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Thoughts on Beyond Burger and other fake meat
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For me — I prefer food that isn’t as processed.
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I haven't read the thread in its entirety but I'll make a couple of observations from a non meat eater who has had Beyond Meat products, both cooked at home and in restaurant meals. I am also sodium restricted (1500 mg/day).
I'd rather not cook it at home. All of the products have a strong smell like cat food (to me) and that's a bit off-putting.
It's high in sodium, but all vegetarian patties tend to be high so I just have to be extra vigilant about the sodium content of the rest of my food that day, or say "F it, it's only one day" which I tend to do any day that I consume restaurant meals anyway.
It sticks in my teeth. Annoyingly. This is a quality that irked me about meat, back when I ate it, and it irks me about Beyond Meat too.
I like the higher protein content. By which I mean higher than most vegetarian meat substitutes.
I'd love to try an Impossible Whopper (that would definitely end up being a "F it" sodium day) but my Canadian BK doesn't have them yet.
Disclaimers: I'm not the least bit concerned about GMOs or long ingredient lists or pronouncable ingredients. In fact, the more preservatives the better in my household, since that means I don't have to eat the same thing four days in a row to use it up before it goes bad. "Processing" is such a nebulous term and definitely not a criterion I'd use to reject a food. The tahini I bought yesterday qualifies as "processed" but contains ONE ingredient.
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its all fine with me, just call it what it is and not, fake turkey or fake bacon etc.1
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Today I tried the Walmart's Ultimate Meatless Burger. It is inexpensive compared to others.
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/great-value-the-ultimate-meatless-burger/6000200049103
Not bad for what it is. The only burger of this type that I really enjoyed was the Impossible Burger in a BK's Whopper.0 -
I haven’t tried it. I like real burgers. I like black bean burgers(I like black beans). I like mushroom burgers(I really like mushrooms). All easy to make. All less expensive than beyond burgers. I just haven’t been looking for an alternative when I already like what I have.
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First, after looking forward to the Impossible Burger, I was disappointed in its statistics as it had a lot more sat. fat than many lean burgers. Second, the Heme they use for flavor supposedly is about as unhealthy as red meat anyway.
Other brands do have better statistics and don't use heme. Beyond Burger is a little more health on straight up fat and salt than the Impossible if I remember correctly, but Awesome Burger and some other brands are even better.1 -
First, after looking forward to the Impossible Burger, I was disappointed in its statistics as it had a lot more sat. fat than many lean burgers. Second, the Heme they use for flavor supposedly is about as unhealthy as red meat anyway.
It's not supposed to have better stats, it's supposed to mimic a fast food or other restaurant burger (depending on where served). I haven't had one, so can't compare, and also like my homemade lean burgers better than most higher fat/cal burgers anyway, but the concept of this one is not to be extra healthy, just meat-free and similar to what it is replacing.
Like another poster said just above, I also like black bean burgers a lot, while not thinking they taste like burgers (of course). But if one likes restaurant burgers, it's nice to have an option that also can be vegan.1 -
First, after looking forward to the Impossible Burger, I was disappointed in its statistics as it had a lot more sat. fat than many lean burgers. Second, the Heme they use for flavor supposedly is about as unhealthy as red meat anyway.
It's not supposed to have better stats, it's supposed to mimic a fast food or other restaurant burger (depending on where served). I haven't had one, so can't compare, and also like my homemade lean burgers better than most higher fat/cal burgers anyway, but the concept of this one is not to be extra healthy, just meat-free and similar to what it is replacing.
Like another poster said just above, I also like black bean burgers a lot, while not thinking they taste like burgers (of course). But if one likes restaurant burgers, it's nice to have an option that also can be vegan.
Yes, we already have a variety of low fat and super-health focused vegetarian patties and it's noteworthy that these have NOT caught on in terms of widespread non-vegan interest. When people go to Burger King or similar places, they want a burger that resembles what is already sold there. They're not really interested in something that replicates a lean burger.
I can remember McDonald's experimenting with a lean meat burger back in the 90s (??) and it was not a hit. So what Impossible is doing is trying to deliver -- in non-meat form -- what the mainstream market has already demonstrated that it wanted.2 -
Its Beyond me why someone would eat factory meat.3
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Factory meat ??
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paperpudding wrote: »Factory meat ??
It's manufactured. Yes, it has natural veggies etc but also has a chemical laxative and artificial preservative. Bottom line, it's not meat; it's a bunch of ingredients blended up and made to imitate meat in a factory.0 -
IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Factory meat ??
It's manufactured. Yes, it has natural veggies etc but also has a chemical laxative and artificial preservative. Bottom line, it's not meat; it's a bunch of ingredients blended up and made to imitate meat in a factory.
Chemical laxative? Artificial preservatives?
These are the Beyond Burger ingredients: Water, Pea Protein*, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Rice Protein, Natural Flavors, Cocoa Butter, Mung Bean Protein, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Apple Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Beet Juice Extract (for color).
Can you let me know which ones you're referring to?3 -
IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Factory meat ??
It's manufactured. Yes, it has natural veggies etc but also has a chemical laxative and artificial preservative. Bottom line, it's not meat; it's a bunch of ingredients blended up and made to imitate meat in a factory.
It is a burger patty - of course it is manufactured. And of course iit is a bunch of ingredients blended up .......isnt every recipe that???
and of course It is not meat, that's the whole point.
Nobody thinks burgers grow on trees, do they ??
Possibly some prreservatives, Just like meat patties and most other non fresh raw foods
Not sure what ingredient you think is a chemical laxative??? Or exactly what your point is????
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As much as I want to try one of these things as I haven't eaten mammal in over 8 years, I can't justify 240 calories for only 20g of protein. It just won't fit my macros especially when it comes with 20g of fat. I prefer leaner sources of protein. From an ethical standpoint, I can support beyond burger but that's a conversation for another day.1
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janejellyroll wrote: »IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Factory meat ??
It's manufactured. Yes, it has natural veggies etc but also has a chemical laxative and artificial preservative. Bottom line, it's not meat; it's a bunch of ingredients blended up and made to imitate meat in a factory.
Chemical laxative? Artificial preservatives?
These are the Beyond Burger ingredients: Water, Pea Protein*, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Rice Protein, Natural Flavors, Cocoa Butter, Mung Bean Protein, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Apple Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Beet Juice Extract (for color).
Can you let me know which ones you're referring to?
Methylcellulose is a bulk-forming laxative that increases the amount of water in your stools to help make them softer and easier to pass. Methylcellulose is used to treat constipation and to help maintain regular bowel movements.
Potassium chloride (also known as KCl or potassium salt) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water, and its solutions have a salt-like taste.0 -
paperpudding wrote: »IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Factory meat ??
It's manufactured. Yes, it has natural veggies etc but also has a chemical laxative and artificial preservative. Bottom line, it's not meat; it's a bunch of ingredients blended up and made to imitate meat in a factory.
It is a burger patty - of course it is manufactured. And of course iit is a bunch of ingredients blended up .......isnt every recipe that???
and of course It is not meat, that's the whole point.
Nobody thinks burgers grow on trees, do they ??
Possibly some prreservatives, Just like meat patties and most other non fresh raw foods
Not sure what ingredient you think is a chemical laxative??? Or exactly what your point is????
Yes, but a beef burger patty is made of beef. Beef is meat. No, burgers don't grow on trees, they grow in cows which is very different than a mixture of natural and man made ingredients mixed up to IMITATE meat. The burgers I make are made of whole ingredients, not anything that is manufactured. And yes, LOTS of processed foods are no different; I choose to avoid all of them.
Methylcellulose is the chemical laxative. My point is I'd prefer to not ingest Beyond meat and I don't understand why anyone would. But I don't have to understand, I support freedom of choice. Not sure why people seem to feel personally attacked lol. Just stating my opinion on a thread titled "Thoughts on Beyond Burger and other fake meat".2 -
IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Factory meat ??
It's manufactured. Yes, it has natural veggies etc but also has a chemical laxative and artificial preservative. Bottom line, it's not meat; it's a bunch of ingredients blended up and made to imitate meat in a factory.
Chemical laxative? Artificial preservatives?
These are the Beyond Burger ingredients: Water, Pea Protein*, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Rice Protein, Natural Flavors, Cocoa Butter, Mung Bean Protein, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Apple Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Beet Juice Extract (for color).
Can you let me know which ones you're referring to?
Methylcellulose is a bulk-forming laxative that increases the amount of water in your stools to help make them softer and easier to pass. Methylcellulose is used to treat constipation and to help maintain regular bowel movements.
Potassium chloride (also known as KCl or potassium salt) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water, and its solutions have a salt-like taste.
In this case it's being used to add some bulk to the burger and it's below the dose needed to provide a laxative effect. So what's the exact concern, given that it's an approved food ingredient?
And what's the concern with the salt?
Most food can be described as a "bunch of ingredients" and the Beyond Burger is far from being the only product on the market to use a bulk agent or salt as a preservative. So why avoid this food in particular?3 -
Read the chemical make up of an apple. Bet you can't pronounce all of them.I tend to just read the ingredients on anything myself. If there's a bunch of unpronounceable things, I skip it. But veggie "burgers" in general have a rather short and clear ingredientlist in my experience.
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janejellyroll wrote: »IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Factory meat ??
It's manufactured. Yes, it has natural veggies etc but also has a chemical laxative and artificial preservative. Bottom line, it's not meat; it's a bunch of ingredients blended up and made to imitate meat in a factory.
Chemical laxative? Artificial preservatives?
These are the Beyond Burger ingredients: Water, Pea Protein*, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Rice Protein, Natural Flavors, Cocoa Butter, Mung Bean Protein, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Apple Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Beet Juice Extract (for color).
Can you let me know which ones you're referring to?
Methylcellulose is a bulk-forming laxative that increases the amount of water in your stools to help make them softer and easier to pass. Methylcellulose is used to treat constipation and to help maintain regular bowel movements.
Potassium chloride (also known as KCl or potassium salt) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water, and its solutions have a salt-like taste.
In this case it's being used to add some bulk to the burger and it's below the dose needed to provide a laxative effect. So what's the exact concern, given that it's an approved food ingredient?
And what's the concern with the salt?
Most food can be described as a "bunch of ingredients" and the Beyond Burger is far from being the only product on the market to use a bulk agent or salt as a preservative. So why avoid this food in particular?
The concern is just that I prefer to avoid processed food. Why care if I avoid it? I sure don't care if you don't avoid it. I always find it interesting why people feel the need to defend their food choices; it feels like insecurity. I know how I prefer to eat, I know what works for me. If someone says "I love Beyond burgers!", I don't feel the need to convince them otherwise.8
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