(Everything You Have Ever Wanted To Know About Plant Based Burgers?)

 

Have you heard of or been wondering about what the Impossible or Beyond Burgers are? These plant-based burgers are becoming more and more popular and popping up in supermarkets and restaurants everywhere. As BBQ season is here and since our summer burger cravings need to be fulfilled, we've decided to run through the in's and out's of these new plant based meat alternatives. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons associated with making the switch to these alternatives instead of a " classic" meat burger. We will give you the facts, then leave it up to you to decide what to grill at your next BBQ.  

 

What's in the burgers?

Are these burgers healthy?

 

The biggest question we get about these burger alternatives is "are they healthy for me." Well, let's take a look! Per 4 ounce serving, the nutritional composition of the meat alternatives is comparable to a beef burger in most aspects including total calories, saturated fat, protein, and iron. What differs between these burgers is the fiber and salt content.

 

What's the deal with fiber in my burger?

 

The US Dietary Guidelines identify fiber as a nutrient of concern because most Americans do not consume the recommended 25-30 grams per day. As you see above, a beef burger (or any meat) does not contain fiber, while the Impossible and Beyond burgers have 3g and 2g respectively. If your diet is low in fiber, these plant-based alternatives may be a good addition to increase overall fiber intake. Of course, these burgers aren't the only way you're getting fiber in your diet as your pairing them with a delicious side of fruits and/or veggies right?!?!. In case you need a reminder, dietary fiber has numerous health benefits which may include the regulation of blood glucose, gastrointestinal health, and weight management.

 

What about saturated fat and salt?

 

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that no more than 13 grams of saturated fat and 2,300mg of sodium be consumed per day. If you thought eating these plant-based alternatives was a heart healthy switch from regular beef burgers, you might be surprised to see their high saturated fat content. For a quick comparison:

 

 

 

 

 

As you still might be wondering why the plant-based burgers are high in saturated fat, look at the ingredient list above and you'll see they both contain coconut oil (stay tuned as more on Coconut oil will be featured in next month's newsletter!).

 

What exactly is Soy Leghemoglobin (Found in the Impossible Burger)?

 

The Impossible Burger contains a compound you might not be familiar with called Soy leghemoglobin. Soy leghemoglobin is the hemoglobin found in soy beans. Leghemoglobin is a protein found in plants that carries heme, an iron-containing molecule. The heme in an Impossible Burger is identical to the heme in meat from animals. You might be wondering if this is safe to eat. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) analyzed the compound and marked it as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for consumption. This compound adds to the iron content of Impossible burgers allowing it to have levels comparable to a classic beef burger.

 

So what's our professional opinion on the health of these new meat alternatives?

 

To simplify All of the points we mentioned above, on the topic of health, we too were initially surprised to see that the plant-based burgers are comparable to 85% beef burgers in saturated fat. In regards to sodium, although the plant-based burgers seem high in salt, most people season beef (or turkey or bison) burgers with added salt, therefore making them equal in that category-if not higher depending on how heavy your hand is with the salt when you make your burgers. Also, the meat we compared nutritionally above, is from 85% lean 15% fat beef. We all have the ability to choose leaner percentages (such as 90-95% lean) when buying meat to make burgers. This will easily further decrease the saturated fat content of your meal and is something you can't do with the plant-based burgers. Lastly, as the iron content is comparable in all burgers, if you are a vegetarian/vegan athlete and iron is a nutrient of concern, these alternatives might be a good addition to boost iron in your diet (top your plant-based burger with sautéed spinach and tomato for a vitamin C, iron absorbing boost).

 

What about Environmental concerns?

 

Often, when talking about plant-based products, the topic of environmental impact follows. A study conducted by the University of Michigan compared the environmental impact of The Beyond Burger to a ¼ lb. U.S. beef burger. Not shocking to us, this study concluded that The Beyond Burger uses significantly less water, less land, generates fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGE), and requires less energy than a beef burger to produce. The Beyond Burger generates 90% less greenhouse gas emissions, requires 46% less energy, has greater than 99% less impact on water scarcity, and 93% less impact on land use than a ¼ pound of U.S. beef [1]. This doesn't come as a surprise to us, and maybe not to your either, as we know the benefits eating more plant based meals have on the environment. If being more environmentally friendly is of concern to you, than these plant based alternatives might be a good choice for you !

 

What about Moral/Ethical concerns?

 

If you are somebody who does not eat meat products due to moral or ethical reasons, these alternatives will obviously align with your preferences. Both plant-based patties are certified vegan and do not contain any animal products and/or ingredients.

 

Wrap-up!

 

In summary, when deciding if these plant-based alternatives fit your lifestyle and nutritional preferences, keep in mind the points highlighted in this newsletter. We leave it up to you to decide what fits best with your needs and preferences! Grill away!!    

"Blind" Taste Test

 

**Nutrition Energy intern, Carmine Ingenito, did a blind taste test comparing the two burgers on different aspects at a local Bareburger restaurant. The waitress who brought the burgers was asked to please not tell Carmine which burger was the Beyond and which was the Impossible brand. Both burgers came with the same toppings and no cheese (so as not to mask the flavor comparison we were looking for). See which one was the winner below!!  

 

Burger A

Red in color, similar to beef. It was chewy  in texture and slightly sweet.

 

Appearance: 3.5 (color red)

Taste: 3 (salty)

Texture: 3 (chewy)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Burger B

Thick and dark in color (similar to a more cooked burger). Texture was very similar to ground beef and crumbled well when bitten. Has an umami flavor but salty.

 

Appearance : 5 (darker in color)

Taste: 4.5 (umami, meat like)

Texture: 4 (crumbles well, like ground meat)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Winner:  Burger B: The Impossible Burger

 

Statement from waitress at Bareburger who happens to be vegan:

"People who are vegan are getting these burgers but we are also seeing more people who don't want to eat meat because of ethical reasons. In general, people tend to like the Impossible burger better."

 
*Impossible Burgers are not yet available in stores to purchase but are available in restaurants such as Bareburger

 

Note: Nutrition Energy has no affiliation with BareBurger.

---