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The Impossible Whopper: Your thoughts on plant-based burgers?

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Replies

  • brittanystebbins95
    brittanystebbins95 Posts: 567 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    We have a burger shop up the road from my place where ALL their burgers are plant-based. I haven't tried it yet, but some friends have and said they are great.

    I have had the odd veggie burger here and there and enjoyed it, but I think, especially now that I am more conscious of protein intake, that meat is just easier for me to get my protein in.

    A veggie burger or meat-alternative burger I'm assuming would have less protein. I have no idea - just guessing!!!


    I would't eat it from Burger King though. Every single time I've had Burger King I have vomited. And I did try more than once to make sure it wasn't just a coincidence and I was feeling sick from something else. No. It was the burger. McDonald's is fine tho. No vomiting there.

    You would think but the new wave of plant based burgers actually has comparable or sometimes more protein then a beef patty. They also have more fat then you would expect. I've been eating the Field Burger which has a pretty good meaty taste although doesn't have the feel and texture of a beef burger. A 3.25 oz patty is 290 calories with 16g of fat and 25g of protein. Most of the new plant type burgers have 20g or more of protein per burger.

    I personally prefer turkey. Butterball patties in the freezer section are 240 calories and 31g of protein. And they're amazing. Better than beef.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,496 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    We have a burger shop up the road from my place where ALL their burgers are plant-based. I haven't tried it yet, but some friends have and said they are great.

    I have had the odd veggie burger here and there and enjoyed it, but I think, especially now that I am more conscious of protein intake, that meat is just easier for me to get my protein in.

    A veggie burger or meat-alternative burger I'm assuming would have less protein. I have no idea - just guessing!!!


    I would't eat it from Burger King though. Every single time I've had Burger King I have vomited. And I did try more than once to make sure it wasn't just a coincidence and I was feeling sick from something else. No. It was the burger. McDonald's is fine tho. No vomiting there.

    You would think but the new wave of plant based burgers actually has comparable or sometimes more protein then a beef patty. They also have more fat then you would expect. I've been eating the Field Burger which has a pretty good meaty taste although doesn't have the feel and texture of a beef burger. A 3.25 oz patty is 290 calories with 16g of fat and 25g of protein. Most of the new plant type burgers have 20g or more of protein per burger.

    I personally prefer turkey. Butterball patties in the freezer section are 240 calories and 31g of protein. And they're amazing. Better than beef.

    They are good.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    LEAVE MY MEAT ALONE!😤
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    We have a burger shop up the road from my place where ALL their burgers are plant-based. I haven't tried it yet, but some friends have and said they are great.

    I have had the odd veggie burger here and there and enjoyed it, but I think, especially now that I am more conscious of protein intake, that meat is just easier for me to get my protein in.

    A veggie burger or meat-alternative burger I'm assuming would have less protein. I have no idea - just guessing!!!


    I would't eat it from Burger King though. Every single time I've had Burger King I have vomited. And I did try more than once to make sure it wasn't just a coincidence and I was feeling sick from something else. No. It was the burger. McDonald's is fine tho. No vomiting there.

    You would think but the new wave of plant based burgers actually has comparable or sometimes more protein then a beef patty. They also have more fat then you would expect. I've been eating the Field Burger which has a pretty good meaty taste although doesn't have the feel and texture of a beef burger. A 3.25 oz patty is 290 calories with 16g of fat and 25g of protein. Most of the new plant type burgers have 20g or more of protein per burger.

    I personally prefer turkey. Butterball patties in the freezer section are 240 calories and 31g of protein. And they're amazing. Better than beef.

    I have those too. Had one yesterday. I like them but they don't compare to beef for me.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    I'm finding it fascinating to read the articles that are coming thick and fast now that the Impossible Burger is becoming firmly integrated into mainstream food choices, particularly fast food. I rarely have to guess what food philosophy the writer is championing, just skimming down to the conclusion gives me an interesting perspective on how a set of facts (nutritional content, environmental impact) can be interpreted in so many different ways. For example:

    One that showed up this morning (WFPB perspective) started off with a straight-forward analysis of the nutritional content (similar to beef) and environmental impact (less than beef and comparable to other meat-replacement products). The bulk of the article compared the burger unfavorably to WFPB foods (which is not a market the Impossible Burger is competing for) in terms of nutrition (hammering on an unsupported link between heme (iron) and diabetes, heart disease and cancer) and environmental impact (more impact than unprocessed foods).

    An article a couple of days ago compared the Impossible Burger to beef, using 93% lean beef as the standard rather than the 80% that the Impossible Burger uses for their nutritional comparisons. As expected, the Impossible Burger came out a poor second to the beef, particularly since the article specifically used fat and protein ratios to compare quality. Inexplicably, the article also commented negatively on the fact that the Impossible Burger isn't made entirely of vegetables, and that if you add mayo and fries it becomes a calorie bomb (because apparently nobody does that with beef burgers).

    For me, it's not appealing since I like beef, and when I eat a non-meat burger I'm not looking for a substitute but something that has it's own flavor and texture. I'm interested to see, once the novelty wears off, where the Impossible Burger finds it's marketing niche.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Impossible Burger 2.0 is good. I wouldn't have known it wasn't meat if I had been served one and wasn't told. Was too expensive though.

    The veg burger at Carl's is disgusting. I threw it away. Impossible 1.0?

    I hope BK goes national with it. Can't wait to try an Impossible Whopper.

    I see on their instagram they are rolling out vegan meat in taco bells. Also chicken nuggets, sausage based breakfast items, etc. in a ton of fast food and chain restaurants. I am interested to try!

    This seems like it could be a start toward my nightmare: That all of the restaurants will get rid of all vegan/vegetarian options that are tasty (but don't taste like meat), in favor of ones that "taste just like meat".

    I get that this would make a lot of vegans/vegetarians happy, and it's alleged to be good for the planet, which is all very nice, and probably makes it a good thing in the big picture.

    In my small picture, as someone who became vegetarian in part because I don't much like meat, it might kind of s**k. I also wonder about the fun that disgruntled, underpaid kitchen staff will have feeding actual meat to vegans because the product is nearly indistinguishable. In my case, that wouldn't cause me moral anxiety, but it could possibly give me some serious digestive distress.

    (When I've accidentally eaten something with meat broth, that's sometimes come to my attention because, after nearly 45 years of vegetarianism, my body (or my microbiome?) doesn't seem to handle it all that well. Not true for all veg*ans, but sometimes happens for me. I don't think it's suggestability, because the digestive distress has usually triggered (thus preceded) investigation and discovery, rather than happening after I discover I ate something subtle but meaty. It's pretty hard to tell by flavor if - for example - otherwise strongly flavored soups, sauces, casseroles and the like contain substantial chicken broth.)

    I absolutely agree with this.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    I'm finding it fascinating to read the articles that are coming thick and fast now that the Impossible Burger is becoming firmly integrated into mainstream food choices, particularly fast food. I rarely have to guess what food philosophy the writer is championing, just skimming down to the conclusion gives me an interesting perspective on how a set of facts (nutritional content, environmental impact) can be interpreted in so many different ways. For example:

    One that showed up this morning (WFPB perspective) started off with a straight-forward analysis of the nutritional content (similar to beef) and environmental impact (less than beef and comparable to other meat-replacement products). The bulk of the article compared the burger unfavorably to WFPB foods (which is not a market the Impossible Burger is competing for) in terms of nutrition (hammering on an unsupported link between heme (iron) and diabetes, heart disease and cancer) and environmental impact (more impact than unprocessed foods).

    An article a couple of days ago compared the Impossible Burger to beef, using 93% lean beef as the standard rather than the 80% that the Impossible Burger uses for their nutritional comparisons. As expected, the Impossible Burger came out a poor second to the beef, particularly since the article specifically used fat and protein ratios to compare quality. Inexplicably, the article also commented negatively on the fact that the Impossible Burger isn't made entirely of vegetables, and that if you add mayo and fries it becomes a calorie bomb (because apparently nobody does that with beef burgers).

    For me, it's not appealing since I like beef, and when I eat a non-meat burger I'm not looking for a substitute but something that has it's own flavor and texture. I'm interested to see, once the novelty wears off, where the Impossible Burger finds it's marketing niche.

    The main market for plant based alternatives besides vegetarians and vegans (although some may be put off by how similar they are to meat), is a fairly sizable and growing number of meat eaters who enjoy the taste of meat and are not ready to give it up completely, but want to be more conscious of their environmental footprint. I'd be a good example of one of those consumers. The Impossible burger has an 89% lower carbon footprint, uses 87% less water, and 96% less land in its production than a beef hamburger does. So that's the market. A certain amount of the appeal is the novelty, but I also think the markets will continue to grow once more skeptics try the alternatives and believe it can be realistic alternative to meat.

    The stock market certainly seems to think the segment will continue to grow. It's competitor Beyond Meat tripled its IPO public offering price in the last week.
  • fuzzylop_
    fuzzylop_ Posts: 100 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    This seems like it could be a start toward my nightmare: That all of the restaurants will get rid of all vegan/vegetarian options that are tasty (but don't taste like meat), in favor of ones that "taste just like meat".

    I get that this would make a lot of vegans/vegetarians happy, and it's alleged to be good for the planet, which is all very nice, and probably makes it a good thing in the big picture.

    In my small picture, as someone who became vegetarian in part because I don't much like meat, it might kind of s**k. I also wonder about the fun that disgruntled, underpaid kitchen staff will have feeding actual meat to vegans because the product is nearly indistinguishable. In my case, that wouldn't cause me moral anxiety, but it could possibly give me some serious digestive distress.

    I suspect (or at least hope) that while impossible may displace other veggie burgers/faux meat products in fast food establishments, that it won't replace accidentally vegan/vegetarian choices (eg: things that just happen to not have meat, like a poke bowl with tofu or something like a taco bell item with beans, rice, veggies, and guac but no meat (or meat replacement).
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    I'm finding it fascinating to read the articles that are coming thick and fast now that the Impossible Burger is becoming firmly integrated into mainstream food choices, particularly fast food. I rarely have to guess what food philosophy the writer is championing, just skimming down to the conclusion gives me an interesting perspective on how a set of facts (nutritional content, environmental impact) can be interpreted in so many different ways. For example:

    One that showed up this morning (WFPB perspective) started off with a straight-forward analysis of the nutritional content (similar to beef) and environmental impact (less than beef and comparable to other meat-replacement products). The bulk of the article compared the burger unfavorably to WFPB foods (which is not a market the Impossible Burger is competing for) in terms of nutrition (hammering on an unsupported link between heme (iron) and diabetes, heart disease and cancer) and environmental impact (more impact than unprocessed foods).

    An article a couple of days ago compared the Impossible Burger to beef, using 93% lean beef as the standard rather than the 80% that the Impossible Burger uses for their nutritional comparisons. As expected, the Impossible Burger came out a poor second to the beef, particularly since the article specifically used fat and protein ratios to compare quality. Inexplicably, the article also commented negatively on the fact that the Impossible Burger isn't made entirely of vegetables, and that if you add mayo and fries it becomes a calorie bomb (because apparently nobody does that with beef burgers).

    For me, it's not appealing since I like beef, and when I eat a non-meat burger I'm not looking for a substitute but something that has it's own flavor and texture. I'm interested to see, once the novelty wears off, where the Impossible Burger finds it's marketing niche.

    The main market for plant based alternatives besides vegetarians and vegans (although some may be put off by how similar they are to meat), is a fairly sizable and growing number of meat eaters who enjoy the taste of meat and are not ready to give it up completely, but want to be more conscious of their environmental footprint. I'd be a good example of one of those consumers. The Impossible burger has an 89% lower carbon footprint, uses 87% less water, and 96% less land in its production than a beef hamburger does. So that's the market. A certain amount of the appeal is the novelty, but I also think the markets will continue to grow once more skeptics try the alternatives and believe it can be realistic alternative to meat.

    The stock market certainly seems to think the segment will continue to grow. It's competitor Beyond Meat tripled its IPO public offering price in the last week.

    I agree that's a market they're strongly advertising to. I also think they'll tap into a segment of the population that doesn't eat beef for whatever reason but misses the taste, and doesn't find any of the beef-substitute products available a good replacement, so doesn't buy them. In other words, creating a new market niche of people who currently don't spend money either on beef or beef substitutes.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Impossible Burger 2.0 is good. I wouldn't have known it wasn't meat if I had been served one and wasn't told. Was too expensive though.

    The veg burger at Carl's is disgusting. I threw it away. Impossible 1.0?

    I hope BK goes national with it. Can't wait to try an Impossible Whopper.

    I see on their instagram they are rolling out vegan meat in taco bells. Also chicken nuggets, sausage based breakfast items, etc. in a ton of fast food and chain restaurants. I am interested to try!

    This seems like it could be a start toward my nightmare: That all of the restaurants will get rid of all vegan/vegetarian options that are tasty (but don't taste like meat), in favor of ones that "taste just like meat".

    I get that this would make a lot of vegans/vegetarians happy, and it's alleged to be good for the planet, which is all very nice, and probably makes it a good thing in the big picture.

    In my small picture, as someone who became vegetarian in part because I don't much like meat, it might kind of s**k. I also wonder about the fun that disgruntled, underpaid kitchen staff will have feeding actual meat to vegans because the product is nearly indistinguishable. In my case, that wouldn't cause me moral anxiety, but it could possibly give me some serious digestive distress.

    (When I've accidentally eaten something with meat broth, that's sometimes come to my attention because, after nearly 45 years of vegetarianism, my body (or my microbiome?) doesn't seem to handle it all that well. Not true for all veg*ans, but sometimes happens for me. I don't think it's suggestability, because the digestive distress has usually triggered (thus preceded) investigation and discovery, rather than happening after I discover I ate something subtle but meaty. It's pretty hard to tell by flavor if - for example - otherwise strongly flavored soups, sauces, casseroles and the like contain substantial chicken broth.)

    I could be wrong, but I don't see this as much of a risk.

    I don't think BK would get rid of their non meat options (none of which are burgers, unless I am too out of touch with the menu), as they serve different niches (fries, salads). Same with other fast food type places.

    For nicer places, the vegetarian options seem much more variety, and I can't imagine them thinking fake meat serves the same niche. At the least they'd have the other options too. I've been to some veg/vegan places that use seitan and tempeh in various dishes as if they were meat, but also have a huge range of other options for those who do not want that. As for non meat options at the average restaurant, they often have no kind of meat sub used in any of the veg options at all, IMO, so I wouldn't expect them to all have that.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    fuzzylop_ wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    LEAVE MY MEAT ALONE!😤

    Adding more non-meat options doesn't remove options for omnivores.

    I know... I just thinks it's sad that we have to make veggies into burgers for Americans to eat them... joking btw..
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »
    fuzzylop_ wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    LEAVE MY MEAT ALONE!😤

    Adding more non-meat options doesn't remove options for omnivores.

    I know... I just thinks it's sad that we have to make veggies into burgers for Americans to eat them... joking btw..

    I know you are joking, but It's not really vegetables... Mainly soy, coconut and sunflower oil, and some other "stuff" to add nutrition or beefiness or whatever.

    Water, Soy Protein Concentrate, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavors, 2% or less of: Potato Protein, Methylcellulose, Yeast Extract, Cultured Dextrose, Food Starch Modified, Soy Leghemoglobin, Salt, Soy Protein Isolate, Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Zinc Gluconate, Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Niacin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12.
    https://faq.impossiblefoods.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018937494-What-are-the-ingredients-
  • tbright1965
    tbright1965 Posts: 852 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »
    fuzzylop_ wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    LEAVE MY MEAT ALONE!😤

    Adding more non-meat options doesn't remove options for omnivores.

    I know... I just thinks it's sad that we have to make veggies into burgers for Americans to eat them... joking btw..

    Why assume Americans? I can take my Sikh Indian friend who doesn't eat meat to BK and he can have an Impossible Whopper and I'll have a traditional Whopper.

    We'll skip the fries and the mayo as those are the real killers :)
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    They're a $2 B company. Demand! :smile:
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    No - just no. I attempt to avoid overly processed foods & fast foods if at all possible. We raise our own beef & have it processed - there's no chemicals in it and it's healthy.

    All matter is made of chemicals.

    I sell chemical free food. It's crazy expensive because there's no devil gluten or demon GMOs or toxins or anything. Really it's just an empty box, because that's all you get without chemicals. But it's a $100 empty box with a lot of bullet points on the label.

    I guess to be honest the box is made of chemicals.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,099 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »
    fuzzylop_ wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    LEAVE MY MEAT ALONE!😤

    Adding more non-meat options doesn't remove options for omnivores.

    I know... I just thinks it's sad that we have to make veggies into burgers for Americans to eat them... joking btw..

    Why assume Americans? I can take my Sikh Indian friend who doesn't eat meat to BK and he can have an Impossible Whopper and I'll have a traditional Whopper.

    We'll skip the fries and the mayo as those are the real killers :)

    It was satire.... I guess I am going to have to build a safe space around me...
  • tbright1965
    tbright1965 Posts: 852 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »

    It was satire.... I guess I am going to have to build a safe space around me...

    Sorry, can't really tell if something is satire or genuine taking of offense these days.

    There really needs to be a satire/sarcasm font...
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »

    It was satire.... I guess I am going to have to build a safe space around me...

    Sorry, can't really tell if something is satire or genuine taking of offense these days.

    There really needs to be a satire/sarcasm font...

    ThErE iS oNe BuT iT's NoT eAsY oN tHe EyEs. (and a pain to write)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »

    It was satire.... I guess I am going to have to build a safe space around me...

    Sorry, can't really tell if something is satire or genuine taking of offense these days.

    There really needs to be a satire/sarcasm font...

    ThErE iS oNe BuT iT's NoT eAsY oN tHe EyEs. (and a pain to write)

    I woulda though Psych saying "joking btw" was at least as clear as a satire font, but I guess that's just me. ;)
  • tbright1965
    tbright1965 Posts: 852 Member
    Because apparently I fail at reading.

    Yes, it was totally my fail.

    DOH!
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »

    It was satire.... I guess I am going to have to build a safe space around me...

    Sorry, can't really tell if something is satire or genuine taking of offense these days.

    There really needs to be a satire/sarcasm font...

    ThErE iS oNe BuT iT's NoT eAsY oN tHe EyEs. (and a pain to write)

    I woulda though Psych saying "joking btw" was at least as clear as a satire font, but I guess that's just me. ;)

  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    I never go to Burger King for anything, ever. I like black bean burgers, mushroom burgers, don’t like soy burgers. But that could be because I love black beans and mushrooms, don’t like soy. I am definitely a meat eater, and veggie burgers will definitely never replace beef burgers for me. I just see them as an occasional alternative.
  • Ducks47
    Ducks47 Posts: 131 Member
    I would also be curious to see how processed it is/ what the ingredients are. I struggle to eat a lot of protein so that would be a concern for me, personally.

    I think the idea is very interesting. A and W has Beyond Meat burgers and Beyond Meat breakfast sausage sandwiches. I have only tried the burger. To be fair, I can't remember what A and W beef burgers taste like but this vegetarian one got the job done.

    Tim Hortons is testing out Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches.. I think its somewhat of a craze, which I support if it will improve environmental impacts...Particularly, in a healthful way. I, personally, would be willing to pay a dollar more for something I felt was a superior product whether that be environmentally or in taste. I don't see a downside to greater consumer choice.