Is Plant-Based Beef Better?
Reducing our intake of red meat is a choice we should all consider to lessen our carbon footprint and improve our heart health. For Vegetarians and Vegans, Plant-based burgers are a great option to still enjoy the taste of beef. But are they better for our bodies?
I tried my first ever Plant-based Burger recently, which was a Pea Protein Burger from Trader Joe’s. For my first burger not made out of meat, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste! Pea protein is a high-quality protein and a great source of iron, which is why I decided to try it. It can aid muscle growth, weight loss and heart health. This patty in particular was super filling with 18g of Pea Protein and 5g of Fiber from Pea Fiber, Beets & Oat Fiber. It also contained 20% of the Recommended Daily Value of Iron.
Unfortunately, nutritionally this is where the benefits end. If improving your health is your primary reason for going plant-based, plant-based beef is not any better. The main issue is the saturated fat and sodium content. Saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels and raise the risk of heart disease & stroke when eaten in excess. Sodium can increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke as well. For reference, the super popular Impossible Burger contains 40% of the Daily Recommended Value of Saturated Fat and 370 mg of sodium—more than four times as much as a beef patty. There are also many ingredients added to plant-based beef, which means it is heavily PROCESSED. The Pea Protein patty contained natural flavors, methyl cellulose, vegetable juice (color) and fruit juice (color). Typically I recommend steering clear of foods with lots of added ingredients because processed foods lead to more inflammation in the body. Our bodies don’t recognize these ingredients so they send out a signal that causes an inflammatory response which over time can lead to disease. Additionally, Iron found in plant foods is less absorbable than that found in animal products. In order to absorb the iron from plants, we need to pair it with Vitamin C, which is not something all plant-based burger eaters know!
Ultimately, no burger is truly “healthy” and there is somewhat of a health halo that surrounds plant-based meat. In some cases they are a fine substitute, but it all depends on where the meat is coming from, how that animal was raised, and in the case of plant-based burgers, what ingredients may have been added to it for processing. Eating 90% or higher Grass-Fed Organic Beef when eaten in moderation is what I recommend nutritionally and consume myself, but it all comes down to bio-individuality and what works for you. Comment your preference below!
