You may have heard a lot of talk recently about a new burger that doesn’t contain meat (well, unless you are a cable-cutter like me that only watches Netflix). Regardless, let’s assume you actually do open the newspaper and browse the store ads or catch a commercial every so often. You may have seen ads or sales on brands such as Beyond Meat, Amy’s, and Impossible Foods. These brands are just some of the popular meat alternatives available to you on the market. Today, we are going to discuss the ingredients in them, the added health benefits (if any), and how it affects the beef industry.
What are these burgers made from?
Ok, I am a curious person and I must say, when I first heard about these plant-based burgers I was intrigued. If they weren’t made of meat, what were they made of? My quest came across loads of comparisons comparing and contrasting beef burgers to these meat-alternatives. Most of my research found that the nutrient composition of beef burgers and these alternatives are closely similar in terms of the protein, carbohydrates, and fat percentages. However, the ingredients are drastically different. Where beef burgers have one ingredient, meat-based alternatives take a lot more to make it comparable.
One of these meat alternatives, The Beyond Burger, is a plant-based burger that boasts about being non-gmo, non-soy, and non-gluten. The nutrient composition is very similar to beef. However, the ingredient list is far from simple as it contains over 20 different ingredients and is considered a highly processed food.
Are they really healthier?
In a poll to consumers to find out why they chose meat substitutes over beef, 54% of them said it was because it was healthier than meat. Interesting enough, ground beef is lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium and higher in high-quality protein than meat substitutes. If your goal isn’t to cut meat out, choosing meat alternatives doesn’t prove to be the healthier option.
What’s all the hype and how does it affect Buckeye Valley Beef?
Meat alternatives are a new market. I value businesses that create their own path and find a market where one doesn’t exist. After all, many of the products we all enjoy wouldn’t be in existence if it wasn’t for the constant innovation and competition we Americans benefit from. Meat alternatives are certainly a fascinating product. However, most people aren’t replacing meat with meat substitutes. The beef industry isn’t perfect either. We are continuously making strides to be more efficient with our beef we raise so we can sustain the future generations that will rely on our farms for dinner and lessen our carbon footprint.
The verdict: the beyond burger isn't really better, it's just different. As the old saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you want to stay up with the latest blogs and stories from Buckeye Valley Beef, you can subscribe to our page at https://www.buckeyevalleybeef.com/blog.
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