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Thoughts on Beyond Burger and other fake meat

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  • So much stuff about beyond burger. I just think okay.. It's processed food. Of course, in a perfect world, we would grind up stuff for our own beyond burgers and make our own from scratch. However, now and then I think it's fair to say most of us eat processed food sometimes and as long as you don't make it a habit oh well..
  • lalalacroix
    lalalacroix Posts: 834 Member
    I personally don't love the taste of the mock meats. I used to eat them but after I lost my taste for meat I also lost my taste for fake meats.

    As a plant based eater I do limit my consumption of highly processed foods. I do eat a lot of minimally processed foods such as canned beans, frozen veggies, rice, tofu, etc.

    I don't think there is anything wrong with eating highly processed foods, depending on context. I may drink a coke when trail running because it is easy for me to consume and gives me very fast energy when I need it. I don't drink coke at home. I eat bread and cereal which have some added micronutrients that I need in my diet.

    Since I've been on this diet i have learned that highly processed foods are much easier for me to overeat than most other foods. I've lost a good bit of weight and have no intention of ever regaining. I limit chips, chocolate, dairy- free ice cream and other foods like this because I will overeat them. On the other hand I do not overeat broccoli, beans or other whole foods. Other people may have different experiences.


  • Stockholm_Andy
    Stockholm_Andy Posts: 803 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I'm really surprised by some of the price comparisons in this thread. However, I guess you get a lot more super cheap feed lot raised cheap end beef in the US.

    If you mean my comparison of WF ground beef vs. the Beyond Burger, it's not likely to be "super cheap" and was identified as pastured, although depending on how they use the labels could have been corn finished on a feedlot, which is common not only for low end beef.

    It's actually possible to get ground beef quite a bit cheaper than the WF priced ones I gave, but I thought comparing more like products likely to be purchased by similar buyers made more sense (which is why I also showed a couple of more expensive ground beef options too).

    Of course, ANY non fast food restaurant burger is going to cost quite a bit more than ground beef in the grocery store, which is the comparison you are giving. The prices you identify are consistent with what I could get a burger for at, say, a local pub.

    I've no idea what WF is or means. However, 3.99USD a pound is about half what it costs here for minced beef.

    The only place I know here that has the Beyond Burger only charges an extra 10 SEK compared to the double you'd quoted. I've never seen them sold in a shop here FWIW.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    edited February 2020
    jm_1234 wrote: »
    Because different folks, different strokes. For example with white rice vs brown rice - white is more processed than brown but the ingredient list just says rice. From what I've read no one argues white rice is more nutritious that brown rice.

    Brown rice says "whole grain brown rice" or the like when it has a label (whole grains in general specify). Even more significantly, we know the difference between white and brown rice, whole grains and more refined grains. That's knowing the ingredients. Focusing on the level of processing seems like a good way to avoid actually discussing or understanding the nutritional differences.

    (I prefer brown rice and would give it a slight edge due to a bit more fiber and protein, but the nutritional differences, especially when you look at what is accessible to the body, between brown and white rice are not that high.)
    Everyone has their own philosophy on food that is supported by the research they've read or chosen to believe. So we interact with the world based on that philosophy. If reading ingredients works for you, good, if it doesn't that's ok too.

    I'm not talking about personal philosophies of food, since I have my own preferred way of eating that is not something I try to preach to others or claim is the one healthiest way to eat. I very much prefer to focus on whole foods or minimally processed foods, but I don't pretend that's other than personal preference and taste or that I can only overeat more processed foods (in fact since I think less processed and home (or good restaurant) made foods are tastier I think they are easier to overeat. What I am instead talking about are claims like "it's processed so it must not be healthy." That's not a personal philosophy, that's a fact claim about how to interpret the nutritional qualities of foods, and I don't think it's a very good metric. (It's like assuming someone is too dumb to use good sense in navigating a grocery store so telling them that you must only buy food along the perimeter and not in the aisles, ignoring that a lot of stores have things like wine and beer and the bakery and cheeses and the lunchmeats along the perimeter, and frozen foods (including fruit and veg) and canned foods and nuts and oats and other whole grains and in some cases even fresh fruit and veg not on the perimeter. It's distracting from the real distinctions, and assuming people cannot make sensible judgments about what actually is nutritious and not, so must learn a simplistic distinction (processed=bad, more processing=more bad) that is simply not true.

    My problem with trying to substitute generalized and not well distinguished categories based on levels of processing is that people seem to ask if something is processed and use that to decide its nutritional qualities when there are better (and IMO more intelligent and informed) ways. Focusing on an analysis such as "this has these nutritional qualifies and ingredients so it does or does not count as ultraprocessed and I think ultraprocessed is bad" doesn't seem to add anything except another level of confusion. Let's (again) take the white bean patties I mentioned. Some would call them ultraprocessed, some highly processed, some perhaps minimally processed, some would say they are ultraprocessed but the exact same ingredients at home would = minimally processed or even not processed. So how does that help one decide if the white bean patty is a positive addition to their diet? I don't think it does. I think looking at the ingredients and nutritional profile, on the other hand, does, along with how they feel/react when they eat it, and how it tastes.
    My comment about grass fed related to canadjineh's comment

    Thanks for clarifying.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,846 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    eryn0x wrote: »
    Think of processed meat replacements like any other processed thing and/or fast food. If you enjoy it, have it as an occasional treat. Good for the earth but not great for your body. If you are doing it for your health.... limit (or cut out) processed.

    So yogurt, protein powder, kimchi, canned tomato sauce with a sheer lack of ingredients (tomatoes, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, and oregano), frozen peas (because lord knows peas are only in season for so long) are all "not great for your body"?

    This is one of many reasons why this whole "processed foods are bad for you" doesn't hold water because the definition of processed is very broad. The preserved lemons that are curing in my pantry are processed, and the only ingredients are meyer lemons, salt, and maybe a tbsp of water. They're not something I'd recommend to anyone who needs to watch their salt intake, but they are bad neither for me nor the environment, unless you're arguing that shipping meyer lemons from California to Oregon is bad for the environment (and shipping the salt for where ever it's processed to here which is likely a longer distance), which is a very different (but valid) discussion.

    The "bone broth" that so many people are raving about and buying in the stores is also processed, as is the homemade chicken stock and beef stock that is in my freezer despite my knowing all of the ingredients that I put into said stock.

    Good grief, I guess I need to be 100% perfectly clear with the words 'processed foods'. Ultra processed as opposed to mildly or very little process. I think we all know the difference. Pepperoni or hot dogs(unless they're 100% organic/natural/homemade, etc.) for example, unless you make your own and you know specifically what goes into it. Ultra sugared cereals that have all the good grains taken out only to have vitamins sprayed back in. Any of the Little Debbie type stuff(AFAIK) are all ultra processed. Canned fruit cocktail as opposed to a piece of fresh fruit, no matter what season we're in, will never IMO be as healthy as that plain piece of fresh fruit. Sure, it's fine to eat, but in moderation. Milk, bread, meat, oatmeal, rice, vegs/fruits, they've all been processed to a point. And as far as the canned fruit cocktail comparison it was just the 1st thing that came to my mind. :/ TO ME, eating an apple or a couple clementines is a healthier choice. I'm not saying give up processed foods but I believe the less processing a food goes through(IOW less flavors/colors/additives) the better for our bodies.

    You can pick apart just about any food and say it's been processed. To an extent. I kind of figured(or hoped!) you know what I meant. :/

    Everyone I know off-site means 'ultra processed foods' when they say 'processed foods' but here on MFP the more precise definition prevails so I always say 'ultra processed foods' and refer to the Brazilian definition: http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/dietary_guidelines_brazilian_population.pdf
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,846 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    Doesn't Beyond Burger cost 2X+ what decent ground beef costs?

    I just checked, and yes -- at WF you can get ground beef for $3.99/lb, and the Beyond Meat is $7.99/lb.

    But apparently there's also a market for $8.99/lb ground beef (grass-fed and organic) or $14.99 (Niman Ranch).

    Regarding whether being processed = ingredients you would not want, one of the options is the Engine2 Kale and White Beef Plant Burger (sold as a burger sub, in patties, not cheap).

    It's ingredients are: navy beans, brown rice, tomatoes, plus small amounts of salt, garlic, citric acid, onion, natural flavors, oats, kale, bell pepper, flaxseed, basil, black pepper.

    Clearly highly processed, but cals are 120 per patty, sodium 20 mg (less than a beef patty), no added sugar, no sat fat, 1 g of fat, 6 g of fiber. Main problem with this one is only 5 g of protein, so not really a good meat sub IMO, but I am not convinced that the processing makes it unhealthful.

    Stuff like BeyondBurger is supposed to taste more like a burger for someone who wants an occasional burger but doesn't want to eat beef (or wants to cut back on it).

    Now I'm wondering how many servings you can get for that $8 when you buy the dried navy beans, brown rice, and tomatoes separately!
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    edited February 2020
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    eryn0x wrote: »
    Think of processed meat replacements like any other processed thing and/or fast food. If you enjoy it, have it as an occasional treat. Good for the earth but not great for your body. If you are doing it for your health.... limit (or cut out) processed.

    So yogurt, protein powder, kimchi, canned tomato sauce with a sheer lack of ingredients (tomatoes, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, and oregano), frozen peas (because lord knows peas are only in season for so long) are all "not great for your body"?

    This is one of many reasons why this whole "processed foods are bad for you" doesn't hold water because the definition of processed is very broad. The preserved lemons that are curing in my pantry are processed, and the only ingredients are meyer lemons, salt, and maybe a tbsp of water. They're not something I'd recommend to anyone who needs to watch their salt intake, but they are bad neither for me nor the environment, unless you're arguing that shipping meyer lemons from California to Oregon is bad for the environment (and shipping the salt for where ever it's processed to here which is likely a longer distance), which is a very different (but valid) discussion.

    The "bone broth" that so many people are raving about and buying in the stores is also processed, as is the homemade chicken stock and beef stock that is in my freezer despite my knowing all of the ingredients that I put into said stock.

    Good grief, I guess I need to be 100% perfectly clear with the words 'processed foods'. Ultra processed as opposed to mildly or very little process. I think we all know the difference. Pepperoni or hot dogs(unless they're 100% organic/natural/homemade, etc.) for example, unless you make your own and you know specifically what goes into it. Ultra sugared cereals that have all the good grains taken out only to have vitamins sprayed back in. Any of the Little Debbie type stuff(AFAIK) are all ultra processed. Canned fruit cocktail as opposed to a piece of fresh fruit, no matter what season we're in, will never IMO be as healthy as that plain piece of fresh fruit. Sure, it's fine to eat, but in moderation. Milk, bread, meat, oatmeal, rice, vegs/fruits, they've all been processed to a point. And as far as the canned fruit cocktail comparison it was just the 1st thing that came to my mind. :/ TO ME, eating an apple or a couple clementines is a healthier choice. I'm not saying give up processed foods but I believe the less processing a food goes through(IOW less flavors/colors/additives) the better for our bodies.

    You can pick apart just about any food and say it's been processed. To an extent. I kind of figured(or hoped!) you know what I meant. :/

    Everyone I know off-site means 'ultra processed foods' when they say 'processed foods' but here on MFP the more precise definition prevails so I always say 'ultra processed foods' and refer to the Brazilian definition: http://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/dietary_guidelines_brazilian_population.pdf

    No one I know off-site is even aware of the Brazilian definition and I doubt they'd know what it means, and most certainly would understand that bread and pasta and cottage cheese and protein powder and olive oil and that white bean patty I mentioned are all processed foods.

    They would also likely think that highly processed and ultra processed mean the same thing (it's not clear that that's the case under the Brazilian definition), and consider protein powder and the white bean patties to be highly processed.

    Thus, I don't think claiming that everyone off MFP agrees on what "processed" means (and that it means "foods that are bad for you" as Reenie seemed to be saying we should understand) is accurate -- and it kind of sounds like you are calling us disingenuous* rather than legitimately confused and saying that the language being used tends to obscure rather than clarify.

    I still would really like to know if the argument about the highly processed Engine2 white bean patties is that they are really bad for us (because highly processed) or if they are being claimed to not be highly processed at all (in which case we are in Orwell land, but we already knew that, sigh).

    *I know you don't mean to say that, and I think you and I usually mostly agree. It just reads to me that you are saying that we must be pretending not to understand since everyone else understands perfectly and means the same thing (which is not my experience, offline I just ignore weird usages, like someone heating up an Amy's meal in the work microwave while explaining they've given up processed food).
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    Doesn't Beyond Burger cost 2X+ what decent ground beef costs?

    I just checked, and yes -- at WF you can get ground beef for $3.99/lb, and the Beyond Meat is $7.99/lb.

    But apparently there's also a market for $8.99/lb ground beef (grass-fed and organic) or $14.99 (Niman Ranch).

    Regarding whether being processed = ingredients you would not want, one of the options is the Engine2 Kale and White Beef Plant Burger (sold as a burger sub, in patties, not cheap).

    It's ingredients are: navy beans, brown rice, tomatoes, plus small amounts of salt, garlic, citric acid, onion, natural flavors, oats, kale, bell pepper, flaxseed, basil, black pepper.

    Clearly highly processed, but cals are 120 per patty, sodium 20 mg (less than a beef patty), no added sugar, no sat fat, 1 g of fat, 6 g of fiber. Main problem with this one is only 5 g of protein, so not really a good meat sub IMO, but I am not convinced that the processing makes it unhealthful.

    Stuff like BeyondBurger is supposed to taste more like a burger for someone who wants an occasional burger but doesn't want to eat beef (or wants to cut back on it).

    Now I'm wondering how many servings you can get for that $8 when you buy the dried navy beans, brown rice, and tomatoes separately!

    Oh, absolutely. Way cheaper that way, but it's generally purchased by the same demographic buying the Niman Ranch beef and pre chopped veg for enormous mark-ups, and single serving bottled non alcoholic beverages for $4+.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    edited February 2020
    I consider something highly processed if it is has a whole bunch of added ingredients like preservatives, artificial colors, etc. I understand that technically bread and pasta are also processed since we aren’t eating wheat in its raw form, but those grains usually don’t have a bunch of fake colors and things in them like a gummy bear or other candy does, for example. I also try to eat the whole grain version that is unbleached. I don’t really think of canned beans or chocolate as highly processed either although they are processed somewhat. I guess veggie burgers are processed but I don’t mind eating them since I’m plant based.

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,950 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I'm really surprised by some of the price comparisons in this thread. However, I guess you get a lot more super cheap feed lot raised cheap end beef in the US.

    If you mean my comparison of WF ground beef vs. the Beyond Burger, it's not likely to be "super cheap" and was identified as pastured, although depending on how they use the labels could have been corn finished on a feedlot, which is common not only for low end beef.

    It's actually possible to get ground beef quite a bit cheaper than the WF priced ones I gave, but I thought comparing more like products likely to be purchased by similar buyers made more sense (which is why I also showed a couple of more expensive ground beef options too).

    Of course, ANY non fast food restaurant burger is going to cost quite a bit more than ground beef in the grocery store, which is the comparison you are giving. The prices you identify are consistent with what I could get a burger for at, say, a local pub.

    I've no idea what WF is or means. However, 3.99USD a pound is about half what it costs here for minced beef.

    The only place I know here that has the Beyond Burger only charges an extra 10 SEK compared to the double you'd quoted. I've never seen them sold in a shop here FWIW.

    WF = Whole Foods, a high-end grocery store chain that features a lot of organic products, humane animal products, etc. It was bought by Amazon.com a few years back.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    edited February 2020
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I'm really surprised by some of the price comparisons in this thread. However, I guess you get a lot more super cheap feed lot raised cheap end beef in the US.

    If you mean my comparison of WF ground beef vs. the Beyond Burger, it's not likely to be "super cheap" and was identified as pastured, although depending on how they use the labels could have been corn finished on a feedlot, which is common not only for low end beef.

    It's actually possible to get ground beef quite a bit cheaper than the WF priced ones I gave, but I thought comparing more like products likely to be purchased by similar buyers made more sense (which is why I also showed a couple of more expensive ground beef options too).

    Of course, ANY non fast food restaurant burger is going to cost quite a bit more than ground beef in the grocery store, which is the comparison you are giving. The prices you identify are consistent with what I could get a burger for at, say, a local pub.

    I've no idea what WF is or means. However, 3.99USD a pound is about half what it costs here for minced beef.

    The only place I know here that has the Beyond Burger only charges an extra 10 SEK compared to the double you'd quoted. I've never seen them sold in a shop here FWIW.

    Lynn explained WF already. I'll just say that if you are comparing prices in restaurants, that's a different question. I think the prices in restaurants here are likely close too. [Edit: I did a quick check of this at a burger place (online, Epic Burger) that has meat and non meat burgers. There a single burger is $6.49, a double is $7.99, and a BeyondBurger is $7.99 (but it doesn't have single and double and only a single patty, it seems, so hard to directly compare the amount of meat. I'd guess it's more comparable to the single but the patty might be thicker).]

    Before my understanding was that Theoldguy was talking about in the store, and that's what I was comparing -- you can buy BeyondBeef (the "meat" in a BeyondBurger) and other similar products at the grocery store here.

    Yes, meat is pretty cheap in general in the US. I wanted to clarify that the prices I was showing were not based on going to the cheapest as you seemed to assume.
  • Mov3mor3
    Mov3mor3 Posts: 96 Member
    Too many carbs for me.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    YellowD0gs wrote: »
    YellowD0gs wrote: »
    As the plant-based meats run about 7x higher in Sodium content over ground beef...pretty much a will-not-touch-unless starving choice for me, and those on Sodium restricted diets should really give a long hard look.

    The majority of plant-based meats are designed to be eaten with little additional seasoning, so comparing them to ground beef in sodium content doesn't really make sense, as most people are adding seasoning to ground beef.

    It would be more accurate to compare these products to the average hamburger patty, which in many cases has sodium added to it, at least in restaurants.

    This post misses the point. People on a sodium restricted diet are limited to 1,500 mg/day Na (at least in the US). They're also likely on that diet because of a diagnosed medical issue (hypertension, heart disease, stroke, etc), so it's not really something they're doing by choice. Comparing raw material to raw material is exactly proper and accurate, as those on a sodium restricted diet are most likely NOT ADDING SALT during preparation. It defeats the point. Evaluating only the raw materials, one Beyond Burger 4 oz. patty has 390 mg sodium. That's 26% of the daily limit tied up in one single patty, and doesn't count the additional sodium contained in the ketchup, mustard, special sauce, bacon, cheese, and bun. All told, the Burger King reports the Impossible Burger at 1,240 mg sodium, or 83% of the daily limit. A direct comparison to 85/15 ground beef shows 81 mg sodium in a 4 ounce patty, or 5% daily limit. Burger King also reports 980 mg sodium (65%) for the regular Whopper, even with the assumed "salt added during preparation". The difference between the 2? 18% of the daily sodium limit, which is pretty obviously the result of choosing a high sodium content patty to start with. So, being on a low sodium diet, I'll generally avoid the Beyond Burger things unless absolutely necessary for one simple reason, sodium.

    You shouldn't be comparing the Impossible Whopper to plain ground beef. You should be comparing it to the regular Whopper. I'm guessing people on sodium restricted diets aren't eating a lot of those either, are they?

    As someone on a sodium restricted diet, I'm guessing you'd be avoiding fast food burgers generally unless they were absolutely necessary. As I pointed out, there are other options for faux meat and if there is a real market demand for reduced sodium products, I'd expect to see them on the market pretty soon.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    edited February 2020
    More on the Whopper vs Impossible Burger comparison, the sources I've seen show the sodium difference as 980 vs. 1080, with the Whopper with cheese over 1300.

    So the Impossible Whopper does have about 10% more sodium (or 100 mg).

    How much salt do you need for 100 mg of sodium? 0.25 g.

    I can see an argument that the Impossible Whopper is not nutritionally or health-wise much different (better or worse) than the Whopper for the vast majority of people. I'd agree. I think the difference would be ethical or taste preference (in that I don't like Whoppers I'd be curious to see if I like Impossible Whoppers more since occasionally I do end up doing a FF stop on a road trip). What I don't see is an argument that it's meaningfully worse.

    If 390 mg sodium is a deal-breaker vs. the 75 mg in the same size ground beef patty (and you don't use salt), than that's a concern for you, sure. I tend to add a little seasoning to a burger, including salt, and also -- gasp! -- like to put pickles on them, and pickles come with lots of sodium. (Mustard often does too.)

    For me, a 315 mg difference is nothing, given it's one food item, but then I have no sodium worries and eat mostly whole foods (and plenty of potassium) anyway.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited February 2020
    aolwapoody wrote: »
    in my own experience (and i'm the fat chick who will eat anything) They get an A+ for making me think I'm eating meat, it's smoky and greasy and pretty hard to tell while you are eating it. They also get an F- for making a product that just made me feel heavy and 1/2 poisoned after I ate it. It's like my body said "Hey! That's not food!!!" I'll just eat the meat thank you.

    Feeling heavy after any type of fast food burger isn't an unusual experience for many people. I've had that feeling from foods containing meat before.