eat it. Perversely, I love red meat. [Of course I do, that's how I roll.]
Every now and then, I will order an Impossible burger when I'm out because I get tired of having the same old, same old grilled chicken or turkey burger.
The Impossible looks like red meat, sort of tastes like it (if you close your eyes) and satisfies my cravings for a burger.
Is it substituting for red meat in my diet? No, because I don't eat it in the first place.
Now, if Impossible could only come up with a substitute for burnt ends, I'd be in BBQ heaven.
6
@Susan Morning Star made a rib tips entree that I thought was pretty good. .but then I don’t eat any meat so my taste buds have changed.
1
Just like how the cow milk industry is coming after soy and nut milks over the word milk- it’s too little too late. The only people that still drink cows milk are trapped in a time machine in middle america. It’s bad for you, it’s bad for human babies, it’s bad for the environment and especially cruel to the artificially induced cows and their doomed off spring. Now meat... that’s even worse for the environment, worse for human health and obviously unthinkably cruel for the animals themselves. And as much as the beef industry hired “nutritionist” try to create just enough confusion, it will be soon be too late for them too. Plant based meat is the future of the food system. Healthier, better for the environment and humane. And it tastes ridiculously good! The beef industry is the new coal industry. They will fight and claw right the bitter end, as the planet melts along side their shrinking profits.
39
@Dan Ridiculously good is a ridiculous stretch, but it'll just keep getting better.
My local newspaper, the Sarasota Herald Tribune, ran an abbreviated version of this article in its Dec. 10 health and fitness section. Alas, this version left out the background information on the Center for Consumer Freedom - a dubious organization, as this article notes, originally founded with a $600,000 donation from the tobacco company Phillip Morris. I've written a letter to the editor of my paper.
10
Pretty sure these fake meats are targeted toward meat eaters who may feel bad about eating meat for some reason or just want a change. Vegetarians and vegans, I am pretty sure, don't really want to want to eat something resembling meat.
This quote "...Replacing a hamburger with a plant burger is not an improvement in diet quality if you chase it with French fries and a sugar-laden soda..." is not really true if you chase the meat burger with the same sides. That's like saying that you negate any benefit from salad if you add dressing. You still get the benefit the veggies offer, and with the burger, you subtract a burger's worth of saturated fat, cholesterol and triglycerides.
9
@Kraktos oh, this vegan eats meat replacements. Vegans are opposed to animal commodification. Most of us ate meat before we learned the truth about industries who use animals and decided to stop supporting those who harm animals. It is an ethical decision, not a decision based on health nor a decision about benefits to us.
For those who don’t want to eat meat alternatives, veganism is still easily attainable.
14
@Teddi Vegetarian here, lots of vegan friends. I am mostly doing it for the health benefits. More humane treatment of animals is a benefit, but I don't believe that all milk products is unethical. There are good and bad ways to do things, and I think there is such a thing as healthy and well treated dairy cow.
Its crazy to think that animals that we have domesticated for thousands of years are suddenly unethical to use. I agree that factory farms are unethical, but if I or someone else have our own hens and/or cow that pasture feeds, I have no ethical issue with using their eggs or milk.
11
@Robert
Cows' milk and chicken eggs are only "ethical" if you consider it ethical to forcibly inseminate, remove mothers from their babies, manipulate natural relationships, deny bodily autonomy, and slaughter animals at a fraction of their natural lifespans. Of economic necessity, some or all these protocols are followed by EVERY cows' milk and chicken egg producer. If you believe differently, you need to do some research.
6
I would like to see some real evidence on the growth in consumption of plant-based meat substitutes from sources other than organizations who benefit from the spread of such stories.
Anahad, you're not helping by quoting from such unreliable sources.
3
I have been a vegetarian for 25 years, not due entirely to "health benefits" but due to the extreme animal cruelty rampant in the meat industry.
Besides not containing artery clogging cholesterol and saturated fats, plant-based "meat" products taste great!
Neither do plant-based "meat" products shrink in the skillet, nor do they rot and stink up the place. No gristle, no bone fragments, no hormones or antibiotics, no worms (trichinosis) and NO CRUELTY.
Maybe when "food -animal" industries present products which are fit for human consumption, I might try a roast chicken once again.
12
@Ocelot Aardvark no matter how it is spun, it is still true that animals will suffer and die to land on a plate. If you would abandon 25 years of vegetarianism, I suspect your motivation is the “benefits” to you, and not the REAL focus, which should be ANIMALS. Disappointing.
3
Cattle are plant-based too. Unless I'm mistaken, cows eat plants, are killed, then processed into meat to be sold. The new products simply eliminate the middle (cow).
What we really have to fear are the international ketchup, bun and mustard conspiracy!
6
As a physician and a patient with cardiac disease I would trade 300 mg of salt for a single molecule of cholesterol any day. I would trade soy protein for a ground up slab of myosin (muscle fibers like the leg you are resting your iPhone in right now) any day.
Start reading your labels. The only food un adulterated with “other” ingredients or chemicals are vegetables grown organically. I don’t know those effects, and neither does anyone else but I know I’d trade pea protein and it’s fillers for antibiotics and bacteria any day. I’d also trade soil sequestered carbon from the breakdown of plant growth any day for the atmospheric sequestration of flatulent bovine methane every day.
The series of articles claiming that meat is safe to eat (published last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine is a shame and should be an embarrassment to its editors) as it was produced as a “meta” analysis of other studies and apparently supported by the meat industry. The bottom line: cutting three meals of meat a week will not lower your cardiovascular risk or your risk to develop cancer. That’s tantamount to saying you will drive to work at the speed limit one day a week; a blatantly ludicrous statistical assumption.
8
@John Ghertner
Every "trade" that you've listed is a false dichotomy.
The Annals of Int Medicine meta-analysis excludes the blatanly ludicrous observational studies based on self-reported food surveys. When we look at the actual experimental and clinical trial evidence, meat is not dangerous.
In fact, meat is nutritious, and humans and human ancestors have thrived on omnivorous diets for literally millions of years.
4
@The Pooch it’s pretty “dangerous” for the animals who lose their lives!
4
@John Ghertner Would love to see "myosin muscle fiber" labels instead of meat. Folks are so disconnected from the animal suffering, chemical/hormone abuse, methane farts and excess agriculture subsidies to even consider that they are about to wolf down a sentient being.
Give it a few thousand years and we will be back to tribal life with bows and arrows....and finally strongly consider our simple life-style true progress.
2
Part two:
As a vegetarian for over 50 years and a vegan “for life”, I do not particularly like either Impossible or Beyond but these companies are proving that capitalism really can improve our lives. When cattle land is converted to actually feeding the world then we will be all that better for it.
13
I was a dedicated carnivore until stumbling across the compelling scientific studies at Dr. Greger’s nutritionfacts.org
Greger routinely debunks the food-industry-funded confusion about animal-based vs plant-based foods.
Sometimes it seems the NYTimes cites these questionable industry-backed studies in the interest of balanced reporting, even though the preponderance of evidence shows the US diet makes us fat, sick, and dead.
9
We are all going to die, no matter what we eat. We all suffer from sickness too.
2
@Isabella
True, but it's all a matter of degree, isn't it? I've been vegan for 10 years and haven't had so much as a bad cold in all that time.
3
@Rebecca
Lifetime meat eater and I, too, haven’t suffered even a bad cold for years.
3
Methylcellulose is an all purpose ingredient. It is used in my Citrucell as a laxative and in my K-Y jelly as a lubricant.
2
Think of it as Suboxone for meat addicts.
Nobody (as far as I know) dies from Suboxone overdoses and to paraphrase Mr Rogers, you’re not eating something that had a mother.
1
I have a warning for the meat industry:people are tired of supporting cruelty and suffering on the menu. In my opinion the greatest sin humankind does is to breed animals, then deny them lives worth living--and then kill them as if they had no feelings at all. read the book Dominion by Andrew? Scully if you doubt this.
12
My understanding is that heme is a contributor to colon cancer. Impossible Burger has added this to mimic the taste of beef. You should address this. See articles in this google search:
https://www.google.com/search?q=heme+iron+causes+cancer&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari
2
I wish the article had been more clear on health advantages or disadvantages of these new products. To what degree are manufacturing differences a significant benefit to the planet? Higher sodium content doesn’t seem like a dealbreaker to me—I always dump salt on my hamburger. Some fiber, less saturated fat, no land turn to grazing, no endangering the efficacy of antibiotics, no slaughter houses: seems like a lot pluses. If “processed” is still bad for you, the data will be interesting to see. Surely there were some studies done? I imagine the beef industry will respond much the way the coal industry has: damn the planet, full speed ahead.
5
@Jennifer I think one point the article was trying to make is there just isn’t any data on either the health impacts of consumption Or the environment impacts of manufacturing.
I love these. No animals die! They have protein. No animal feces fowling waterways! Go fake meat!
12
Says Dr. Hu
"Replacing a hamburger with a plant burger is not an improvement in diet quality if you chase it with French fries and a sugar-laden soda."
Yes it is. Given the portion size of fires and drink, by not consuming the ground beef you're eliminating that portion of fat and cholesterol. How is that not better for you?
6
@Larry
Neither the fat nor the cholesterol was ever a problem in the first place. We are slowly getting over 40 years of wretched dietary advice based on anti-fat and anti-cholesterol hysteria.
5
Like the tobacco industry before it, the meat industry is fighting a losing battle. However they will stoop to the lowest depths to impugn competitive products and to promote meat just as long as they possibly can.
14
It is ironic that meat producers are fretting about plant-based “meats” and consumer demand. Ironic because sustained available energy derived from plant-based diets is better, especially for athletes and extreme athletes, than devouring lots of steaks and pork chops. The available energy per gram from meat processed in our digestive tracts is less than that of plant-based foods such as oatmeal.
To be blunt, when was the last time a steer ate meat? All of the energy and nutrition in meat comes from plants and sunshine through the body of the animal. In ancient and more modern times, most people lived on a diet of grains, nuts, berries, and other plants. Roman gladiators ate plant-based diets because they were healthier and provided more endurance energy than meat does. In fact, most people live on plant-based nutrients. The key is glycogen, the substance that stores glucose for use in cells when they need energy derived from the digestion and processing of plant-based nutrients.
Meat provides protein and other essential nutrients but a pound of meat requires a lot of capital- and energy-intensive components necessary to raise cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats for human consumption. So, a pound of meat represents a tremendous investment in energy from various sources. This is not so much the case with a pound of corn, wheat, oats, barley, broccoli, and other edible plants. Meat also requires a longer digestive process than plants in our bodies, and this also requires energy.
11
I love beef! I grew up in Kansas City, home of the best steaks in the US. But I don't want to eat beef. Grass-fed makes it a bit healthier but there is still the horrific slaughter process. The Impossible burger tastes like beef. Really. Even if it's "ultra-processed" I will eat it, because it spares a living creature from a life whose only purpose is an early, awful death.
17
"An uncooked four-ounce beef patty has about 75 milligrams of sodium, compared to 370 milligrams of sodium in the Impossible Burger and 390 milligrams in the Beyond Burger."
No one cooks a hamburger unseasoned. I'll bet once a beef patty is salted, cooked and slathered with ketchup, mustard, etc., it will have about the same final sodium profile as the non-meat patty.
5
@Kate
That's an apples-to-oranges comparison. If you're going to assume that the hamburger is going to be "salted, cooked and slathered with ketchup, mustard, etc.", then shouldn't you also assume that the non-meat version will also be so encumbered? In which case the sodium levels will still favor the real-meat burger.
(But I still think the Impossible/Beyond versions are healthier all around.)
5
It's still a nascent industry with room for improvement, but watch out for the powerful meat and poultry industry's attempts to squelch the meat substitutes industry with false and misleading information. We've seen it before with companies like Exxon seeding the media and politicians with climate change denial. Expect a similar misinformation campaign in this space.
8
Labels saying 'Imitation' meat will help me chose - as in - choosing the 'imitation'. Placing the imitation elsewhere will help me zero in on my choice. The 'real' meat industry has lost very little in sales so far, yet they are reacting as if this is already an emergency for them. For me, these alternatives are better for the planet, and better for animals. (I already drink alternative milk, only cow products I still consume are yogurt and cheese.. at least we don't have to kill cows for those.)
7
@Bruce Maier True enough but when their milk production drops it's off to the slaughterhouse. Born to be enslaved, to be forced to ever-greater milk production and yearly pregnancies where their calves are torn from them, and then when physically spent after a very few years, crowded into a truck without water and transported hours and hours. Finally to be goaded by electric prods to a violent but not always quick death. So we don't directly kill them but they die anyway and never live out a natural life span - Mad Cow Disease, remember?
6
@Bruce Maier
Cows are indeed killed for ALL dairy products. The cows themselves are slaughtered at a fraction of their natural lifespan when their milk production drops, and male calves are routinely killed at birth or "allowed" to live up to 18 months for veal or beef production. Cows must be impregnated in order to produce milk, so excess calves are disposed of.
2
As someone who believes in 'truth in advertising' I amazed what some food producers are allowed to call their products while others are not. Apple drinks are clearly labeled regarding their juice content yet almond milk labels lack the % of almonds per carton and certainly contain no milk. Yellow slices are labeled 'imitation cheese food' but no similar disclaimer is featured on the Beyond or Impossible packages. Why the differences? If you are imitating meat, label the package correctly!
7
@Donna Gray Yes! I purchased some grape juice as backup for low blood sugars. Then I read the label; first is apple juice concentrate! I have made my own grape juice which was absolutely delicious - just didn’t know how to store it long term (canning process suggested).
1
As far as I'm concerned the recent efforts have ruined my veggie burgers or made them unavailable as retailers chase the non-meat burger which gives the meat experience (something I don't like). I thoroughly enjoyed the ones plainly chocked full of black beans, but now they are no where to be found.
15
@Anne-Marie Hislop I’m with you, I genuinely prefer veggie burgers over fake meat burger, but I don’t think we’re the target audience. I’m slightly bothered by how much like meat they taste, I’ve lost my taste for meat quite some time ago. I only eat it if that’s my option.
3
@Anne-Marie Hislop Excellent thoughts; I'm with you a hundred percent. Though I eat meat occasionally, I like veggie burgers. More precisely, I like food that is honestly representative of the actual food that did grow, as opposed to imitation foods made to "appropriate" an actual food. The meat eaters I know are conscious and highly aware; we are eating a variety of foods; we still are eating a diet of mostly plants, i.e. fruits, vegetables, tubers along with meat.
Seriously reflect on this ... How many meat eaters are getting most of their calories from meat?
I was disappointed to find the Burger King veggie burger off the menu. I tried the Impossible Whopper and realized that I much preferred their veggie burger. Still, I'm really glad I can find these options at places like Burger King and Dunkin Donuts when stuck on long interstate drives.
I prefer real food. I do not care for meat-like substitutes. I do not need to pretend i am eating meat. I do not eat meat. I do not like meat. I like real food.
9
I prefer a clean environment, humane treatment of animals and a healthy heart. I don’t pretend I don’t.
17
The entire meat industry should be put out of business.
25
Setting aside perhaps the even more important ethical aspects of the unnecessary killing of animals in order to survive, & the concomitant environmental issues of methane production, water & land consumption, etc, I'd argue that the production of beef (the meat I know the most about from being a 3rd gen beef farm heir that has ceased production) is a much more ultra-processed product in terms of time, money, resources, antibiotic med use & trouble. My uncle was injured more times than I can count while raising beef cows. I'd bet no petri dish ever broke anyone's ribs. I do not miss eating meat one whit. I did it get healthy. Results? Lost 64 pounds. Have run marathons, a double marathon, a 50K ultra and this year, at 60, I did my first 100k ultra. I have climbed 3 of the 7 summits and a bunch of other decent peaks and accomplished the 200 Ton Challenge to boot (look it up).
I don't want to sound like a vegan evangelist because I know not everything works as well for everyone, and certainly I do not want to come off like some kook, but if you're reading this in addition to the current count of >300 responses herein (jeepers!) then my BEST advice is to you is to open up another tab and do your own research, experiment on yourself and see what works for you-is it keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, carnovarian, raw, whatever? If you're sick or want a better personal best just tweak, iterate, rinse and repeat. That's what I do and I really hope you do too. Cheers!
28
@Dr Chris Stout While that is all great, there are more athletes that eat meat than athletes that don't eat meat (or eat vegan).
4
@Michigan Girl
Your data is from where? Or is it just a guess or "conventional wisdom"?
2
@Michigan Girl to date this is true, but this is exactly what is changing.
2
1. Whole wheat flour is "processed food"... where's the hate?
2. Any burger you buy in a restaurant has salt applied to it topically... a LOT - the sodium argument is highly inaccurate.
3. The meat industry is scared and is doing whatever it can to spin these products to a negative.
4. Don't like it? don't eat it... but we need to stop mass producing and butchering cattle... this is a positive step in the RIGHT direction!!!
47
The very first peoples to occupy India were, and their ancestors still are, vegetarians. Evidently a choice to not eat animals is not that different from a choice not to eat people.
15
@Berynice Only 20-42% of Indians are vegetarian. However, they do not eat huge hunks of steak, bacon, etc. Their meat is a condiment usually. Or they love chicken.
1
@Lois steinberg It's expressly forbidden in the scripture to not eat meat as it's reserved for beasts lower than man in the pyramid of life. The idea is not to take actions that cause suffering as it can boomerang. Though you are right about the statistics.
With plant based meat substitutes cutting into the profits of the meat industry more studies, of variable quality, will become available that will be more informative in regards to the health benefits of either a plant based meat substitute versus real beef and meat. As of now a clear distinction in labeling along with nutritional benefits and contents is something I agree with so people are aware regardless of their preferences.
I find it a little early to say a plant based meat substitute is superior. It would be interesting to know what chemicals are used to extract the needed proteins from the plants, what the carbon footprint is to make these meat substitutes is which includes gathering the ingredients as well.
Still taking all of this with a grain of salt for the time being.
3
@A. Al-Sabban The gathering being like gathering the hay for the cows and gathering the cows?
1
Call me crazy but I prefer to eat burgers that don't have as many antibiotics as a Z-pack or a hearty dose of bovine growth hormone.
That's just me though.
23
As a vegetarian, I occasionally eat veggie burgers for convenience. But these highly processed new meat substitutes are a bad idea. Vegetables are very palatable once one learns how to cook them as main dishes instead of sides. There's just no good reason to regularly eat processed vegetables and meat substitutes any more than processed meats.
17
Pish posh! The perfect is the enemy of the good. This is one of many levers to end meat production. You don’t have to eat it but all us vegetarians should support the ending of meat.
6
Nice article in all but I feel they're missing the point..I don't eat this stuff to be healthier, I do it to 1. save the planet. 2. I don't eat meat so it's nice to have something resembling so every now and then. 3. I don't want to hurt other living creatures! Simple as that.
98
@Chelsea P. Right there with you! Thanks!
A couple "pro-beef" arguments in this article did make me laugh. Of course a raw hamburger patty has a lot less salt than the plant-based pre-made burger patties. But who in the heck eats a hamburger without any salt added? Not to mention all the condiments we add. Why whine about the salt content of the plant burger when everybody knows good & well that any cooked beef hamburger you purchase anywhere is stunningly high in sodium.
And it most certainly is disingenuous of the meat industry to employ scare-mongering about any supposedly dangerous additives in processed plant-based products. That's an hilarious argument when one considers the mishmash of mystery chemicals, known poisons & cancer-causing agents that are routinely added to hot dogs, deli meats & other "real meat" products.
Phooey. I'll believe that plant burgers are more dangerous than actual beef burgers on the day I believe that the daily gobbling of processed sugar & trans-fat is a healthy dietary decision.
33
@Jane We make burgers at home all the time and never add salt to them. I normally eat them plain too (e.g, no ketchup or mayo). And processed meats aren't in the same category as a steak or hamburger, so it's pretty disingenuous to compare them in that manner. To me, both the Beyond and Impossible Burgers on the same level as sausage or processed deli meats -- and neither is particularly good for you.
4
But you’re killing animals for food, and that’s inhumane and unnecessary. I get that you don’t think meat is murder. How would you feel if someone killed and ate your pet? Cows, pigs & dogs all feel pain.
3
Nobody is eating pets. So we don’t have to wonder how we’d feel if somebody did.
I don't understand why people who profess to be on a plant-based diet remain dependent on a meat-based approach to eating, i.e., Beyond Burgers, tofurkey, tempeh, and other highly-processed "meats." Why not change your approach to eating and prepare creative tasty plant-based meals that have nothing to do with meat? If vegetables and beans are considered boring, maybe a plant-based diet is not the right one.
14
@Lynn in DC Why should people give up the flavor and satisaction of meat just because they don't want to eat actual meat? I don't understand why omnivores think vegetarians and vegans should just eat fruits, vegetables and beans, and not experience the joy and satisfaction of a hot dog with all the trimmings, a savory hamburger, "tuna" salad sandwich, meat(less) loaf, or soy/almond/oat milk with cookies, or butter melting on pancakes.
15
@Meg
That is the eternal question then.
1
@Lynn in DC Because the planet is basically on fire.
13
Can anyone help? Is the statement about heme iron based on new industry jargon? As i recall, plants had non-heme iron (no attachment to hemoglobin).
BS in Nutrition and Food Science here.
Yes, animals have heme iron - which is good. That is the form of iron that is more readily absorbed and used by our bodies. You have to eat much higher quantities of plant-based iron to get adequate amounts. It’s not impossible, but can be challenging.
I don’t remember which vegan-friendly food documentary it was that called heme iron a carcinogen but that was one of many falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations of research findings I saw in the first few minutes. (I want to say it was Forks Over Knives.) I turned it off after only 10 min because of how painfully wrong most of the info was. I was a vegetarian for several years and understand not wanting to kill animals for food, but trying to convince people that ALL animal products are bad for you (and the planet) is just fear-mongering (and incorrect).
5
@Jo friends were correct: one has to swallow a lot of propaganda (and answer test questions incorrectly in order to graduate) to become a registered dietitian. Please step out of the 1950s and do rigorous research about nutrition and especially also climate change. it is the foundation for climate catastrophe.
I just don't want to eat a cow-- its that simple
The idea of a slaughter house where a animal gets executed so we can eat it?
No Thanks.
46
Let's see -- a nutritionally deficient, highly processed, food-like product made from dozens of synthetic and refined ingredients?
No thanks. I'll stick with nutritious and nourishing meat, fish, and shellfish, which humans and human ancestors have eaten for literally millions of years.
21
@The Pooch Ahh yes, millions of years ago the hunter gatherers all jumped in their car, drove to the store and picked up pre-packaged meat that had been delivered on trucks from a warehouse where billions of animals were fed antibiotics and lived in their own filth before being slaughtered by machines. And yes, our ancestors then ate this store-bought meat for EVERY meal three times a day!!
15
@Katie
Learning from the past is not an "all or nothing" proposition. We can keep what was useful or adaptive (omnivorous diets) and discard what was useless or immoral (lack of medical care).
Funny that you mention meal frequency. Intermittent fasting is an ancient practice that has been "re-discovered" to yield health benefits in the modern world.
Factory farming vs. veganism is a false dichotomy.
5
@Katie Love it! Well said.
2
It's time for all of us to realize that a plant-based diet is the best for us humans as well as the animals and the earth. IT IS THE FUTURE, and the sooner we realize it, the better for all.
27
Let us not forget: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.
Real meat tastes better than imitation meat, because it’s real.
Want to save the environment in the quickest way possible? Vote blue, so you can go back to the old you.
8
@A plant-based burgers are real; “meat” is not real food at all. that’s why they had to give it a fake label.
Climate impacts cannot be mitigated without significantly reducing meat consumption and the emissions associated with animal agriculture, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
1
Choice is always better in my opinion, so why not.
I do wonder though why people who do not want to eat meat for all kinds of ideological reasons still want meat flavours in their food.
7
@Si Seulement Voltaire often because people don’t stop eating meat because if the taste but rather because they don’t want to consume actual animal flesh. Why should people have to give up the flavor, chewiness and satisfaction of meat, or the cold creaminess of milk, or the cheesiness of pizza, just because they have sworn off animal products?
12
@Si Seulement Voltaire I'm not against eating meat. It tastes good. That being said, I'm vegetarian for environmental reasons. Having products replicate the real thing while being better for the environment is a win-win for me!
15
@Meg
If the flavor, chewiness and satisfaction of meat are considered positives, then people do want to consume animal flesh. You can't get the positive aspects of meat unless you consume real meat. Fake burgers, "tofurkey," fake bacon and the other fake meats just don't compare to the real thing. People are fooling themselves if they think there is a viable substitute for real meat.
3
Fewer people working on the kill floor plus fewer sentient beings being killed equals tremendous health benefits.
As Isaac Bashevis Singer pointed out, the treatment of animals by humans is "an eternal Treblinka".
34
Our cells produce many proteins, as many as 10,000 different types. As we learn from Cell Reports, researchers at Department of Energy's SLAC lab and Stanford are drilling into the VISTA protein that masks cancer cells from the immune system. Also, researchers from UC Santa Cruz reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences how "MHC-I proteins on the cell surface are scanned by specialized immune cells called cytotoxic T cells, which can recognize foreign proteins from an infection or mutated proteins from a tumor and launch an immune response." It stands to reason that we need to understand the health effects of excess proteins or protein malfunctions.
2
i lined up for my first ever impossible burger at burger king on tuesday, when i ordered it they said 'its not vegetarian as its cooked on the same plate as the meat burgers', i left hungry.
9
@Bob Tonnor you can request it to be microwaved. while surely not as flavorful, it's still good. I've done it!
4
Every single article I read about plant-based burgers mentions the difference in sodium levels in comparison to a meat burger, but they fail to mention that both meat and plant based burgers are close to the same after cooking. No one eats an unsalted patty of ground meat. The Impossible Whopper from Burger King has 1080 mg of sodium. The regular Whopper has 980 mg. That's not much of a difference.
21
@John Allen One Impossible Whopper has more than half a day's worth of sodium. The regular one is not far behind. This is simply unhealthy. When properly seasoned, veggie burgers taste great without so much salt. 300 mg. is plenty, if not too much.
1
@Barbara Add 250 more for the bun and then 400 or 500 more for the pickles and the cheese. Even a homemade veggie burger is going to be fairly high in sodium. That's without counting the chips or fries people usually have with them.
The numbers I listed were for a full burger in a bun. The Impossible burger only had 100 more than the meat one, so it stands to reason that an Impossible Burger patty only has 100 mg more than a meat patty.
@John Allen I eat unsalted patties of meat, as does my entire family. We've never added salt to hamburgers in our house and we don't eat burgers out of the house. Why would you need to add salt to a hamburger anyway? They taste perfectly fine without them.
1
In years past I had the fortune to travel in Asia for work and I tool the opportunity to try traditional fake-meat dishes in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. This kind of cooking has a history going back over a thousand years. Delicious! It never tasted exactly like meat, but it did tase better.
I have to say I was not that impressed with the Impossible burger I tried two years ago. It was OK - but nothing special, and a little too salty. It was among the more expensive items on the menu. A know there is a patent in there - but I couldn't identity it with my taste buds.
Close to 60, I haven't eaten real burgers (or beef) for years - the fat is just too much to digest. A little chicken, yes. A hot stew with assorted vegetables and beans offers that warm and satisfied satiated feeling that a burger (or substitute burger) is supposed to have that is "irreplaceable".
9
I eat beef once, maybe twice a week. Mostly it is veggies, cheese, homemade crackers or bread, some fish. I don’t eat chicken but I raise chickens for their eggs to bake with. I was a vegetarian for nearly 40 years, but not strict. Ate a burger and brat once a summer if it was off of a grill. I don’t eat much meat because I don’t like the idea of that amount of greed for many creatures to die so I can live. I think it is all about moderation. Meat doesn’t have to be with every meal, nor does cheese, or even (sadly) wine.
19
My wife (of 40 yrs) is a strict vegetarian so I've tasted various meat imposters over the years, most far less than satisfactory. I've also had hundreds of beef Whoppers. Let me tell you: this Impossible Whopper is a game changer .. if anything Better than a regular Whopper.
If I can get a complete protein from plants that tastes delicious, can help save our home (planet earth) and ends cruelty to animals, that settles it for me.
In the nick of time two monumental developments: the electrification of transportation and the establishment of a plant-based protein diet may just yet save homo sapiens.
88
Did everyone forget that regular veggie burgers are a thing? We've come a long way from the cardboard-like veggie patties of yore-- now most regular grocery stores carry several different brands that are quite tasty and varied, and with less controversial ingredients (and a much lower price tag) than Impossible meat. Making them from scratch with beans & rice or quinoa is easy and cheap as well, and bypasses any artificial fillers. Spices like chipotle or good paprika add a pleasant smokey taste that doesn't make you miss beef. I'm not sure I ever really needed my veggie burgers to "bleed" like real meat to be satisfying.
97
Exactly! I actually DON’T want my burgers to taste like meat, as I have been a life-long vegetarian (I’ve never tasted beef). I want my veggie burgers to be a delicious savory mushroom/bean/etc. combo.
10
@Heather I don't want my burgers to taste like meat either. Just creepy -- having been a vegetarian for 30 years. There are plenty of great-tasting veggie burgers in the supermarket made with soy, oats, beans, etc.
12
@Chef correct. As a 15-year vegan, I don’t want any bleeding burger either. Keep in mind that both the beyond and the impossible burgers are targeted to non-vegans and are enjoying a lot of success. I live right across the street from the Whole Foods, and I see that these burgers fly off the shelves. And it’s mostly non-vegans who are purchasing them.
2
I've been a vegetarian for 45 years, and I love Beyond Meat products and I especially love Impossible burgers. Many of my vegetarian family members and friends cannot eat them, as they taste too much like the real deal. Our supermarket limits how many you can buy because demand is so high and the other day, I was picking up a couple of packages where two butchers were standing over the meat section, where they display Impossible burgers. I told the butchers Impossible burgers shouldn't be in the meat section. One of the men laughed and said, I just had my first Impossible burger last night. I had to see what all the fuss was about and omg, I don't think I'll ever eat another regular hamburger again.
Sometimes I love modern life.
64
@JJ Flowers Exactly how would your vegetarian friends tell if it tastes like the real deal if they haven’t had the real deal in one would assume a really long time? That’s just silly.
5
@Robert I think it's rather silly too. I stay away from the meat section in the supermarket -- just horrifying, so many chopped up/murdered animals, their body parts on the shelves... so much suffering. Someday in the future those barbaric slaughterhouses will be shut down.
10
These products are popular because they satisfy the addiction to fast food. They are heavy on sodium, flavor additives and have the same calorie count as cow. Although growing the plants may be more environmentally gentle than raising livestock, I wonder if the environmental cost of manufacture was factored in to the equation. An goodly amount of energy, water and solvents are needed to fraction whole food down into protein isolates used as ingredients.
I'm a vegetarian (not a vegan, there is a difference!) - have been for 40 years - and I have no use for these products. I have tried them out of curiosity and find no use for them. Frankly, I found the texture and taste unappealing. Why would I eat highly processed look-a-like products when there are so many whole foods that offer me proper and complete nutrition.
I seriously doubt the claim that these foods may help transition the public off a meat based diet. Vegetarian food doesn't taste like cow, pig, fish or chicken. Period. If you can't be satisfied with the taste of a plant based diet then these 'burgers' aren't going to encourage anyone to stop eating meat.
22
I eat them because I crave a cheeseburger occasionally, and this tastes exactly the same to me, is better for me, and is better for the planet. Not many no brainers out there. This is one.
29
@Beach bum -- It's not all about taste (apparently to most people, it is). Theres also nothing in the article that indicates a plant burger is better for you. Four times as much salt is certainly not better for you. You're also missing a lot of important nutrition when you avoid beef, which this article inexplicably did not discuss.
9
@PL
Sometimes our cultural dissing of salt has been taken too far. Some people truly do need to limit their salt intake (such as those with heart or kidney failure, or certain salt-sensitive hypertensives)...
But salt is not always such a villain. Some of us could use more salt, especially some who drink a lot of water or who tend to be hypotensive.
Salt does tend to make food more appealing, so it is helpful on vegetables, not so helpful on calorie-dense or low-fiber foods.
All of the nutrients in beef can be found in non-meat sources that are often easier on the environment.
5
Probably the least unhealthy part of a typical burger/fries/soda "meal" is the actual beef in the patty. Animal protein, in moderation, is a healthy, and even essential, part of a natural diet. But smother anything with enough layers of crud, and well, you get crud.
American addiction to poor quality junk food is probably the no. 1 public health issue facing the US today -- witness the well-documented decline in life expectancy across the nation as the nation gets fatter (see recent NYT article pointing to obesity rather than opioids, etc.)
15
@Abraham Agreed. People are missing the point with the meat vs. "fake" meat debate. The real issue is Americans eat too much low-quality food.
2
At least soy doesn’t squeal when it’s being tased & its throat is being cut. Watch some vids online of animals being harvested at the plant.
Bring on the soy. At least with an Impossible Burger, I can sleep at night with a clear conscience.
65
@Tired Voter So a vegetables life isnt worthy of respect and honour? They come from a seed created by pollination. They grow by taking in nutrition with the help of sunlight, air and water. They breath and exhale. They propagate and they die. No different than you.
Eating can be simple. A balanced diet that respects all life is the best diet.
9
@Tired Voter I agree with Gerald. Soy still comes from a living thing. The whole "it doesn't squeal so it's OK for me to kill and eat it" is cognitive dissonance at its finest. To live, you have to consume other living things. That's Biology 101. Just because a soy plant can't crack a smile doesn't make it less alive.
4
Please stop with the “help saving the planet” nonsense. Eating a non meat burger will do a minuscule amount of good toward improving the lot of animals and the eco system of the earth, and the planet will do just fine when we have destroyed ourselves as life, not ours, will continue. However, it would be somewhat healthier to forgo meat, or reduce consumption greatly, to the benefit of animals and our environment. What I believe we need to do is learn to become good stewards of our world, and respect the life that surrounds us, and act appropriately. Good luck with that...
13
This issue seems much simpler than the all sides are making it.
Michael Pollan makes it clear for all:
"Eat food (real food)
Not too much
mostly plants."
Saturated fat is killing America and the amount in these faux meat burgers and real ones is just about the same. The ingredients list for an impossible burger and it's competing kin read like an alien (extra terrestrial) cook book.
13
@smm not true about saturated fat
11
There's no such thing as a canola plant. It's really rapeseed oil. Originally used as a lubricant. Then marketed as a food. It is highly processed, high in omega 6's and inflammatory.
https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/the-inconvenient-truth-about-canola-oil
19
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20090323/7-rules-for-eating
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
We try to get all of our food as close to the source as possible. Farmer’s markets, local butcher, grow our own. Fake meat makes no sense to me. Just, why?!
13
The unnecessary production and slaughter of animals makes no sense to me. Just…why?
1
@ABP
Please stop with the false equivalence.
1
Well, the lst question that comes to mind is: does the fake burger give me the same nutrients in natural form that a beef burger does. ie. 14 essential nutrients – protein, iron, zinc, selenium thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin, vitamin D, phosphorus, pantothenate, magnesium and potassium.?
The quality amino acids in meat are vital. They support muscle-building and repair, and our immune, nervous and digestive systems, crucial as we age.
I get all that regardless of whether it's a cheap or an expensive cut. I can also choose free range, grass fed meat. I could quite easily make the burger myself from scratch, thus controlling the amount of salt, preservative and binding ingredients used.
Neither do I have to worry about what damage daily soy consumption is doing to my hormonal system, or my bones in later years... or indeed the cumulative effects of non-food ingredients..
So if a fake burger can't do this, I'm not interested.
15
@Jilli -- Yes, this article seriously misses the question of the comparative health benefits of beef vs plant burgers, especially the nutritional value of beef. It's mostly about the industry/interest group battles.
11
@Jilli - I agree you don't NEED a fake burger. But if you can get all those nutrients from a balanced diet without beef, then you don't NEED beef either.
11
@Jilli
To get all the essential amino acids from non-meat sources, just combine any two of these food groups:
Legumes
Whole grains
Seeds
Nuts
B12 is the nutrient of concern, and is found in dairy, nutritional yeast, and supplements.
1
They aren't the end all and be all but for those who don't eat much or any meat for whatever reason, it's nice when you're out to have a burger with everyone else, instead of not having a decent main dish option.
13
There are important reasons other than health to reduce meat consumption. Animal welfare/suffering and factory farms impact on the environment. We are the species that have the responsibility.
46
My undergrad nutrition professor said it best:
Eat a wide variety of foods,
In their most natural state as possible.
Nothing ‘natural’ about fake meat (or any other manufactured food product!)
22
@KaleeGee A factory farm is not a natural state.
8
@John But a steak is in its most natural state as possible.
2
@Michigan Girl Not when it's pumped full of anti-biotics and hormones.
2
Love the Beyond Meat burgers! Find them really satisfying both in taste and "to the teeth." Besides the pleasing flavor, much of my satisfaction comes from helping to care for the environment; and most of it comes from not slaughtering animals. Compassion a la carte!
27
I have enjoyed meat my entire life and also vegetables. Because of environmental concerns, I've cut back to having meat to once a month or less. I frequently have fish and all veggie meals. I will not be having imitation meat. It's too processed, hasn't evolved over millennia, and I don't believe that the soy used is non-gmo.
8
Beyond Meat does not contain soy, which is a major allergan. The Impossible Burger contains soy but I have no idea how much.
4
@Jennene Colky -
All of the heme in an Impossible Burger comes from soybeans. It is their critical ingredient.
I’m suspicious about the environmental claims made by imitation meat producers. It is true that they use less land and perhaps water, but extracting single building blocks out of plants requires a lot of energy. As does shipping raw material to be processed, and processed material around the world. A lot of this material is being grown here, shipped over seas for processing, and shipped back as ingredients. It’s not clear to me that these expenditures of energy are being included in their environmental tally.
17
Turnabout is fair play. Vegetarians and vegans for decades have preached that meat would cause cancer and every other disease they could think of -- all without any scientific basis. So yes, why not let people know there could be risks with chemically processed soy protein. At very least we don't know if synthesized food like this is good for us in the long term -- there certainly haven't been any studies proving the safety of the Impossible Burger.
The environmental case against meat is similarly hypocrical. Soybeans are grown with huge quantities of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. So it's hard to argue that a "hamburger" made from textured soy protein is saving the planet.
14
@Tom B. There is in fact a tsunami of evidence showing that meat consumption raises the risk of cancer and other diseases of modern life. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC -- part of the World Health Organization), responding to decades of studies, has warned that processed meat causes cancer and red meat probably causes cancer. Unlike the FDA and USDA in this country, they aren't tied to the meat industry and so they are able to follow reputable science. You're right that eating plain food is better than processed food, but meat is not good for you and there are plenty of other options if you don't care for the Impossible Burger.
13
@mkenhan The WHO's argument is based on correlations in epidemiological surveys -- a whole class of research about diet that is, thankfully, now being set aside. Correlation is not causation, and survey correlations should not be the basis for policy or advice.
In fact bad science and bad advice from the government has helped this country get to the point where 40 percent of the population is obese and headed for diabetes. Most of us would be healthier if the government and dietary "experts" had recognized the limitations of their knowledge and given no advice at all.
Say people who eat more hot dogs are more likely to be obese, and obesity is indeed, after smoking, the biggest risk factor for abdominal cancer. The vegan (and, presumably, the WHO) will claim the hot dog was the cause of it all, but another compelling argument could be made about 20-ounce soda that washed down the hot dog. The science to answer the question has simply not been done because the drug industry isn't going to fund it.
11
My Depression-era parents and their impoverished families were skinny. When they had some extra cash, they bought a chicken, took it home, and plucked it.
Today, too many poor people are fat, wasting their money on fast food and incurring ailments like hypertension and diabetes.
Artificial burgers will do nothing to mitigate those diseases.
Buying a cheap family-size package of chicken parts, and a box of Birdseye vegetables, will.
5
Living in Montana for three years was a real eye-opener for me regarding the production of meat. Every day I drove past mile after mile of grazing cattle, and mile after mile of hay being raised, harvested and trucked to feed the cattle. Since our food chain is based on energy from the sun, I thought what a grossly inefficient system this is! And let's not even get into the effect of methane on the environment, conditions in slaughter-houses and clogged arteries; converting plants into animals so we can ingest the energy they derived from plants seems ... redundant. Coincidentally, I am making a Beyond Meat burger for dinner tonight. With veggie fries. It will be yummy!
40
So, the meat industry and some governments make it a crime to film what goes on as animals are killed and now the meat industry wants consumers to believe that some plant-based foods are unhealthful. It's sort of a no-brainer, which also describes what's in the diets of vegans and vegetarians.
24
The meat substitutes are not better for you, in the short and medium term.
But they're better for the animals, and environment. By extension, that means they're better for you in the long term, your kids, grandchildren and everyone who follows.
115
Yeah, but "What’s hiding in your animal-based meat?”
23
@AJ antibiotics, for one.
13
@AJ ...a massive carbon footprint.
7
What is so important to meet and dairy companies? Get rich or tell the truth.
It's far more important for them to become millionaires then stopping - Heart Disease and Stroke, Arthritis, Cancer, Breast cancer, Prostate cancer, Bowel cancer, Obesity, Diabetes.
So yes they lie a lot!
They don't care one inch about humans only money.
It's clear lying to become millionaires is more important than not killing 7500 baby cows a day or terrifying, making animals cry and cutting them up before dying. 200 million of them every day.
20
This is how it all starts...the road to Soylent Green.
8
@cassandra -
What do you have against recycling?
Isn't minimizing our carbon and living footprint what vegans want?
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, protein to protein...
NYT: look deeper and Beyond Meat's underbelly.
Start with its Executive Chair Seth Goldman.
Millennials – committed to supporting eco-ethical brands – are not going to like this guy. Goldman unashamedly built the “ethical” image of Honest Tea on Fairtrade (FT) claiming the brands extends "economic opportunities to communities in need”.
While the sale of Honest to Coke in 2011 netted Goldman $100M he proudly reported the brand paying $51,000 FT royalties in 2011 to poor farmers in Honest's FT supply chain. The math: probably 100K farmers in the chain so $0,51cents per farmer!!
No way does this extend “economic opportunities to communities in need”.
Leveraging his Honest Tea sleight-of-hand win he inveigled himself into Beyond’s exec team. Prospectuses and SEC filings note he earned $602,000 in fees and bonuses ,and secured $950,000 in loans. He was allocated, or acquired 464,000 shares for $5Million and today those shares are worth $115Million!!
So Goldman’s nett asset value with proceeds from Honest’s Coke acquisition and Beyond Meat shares - hovers around $220 Million.
$220 Million for Seth Goldman and nothing for poor Fairtrade farmers.
Millennials will find this morally wrong and exploitive and very much against the Fairtrade spirit. Goldman paying a few extra pennies more to poor farmers and then see manipulating this into mega-millions in personal worth.
Them sticking with the Beyond Meat brand with this type of individual leading the company? Don’t see it.
13
To me, it’s a question of environmental impact, which isn’t even mentioned in the article. It chaps me that NYTimes continually sends mixed messages between its sections: one will say the environmental impact of the foods we eat are devastating, while another section points to delicious recipes promoting the same mentioned in the first. Which is it, NYTimes?
18
The NYT persistently makes erroneous statements about the impact of raising cattle on the environment. Its reporters seem not to want to be bothered to understand the difference between methane and other greenhouse gases, to understand the benefits of grazing on the environment (for one thing, it reduces fire risk), or to understand the difference between land that can be used to raise crops, and land that is really only fit for grazing. The idea that ranchers and farmers want to degrade the environment, when they devote their lives to raising food on the land to feed the world can only be the product of the fever dreams of those who haven’t set foot on a ranch or farm in their lives, and have never known - or cared to get to know - the real stewards of the land.
8
Read and think and eat what you like. But words matter (see Impeachment Hearings).
It’s NOT meat and must be labeled as such.
Just as all the white “juices” are NOT... MILK.
11
@Babs But "peanut butter" is not butter -- "apple butter" is not butter! No one is confused by those labels and no one is confused by the "milk" and "meat" ones either.
16
@mkenhan Absolutely. The only thing which I appreciate (having not eaten animal products for decades) is that it is easy for me to find out - written in big enough letters on the package or whatever - if there ARE or ARE NOT animal products in what I intend to eat. :) If it says, "burger", or "yogurt" for example, I sure want to know that it has NO animal parts/derivatives in it, otherwise I do not want it.
3
And don’t get me started on the coconut milk!
1
The health benefits to whom? I could care less if a plant-based burger is more healthy for me; I eat them because they're far more healthy for the cows that would otherwise be murdered.
74
@Todd there are are many people like me with autoimmune and digestive issues that find they need to avoid many plant foods. Eating mostly animals foods stops me being debilitated by stomach and joint pain. I used to be vegetarian and it just didn't work for me no matter how much I tried to optimise the nutrients.
11
@Todd I'm not worried about the health benefits. But I feel so sad about the animals, those innocent, sentient beings who are slaughtered/murdered...whose lives are cut short.
4
Anyone decrying these two alternative meats as fake or bad for you better be ready to toss out all their bags of Doritos (I mean, what ARE Doritos?), bread (unless it is 100% homemade), boxes of crackers, Rice-a-Roni, cereal, Pop Tarts, breakfast sausage (do you *really* want to know what's in your breakfast sausage?), soda, frozen dinners, etc. People's kitchens are chock full of processed foods, many with more unpronounceable and artificial ingredients than an Impossible Burger.
And do we believe people are truly confused when they see meat alternatives at the market? If so, those shoppers are probably just too lazy to read labels. Honestly, I've never accidentally bought a steak in my life, so why do people argue they might accidentally buy fake meat?
35
If you eat enough ice cream it will kill you. Meat diets are inhumane, toxic to cardiac tissue and contribute to coronary disease. Fruits and vegetables actually have flavor as opposed to a salty meat dish that is more difficult to eat. Any other questions?
7
Another strange story about meat substitutes, which fails to tell us about protein, but instead lectures us about meaningless salt.
7
"The meat industry has a warning for consumers: Beware of plant-based meat".
Duh! Would anyone expect such an interest group to say anything other than this?
24
I'm waiting for a fake meat substitute.
4
You're quoting Rick Berman as if he's anything other than an industry shrill lobbying for the worst industry actors in corporate America
11
Big Meat should fire their marketing directors.
1
I had to laugh at this in the second sentence: “...supporters have included meat producers...”. Yet, this obviously flawed study merits an article based on flawed data?
4
Yeah. “No healthier than meat”
Except for the Cow
Except for the Air
Except for the Water
Except for the Planet
Except for the Farmworker
Except for the Consumer
146
@Fritz Raim And the workers at the meat processing plants.
2
They are healthier for the soul
14
My cat's food is healthier than some of these ultra-processed plant based foods. Besides, aren't most plant fertilized with cow manure? How is that not meat based?
4
@Dave k Well, to some of us this matters: the cow is usually still alive after it provides the manure....
8
@Dave k
Most plants are probably fertilized with petroleum-derived products.
1
you forget the qoutation marks on The meat industry has a warning for consumers: Beware of plant-based meat. you need qoutation marks
I tried a “meatloaf” made from Impossible Burger once, and found it too salty. Then I went home and looked up the ingredients and nutrients — and discovered that they are not healthy at all!!
I eat whole plant foods — veggies and fruits, legumes (beans, lentils, etc) and whole grains, and nuts and seeds in moderation — which I prepare and cook at home. Because my options for eating this way anywhere else are limited. And I avoid animal products and processed foods, as well as added sugars, oil, and salt, which further limits my eating out options. But my food is delicious! And I do love salad bowl restaurants!
And sadly, “vegan” does not mean healthy. For a lot of people, it means faux meats and cheeses, etc., all highly processed foods, high in refined food components, including added sugar, oil, and salt. And lots of junk food are all vegan: soda, potato chips, candies, cakes, cookies, and so much more. The only thing these kinds of “foods” are healthy for are corporate profits.
10
The meat industry wants to talk about what goes into the food you eat? That’s a laugh. Clearly they’re terrified and they should be. Recently ate lunch in Riverside, CA, hardly a bastion of all that’s hip and new, at a food court downtown. I had tacos. But the busiest place there by a mile was an all-vegan burger place modeled after In n Out but completely plant-based, down to the condiments and even the shakes. There was a line around the corner of people waiting to pay close to 20 bucks each for a double impossible burger plus sides, and not just millennials and hipsters. There were blue collar guys on lunch break, office workers, moms, even boomers... I couldn’t believe it. Maybe if the meat industry weren’t so disgustingly under-regulated and rife with antibiotics, salmonella, hormones etc.. ah but they’d rather spend their money on ads and lobbying.
28
Why anyone want fake meat when there are many variety of tasty veggie patties that can be used in place of beef patty. The veggie patties have improved a lot over the old soy protein patties. Try them and you will never go back to meat burgers.
9
@Jaque
What do you think the veggie patties are besides fake meat?
2
@Alexi Most veggie patties aren't trying to be fake meat.They taste like veggies or grains, which is fine with me.
6
@Alexi Vaggie patty variety is endless and none of them taste like meat! The ingredients can be black beans, garbanzo beans, mushrooms, rice, quinoa, grains, onions, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, hot or mild peppers, and many wonderful spices. There is even a pizza patty!
1
Plant based beef alternatives are a not the solution to the Climate crisis. The whole movement to eliminate cows etc because of the Methane they emit is totally ridiculous. I believe this movement was promoted by the Beef alternative groups.
There are so many Vegetarian and Vegan diet options that have been around for years and that are more nutritious and healthy.
Just another fad for the Millenniums and for the Hypsters to cash in.
4
It's important to note that the "Center For Consumer Freedom" is a public relations firm, much like "Americans For Progress". Its sole responsibility is to it's paying clients. Nothing has to be proven. Just put out bogus science into the ether. I could just as easily create a group called "Humans For Grounded Reality" and claim gravity doesn't exist. So of course they're not going to call back the Times for comment. It's a sham.
12
Until Beyond begins to offer their product without the obscene amount of plastic and Styrofoam packaging they currently use, I'll pass.
8
Milleninnals don’t cook, so unless this franken-burger’s delivered to their door along with everything else now, it’s unlikely to be a hit.
5
How noble of the meat industry to look out for the health of consumers. I'd rather eat "ultra-processed imitations" than the rotting carcasses of cows, pigs, and lambs.
17
They warn about overly processes meat but make cold cuts and hot dogs
11
Even my burly 6ft father-in-law is making the switch. He made us quarter pounders using Beyond Meat’s ground ‘beef’ last night. The whole family gobbled them up. Tastes great, no animals suffered and died for it (i surely wouldn’t eat my dog, so find it abhorrent to eat a cow or chicken), plus it is so crucial to move away from meat and dairy for the sake of the environment. Talk about a win-win!
17
Advice to the cattle meat industry:
Don’t go poking around under Impossible’s and Beyond’s hoods lest you invite the same scrutiny on yourself.
The hypocrisy of this industry, with its overuse of antibiotics, hormones and processed animal feed, is astounding. What’s a bit of pea proteins and soy heme compared to antibiotic resistant germs, prions and synthetic hormones?
Never mind the difference between growing and harvesting plants vs growing and slaughtering animals. The sheer suffering and carbon footprint, as well as local ecological degradation, is astounding.
Ok - the plant-based meat is a little salty. And I actually do agree as I don’t like a lot of salt in my food. But that just means releasing a low-sodium version for those of us who prefer to season to our own tastes. Problem solved.
If this isn’t a case of “those in in glass houses not throwing stones”, I don’t know what is. The cattle industry’s house is a mess and it’s going to take a lot more than just removing a bit of salt to get it in order.
PS - both Impossible and Beyond burgers are delicious. Having sworn off burgers and beef after a really nasty bout of food poisoning (thanks to an expensive waygu burger!), I highly recommend them. It’s the first time I’ve had a burger in years and not only do they taste better than I remember, it’s awesome knowing that they’re cholesterol and cruelty free, high in fiber and lower in fat, AND better for the planet! What more do you need?
27
What happened to old fashioned vegetables as the alternative to meat??
8
Plants are generally healthier food than meat, but I’ll take a ribeye over engineered-food any day.
Fake meat is the new vaping.
#meatvaping
14
eat real food. not too much. mostly plants.
8
I'm allergic to some edibles, which makes choosing even generic prescribed medication, which can have anything as a filler, problematic.
With meat you know what you’re eating, but with vegemeat?
6
As you very cogently state, the additives such as significantly higher sodium levels in many of these products negate many of the health benefits these plant-based products are supposed to impart.
I have tried a number of frozen vegetable patty brands and found them wanting in both taste and texture; the texture is nearly unpalatable.
There are any number of soy/tofu meat substitute products available but they’re all highly processed and infused with additives.
It’s the toxic additives and over-processing that’s the problem here.
Frankly, I think eating “clean” is the best advice.
If you want red meat, then buy something lean and fresh.
If you want to eat tofu, just buy real tofu, it’s far tastier and healthier for you, and there is a plethora of wonderful recipes you can get online or concoct yourself.
I generally hate to endorse specific brands but I personally love Trader Joe’s selection of tofu, you have a choice of soft, regular and extra firm, all of which are of a very high quality and very fresh tasting.
Nowadays you no longer have to rely on a locally prepared tofu from your neighborhood Chinatown, although I do have fond memories of those delectables, and if you do have access to such venues you really should seek them out.
2
Stop calling plant based concoctions "meat". They are science experiments and consumers are the guinea pigs. Any package of fake "meat" needs to have every single ingredient listed on the label. It isn't real food.
6
@DD I don't see the antibiotics and hormones listed on the beef labels.
5
@Andy G. -
Funny, I didn't see insecticides or herbicides or fungicides or synthetic fertilizers listed on those veggieburger or kale labels.
1
ALL burgers are "plant based" meat! What do you think the animals eat?
That said, I'd never eat a ground up animal corpse.
3
I'm not listening to the meat producers for obvious reasons, but I also don't have any reason to believe the fake meats are "healthy," whatever that means. I've tried the Beyond Burger and a few others and I liked them. But they are such an odd creation, filled with sodium, refined coconut oil, and condensed pea protein, that it's very difficult to see a health benefit. If I'm trying to lower my blood pressure or triglycerides and I've decided that eating less meat is the way to do it, the formulation of these "burgers" seems to have the same concerns as meat. I think it's good if people want to try these as a way to break the meat habit, but why not eat real and more nourishing non-meat food that was not created by a team of scientists?
12
Perhaps someone's already said it, but what about just eating more straight up vegetables? Maybe expanding people's palates with whole foods that already exist might be a better way to go for farmers, the environment and our health.
9
In July, 2018 the FDA issued an alert about the cardiac problems ( i believe it was dilated canine cardiomyopathy)in dogs fed grain-free foods. The main ingredient in many of the brands were peas, lentils and other legumes and potatoes.
I'm not aware that a definitive cause has been established to date, but it does seem to suggest some need for caution before consuming a lot of a new type of processed food.
As someone once noted "sometimes Nature does our experiments for us"
6
It's really a shame how confusing and misleading most nutritional information is these days. So many conflicting studies with seemingly both sides funded by their respective lobbying powers at be. As Tim and Eric best said, maybe all the food is poison? All I can do is continue focusing on eating low acid whole foods, which leads me to conclude that grass fed organic beef will always be more healthful that a conglomeration of protein isolates and more.
3
I do hope this effort succeeds but my first and singular experience with Beyond was a disappointment. I threw the burger away and the rest of the package. I will surely make continued efforts over time and time, I think, is the missing ingredient. I also found it unreasonably pricy.
There are many good reasons to continue this effort but that it's humane tops them all. We have little time to change so many things.
3
You should consume plant-based meats at about the same frequency you should consume cheeseburgers: rarely, as an occasional treat. While I love me a nicely seared Beyond Burger, I'm under no delusion that these processed patties are healthier. They're simply more humane.
60
@Graceann Agreed. More humane but also more environmentally friendly.
9
I like a good steak twice or three times a year.
In fact, I'm due for one now. Embers, in Bay Ridge, is a good place to go.
6
I am all for finding a solution to significantly decrease our reliance on factory farms. I do not believe that eating meat is wrong, but I would far prefer that the animals we do consume are raised and slaughtered humanely, with significant attention paid to their well-being at every step of the process.
I am not sure, however, that plant-based burgers are a solution. I have experimented a lot with sources of protein other than meat, and have unfortunately found consistently that the protein is simply not utilized by my system in the same way. I need a high-protein diet to keep my dopamine levels up, and I when abstaining from animal protein (especially meat) I notice that I soon start feeling less alert and focused, as well as suffering from increased tiredness.
Perhaps the meat grown in a lab from actual animal tissue will be a better alternative. We shall see. In the meantime all I can do is do my best to purchase meat from humane sources.
6
@Kristin
What makes you think fake meat won't come from factory farms? (Are labs any different?) This will turn into a very big business with factory farms, an army of K Street lobbyists, PACs, promotional associations, and a glossy magazine.
2
Humane slaughter is a contradiction in terms and an absurdity. What’s next? Gentle assault? Kind violence? Compassionate torture?
Animals have a will or instinct to live and avoid suffering, and there is no humane way to kill an animal who does not want to die. “Humane slaughter” is a made-up term that hides the reality behind a factice facade of respectability, so that people can continue to feel good about themselves
4
@Marie C. Thank you for your comment. Slaughter of an innocent animal/sentient being can never be humane.
6
"That is the message behind a marketing campaign by the Center for Consumer Freedom,"
How very Orwellian. The LAST thing that this organization is advocating for is consumer freedom.
32
Takes a lot of nerve for the meat industry to be lecturing about what's in your food. Leaving aside how slaughter animals are treated, they are pumped full of pharmaceuticals and than bathed in a host of chemicals that no one would ever want to touch their food, if they knew.
I would agree with the concluding sentiment in the article. To me it's an alternative to eating animals. Even if there would be 0 health benefit, that alone is a big difference. I had not planned on curbing my meat intake substantially, but this sorry campaign has me thinking I should rethink that.
50
@Andreas After reading your first paragraph, I would have thought that you did not need any further incentive to cut back on eating meat. Sounds like Upton Sinclair in "The Jungle."
2
It is true that these products are processed foods, though I think the term "ultra" is over the top.
Take Beyond products for example. These are largely based on protien from peas. Imagine if you tried to make a burger or a sausage out of simply mashing up peas.
See.. here is the problem.. we have now been conditioned to believe any "processed food" is evil. When in reality, it is much more about the ingredients and the processing methods that determine the "nutritional evil" of any food.
Meat on the other hand.. largely adulterated by additives of all kinds to the feed designed to maximize the pounds of beef in the shortest total time possible. In other words the large bulk of beef in the US is highly adulterated before slaughter.. and then said meat hangs on hooks for weeks to "age" (translation... to let bacteria decompose the meat to make it easier to consume.. which I would say is also a form of food processing).
12
@Chuck These products are the epitome of ultraprocessing which I define in practical terms--can you theoretically make this item in a kitchen or home environment without a laboratory or factory. You can raise and process real meat (including aging it) but you certainly couldn't and Impossible meat. Ultraprocessing strips foods of their whole nutrients. Full stop.
2
@Mrs B
processing, ultra or not.. does NOT necessarily strip a food of it's nutrients. It very much depends on the actual processing steps.
Take Beyond products for example.. while processed, the nutrient content of the ingredients remains largely intact and not degraded due to chemical or thermal processing (which is common in traditional big corporate food processing). Beyond does not really denature their ingredients, but they do formulate them in a manner that creates a very flavorful product that is no more, or less nutritious then beef.
That said.. I would not say that Beyond products are healtier then beef, but certainly represent a much smaller footprint on the enviornment and use sustainable ingredients.
I encourage you to actuall research each such product before putting the gavel of judgement to them.
2
That's rich. The meat-industrial complex is attempting to confuse and scare consumers by asking "What's hiding in your plant-based meat?" when for years consumers have been asking "What's hiding in your meat-based meat?"
Has anyone heard a clear answer to that question? I haven't.
38
We can argue all we want about individual health benefits, but substituting even a highly processed product for meat is undeniably better for the earth and for the animal that didn't get slaughtered.
39
Beyond sausages are really tasty. But they are also very expensive. At $10 a packet of four, that's at least 3 times as expensive as a meat sausage. My diet is 90% vegetarian and I can cook scrumptious veggie meals at a fraction of the price of these sausages and burgers. Meat-imitation products are a fad which will die down eventually.
14
@Indisk Beyond's products are priced about the same per pound as ground beef and sausage from small producers who claim to treat their animals humanely, which is what I buy when I buy meat.
4
Maybe it is a fad, but you need to take into consideration a lot of governments all over the world incentive animal products, and that demand for these vegan products is still low compared to meat.
No offense, but the unhealthy part of meat eating is consuming the carcasses of dead cows, pigs and sheep. The modern meat industry bears no resemblance to the romanticized vision of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Most of the animals raised for human consumption are pumped full of antibiotics, fed unnatural diets and forced to live in squalid conditions. Let's not even talk about how they are shipped inhumanely and slaughtered in the literal billions. Medical science has documented for decades that eating red meat adversely affects heart health, cholesterol levels, digestion and elimination, etc. Meanwhile, we gorge on meat as if eating gargantuan portions that in the past would feed an entire family is somehow a reward, or part of a "foodie" lifestyle. While plant substitutes are still in the early stages and far from perfect, it is a step in the right direction, for the environment, heart health, and the humane treatment of animals.
146
Interestingly while the beef industry is warning us about possible dangers of veggie burgers, it has long promoted food disparagement laws. The laws are meant to intimidate people from publicly raising questions about the safety of food products, particularly meat. While the laws are usually limited to knowingly false statements, the threat of lawsuits is often enough to keep critics quiet. Though one time they made the mistake of suing Oprah Winfrey, who of course has the wherewithal to defend her speech rights (see Texas Beef Group v. Winfrey).
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I'm doubtful replacing meat burgers with plant burgers really makes much difference to the environment, much as I would like to believe it does. Hamburger is usually made from cow parts that are not sold as special cuts like steak or tenderloin, so even if everyone stopped eating burgers the cows would still be raised for those cuts.
The real game changer would be to offer a plant based steak.
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@MSB I would be afraid to even try a "fake" steak. Just as I avoid over processed food, I would avoid any over processed meat substitute.
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@MSB That's coming in the near future.
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Classic case of throwing baby with the bath water. If the concern is processed plant food, then eat unprocessed plant food. There are plenty of delicious recipes made from un/minimally processed plant food. It’s not an excuse to go back to eating dead animals with adverse consequences to our health, planet’s and the animal’s!
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@GV
It's not even throwing the baby out with the bathwater. It's false equivalence and deception from an industry that, at long last, feels threatened by a humane competitor.
The argument that plant-based meat is high in sodium and therefore is unhealthy compared with beef is wrong because it completely fails to take account of human nature. Let's get real. It is true that sodium is used in making the plant-based meat, and there is little or no sodium in ground beef as purchased. But when the rubber meets the road, i.e. when the final product is ready to be eaten, the eater wants the degree of saltiness that he wants irrespective of which one he is eating. If the beef starts with less, then more will be added during cooking and/or at the table so the final product as consumed is going to have about the same amount of sodium either way. For those who really do want less sodium, you may rest assured that low-sodium plant-based meats will appear on the market soon. In other words, no actual difference in healthiness as related to sodium.
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The authors got to the right conclusion even if the conclusion took an awful long time to get there.
Some people just don't like eating meat. I do occasionally crave a burger. I honestly never crave a beef burger though. I don't like eating meat. It's not a social or economic commentary. I simply don't like the taste of red meat. I don't want a realistic imitation of a beef burger. If I eat a burger at all, I'll choose turkey or veggie first. A red meat burger sounds gross to me. I am definitely not the target consumer.
Cattle ranchers can plead all they want. I'm not coming back. Can you grow avocados instead of cows? Then we'll talk.
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The unhealthy part of a burger isn't the patty, it's the fries and the bun and the soda that go with it for most people. It seems like talking about the health of the meat patty vs a non-meat patty is really missing the point here.
Customers buying plant-based burgers because they think they're healthy probably are making bad, uninformed choices. But the bad, uninformed choice they're making is thinking that any sort of burger is a healthy choice, not that the plant-based one is likely to be more or less healthy than the meat-based one.
The better reason to buy the plant-based alternatives is that they're better for the environment. Though again, "better" doesn't mean "good," it just means "less bad."
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Grains are a mixed bag. I compare a bag of flour to a bag of cement. Moderation is real important with grains. Fruits and veggies are the opposite - super. Nice to see all the improvements in burgers and all the other foods.
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What grains?? Not much if any in plant based burgers.
I'm not convinced about these ultra processed products, which feel to me like the plant based equivalent of hot dogs (tasty, but maybe not good for you).
On the other hand, I'm also not going to take meat producers' qualms too seriously.
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For me, a lazy chef and meat swing voter, this "imitation" meat allows me an easy alternative to the low quality-fattened in a CAFO with soy from the Amazon meat, but I'll save up for a steak or burger that's high-quality and responsibly sourced. I'm not under any illusions that the imitation meat is better for my health though.
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I'd like to see a comparison of the carbon footprint of fully-processed stage of these products versus fully-processed beef. There is a lot of energy involved in the processing of an Impossible Burger, so how does it compare to a beef burger?
As a 25-year vegetarian and more recently mostly vegan, I can suggest that if you want to get into plant-based meat substitutes, burgers are not the place to start. Try bought or homemade vegan ground "meat", used in recipes such as chili, stir fry, taco "meat. These dishes have so much additional flavor, you won't miss the taste of meat. Getting tofu to CHEW like meat is a lot easier (and easier on the planet) than trying to make it TASTE like meat. Once you've got that down, then see whether you actually miss having a burger enough to chow down on an experiment.
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@Contrary Mary "Mostly vegan"? So ... vegetarian.
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@Contrary Mary
75% reduction in carbon footprint
a bit of salt in our ridiculously oversalted food world is nothing (200 mg, ramen noodle meals can have 2,200 mg).
This is a starter food, or for when a vegetarian has to eat at a fast food restaurant (road trip, group of friends, late night out, etc) instead of eating just fries or a bad salad.
Field roast is better, so is TJs faux-turkey, so are really well prepared black bean burgers. I think a lot of people have had bad experiences with vegetable based meats and are not even trying the typical alternatives anymore.
Getting tofu to chew light meat might not be possible, seitan maybe, really good vegan restaurants can faux anything, but typical bad frozen patty again is just off putting.
Oddly decades ago McDonalds or BurgerKing had a vegan burger .. never sold well.
What I also don’t know is a side by side comparison of other things in both product beef and plant based products. GMOs, hormones, roundup. I’ll await making a decision until I see those aspects studied by an independent scientist ( if there is such a thing in this area of research).
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An old gem: "truth in opposites." When an organization (or person) self-brands as "... for ....freedom", chances are pretty good that they represent it's greatest threat.
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This report seems striking similar to ones produced by many industry groups as they defend their products. Paid "scientists" are used to create plausible uncertainty, fear, and doubt about the claims of other scientists. These tactics have been used by sugar, dairy, cigarette, and even the fossil fuels industry, to name just a few.
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