Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

6 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

6 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

7 hours ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

7 hours ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

10 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

11 hours ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

11 hours ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

12 hours ago
Meatsplainer: How New Plant-Based Burgers Compare to Beef
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
May 10, 2019

Share

NEW YORK — If you want to skip meat, a new era of options is here.

Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are among the companies racing to tap into the massive U.S. market of meat eaters by more closely mimicking the taste of beef than vegetarian patties of the past. Others are working to grow meat in labs.

So are the plant-based patties better for you or for the planet? Here’s what you might want to know before taking a bite:

Are They Healthier?

As with many questions about diet, it depends. For better or worse, patties from Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods can be nutritionally similar to beef.

“People are going to be fooling themselves into thinking these are not just better, but healthy.” — Yoni Freedhoff, an obesity expert at the University of Ottawa

Beyond Meat’s 4-ounce patty is listed at 270 calories, while Impossible Foods’ is listed at 240 calories. Ground beef’s nutritional profile can range, but a similarly sized patty with 80% lean meat has around 290 calories.

Protein content is about the same, while other nutrients vary. Some may like that the plant-based patties have fiber, but dislike that they’re higher in sodium.

For overall diet, what matters more might be how the patties are served, whether it’s at Burger KingWhite Castle or elsewhere.

At Umami Burger in New York, for example, a burger with two Impossible patties, cheese and fixings tops 1,000 calories. Few would call it healthy, especially if served with fries and a soda.

“People are going to be fooling themselves into thinking these are not just better, but healthy,” said Yoni Freedhoff, an obesity expert at the University of Ottawa.

People also may not realize the saturated fat content can be similar to beef burgers, he said.

What’s in Them?

Beyond Meat’s ingredients include pea protein and canola oil. Impossible Food’s patties have soy protein and coconut oil. Impossible says its patties have a flavor and hue similar to beef partly because of soy leghemoglobin, a protein the company makes by genetically modifying yeast.

The meat industry, meanwhile, is appealing to people who prefer simpler ingredient lists.

“A beef patty is one natural ingredient: beef,” says the North American Meat Institute, which represents meat makers.

How Do They Taste?

Taste is subjective, but reviews generally say Beyond Meat and Impossible burgers taste similar to meat.

Christian Acosta, who works in New York, said he’s had the Impossible burger several times and can’t tell the difference.

“It tastes exactly like meat,” he said, while waiting in line to get the burger for lunch.

Unlike with a steak, any discrepancies in taste between beef and the plant-based burgers may be masked by buns, cheese and toppings. Both Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have also updated their recipes, and may keep doing so to get even more like meat.

Photo of Beyond Meat Opening Bell ceremony
Ethan Brown, center, CEO of Beyond Meat, attends the Opening Bell ceremony with guests to celebrate the company’s IPO at Nasdaq, Thursday, May 2, 2019 in New York. California-based Beyond Meat makes burgers and sausages out of pea protein and other ingredients. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

How Much Do They Cost?

The idea is to eventually make Beyond and Impossible burgers cost the same or less than beef. For now, expect to pay more.

At a Whole Foods in New York, two Beyond Meat patties cost $5.99, roughly double the price of two ground beef patties. Impossible burgers aren’t yet available in grocery stores. But at a Bareburger restaurant in New York, it’s an extra $3 for either of the plant-based patties.

Are They Better for the Earth?

Experts say reducing overall red meat consumption would be better for the planet. Beef is considered taxing on the environment because of the resources it takes to grow crops to feed cows. Cows also produce the greenhouse gas methane, mostly through burps.

Christopher Field, who is at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and who knows the founder of Impossible Foods, noted people don’t have to give up meat entirely to make a difference, and that pork and chicken have much smaller environmental footprints than beef.

What’s Next?

On the horizon is meat grown in labs by culturing animal cells, but it will be some time before people can get a taste.

Right now, the solutions used to help cells grow are expensive and limited since they’re mainly made for medical therapy purposes, said Bruce Friedrich, executive director of the Good Food Institute, which advocates for meat alternatives.

Still, regulators have taken notice and the meat industry is watching and mobilizing to “protect beef nomenclature.”

Already, Beyond Meat’s debut as a public company may be confirming the meat industry’s concerns. Years ago, a beef group had listed Beyond Meat as an issue to watch, according to public records obtained by the Associated Press.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

DON'T MISS

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

DON'T MISS

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

DON'T MISS

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

DON'T MISS

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

DON'T MISS

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

DON'T MISS

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

DON'T MISS

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

DON'T MISS

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

UP NEXT

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

UP NEXT

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

UP NEXT

Poll: Most Americans Say National Divide, Political Violence Threaten Democracy

UP NEXT

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

UP NEXT

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

UP NEXT

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

UP NEXT

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

UP NEXT

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

UP NEXT

Tesla Executive, Elon Musk Confidant Leaves EV Maker, Bloomberg News Reports

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

4 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

4 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

4 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

4 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

5 hours ago

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

5 hours ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

6 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

6 hours ago

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

6 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

7 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

A two-vehicle collision sent a woman driving one of the vehicles to the hospital with a head injury Thursday afternoon in Fresno. Fresno pol...

2 hours ago

A crash causes a traffic jam in northwest Fresno on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (GV Wire/Paul Marshall)
2 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

The Madre Fire near New Cuyama has burned 52,593 acres with 5% containment, prompting evacuation orders in several San Luis Obispo County zones as of Thursday, July 3, 2025, afternoon. (CalFire)
3 hours ago

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

3 hours ago

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

4 hours ago

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

An ICE agent talks with migrants about their scheduled appointments with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Father’s Day, to learn about their immigration status, in Chicago, Illinois., U.S., June 15, 2025. (Reuters File)
4 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

Boeing logo and miniature satellite model are seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. (Reuters File)
4 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

4 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

Clovis Police are searching for Pathmani Goonawardena, 82, who went missing nearly three weeks ago and was last seen driving a white Volvo near Copper and Auberry, possibly en route to Coarsegold. (CHP)
5 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend