Veggie-based meat substitute is finally ready for prime time. And it's making a splash.

People are idiots for eating this crap.

Why go through all this effort to torture vegetables into resembling meat?

Because it's meat that people crave. Meat gave us our smart minds and strong bodies.

The only good news of the day. If this really pans out, billions of animals will avoid torture. And the environment might finally begin to recover from the ills of factory farming.

That said, no one should think of this stuff as health food. It's better for you than meat, as it has no cholesterol, but still, not health food. Just not animal food.

Can't stop thinking of this.....

Reasons why you should be eating this stuff -- and recommendations for the best choices around.

I had an Impossible burger today... it was fine.

I'd be concerned that the amount of processing involved in making the substitute meat probably results in it being even more unhealthy than actual meat. Maybe just eat vegetables instead.

I still eat meat but I'm eating more plant-based meat recently.

I also tried the Impossible Whopper and liked it a lot, will be eating it again

Really, R1? As opposed to eating animals and clogging your arteries and encouraging cancer?

^overly processed foods cause cancer too. And it's most likely loaded with sugar and salt to make it actually taste palatable.

R11 -- if you actually looked at the ingredients list, you might begin to understand how stupid you sound.

Tried it (Beyond Meat), it was barely OK. Wouldn't eat it again.

LOL. The meat (or lack thereof) on a Whopper is not what is killing you.

It's the 1200 calories of other crap that's on it.

Exactly r12, did you even bother to read the ingredients list? Overly processed (plus soy for one of them!). Easy pass.

Meat is a known carcinogen. And, artery clogger.

Soy makes me fart.

The more I think about it, the less I want to eat the flesh of dead animals. It represents fear and pain. Call me a bleeding heart liberal vegetarian faggot, but meat really is the flesh of a dead creature. And it's rotting, too. Slowly, slowly rotting, from the moment the creature is killed to the moment it lands in the acid of your stomach.

Not my cup of tea.

One problem is that the Impossible Whopper is 630 calories, only 30 less than a regular Whopper. So this is not a weight-loss option, but merely a vegan offer. I think many people don't realize that.

R18 speaks the truth.

Join us, OP!

There are three key issues with meat - whose order of importance varies depending on one's priorities.

- Animal cruelty.

- Health and tradeoffs between health and taste/flavor

- Environmental impact. Raising beef cattle has hugely negative environmental repercussions, including the cow burps and farts that actually contribute to greenhouse gasses and climate change.

Veggie-based meat substitutes only really address animal cruelty. What we have not seen are any long-term studies on the relative impact on health or environmental impact of the farming or processing into "meat" that would take place. Just because it's based on vegetables, doesn't mean it's healthy - high fructose corn syrup is made from corn, a vegetable.

Products like mock meats are great for vegans. A vegan believes in not harming animals as much as practicably possible. The products may or may not be healthy but they are likely not artery clogging or a carcinogen on top of not being an actual being. Vegan is not a diet. Its a philosophy. Plant based eating supports it.

fuckin assholes, what are we to about jobs?

Awesome. Thanks for sharing the article, OP.

R18 I felt the same way as I evolved in my personal thinking, then I became vegetarian at age 20. It's been about 18 years and during this time I'd went back and forth between strict vegetarian and eating bivalves. Seafood bivalves don't have central nervous system so cannot feel pain. Bivalves are scallops, oysters, clams, and mussels. I eat them from time and time, about once sometimes twice a week, mainly for the nutritional contents as they're very high in minerals and protein. So while I'm not a strict vegetarian currently, it's better than nothing.

I'll pass on these. The amount of hype over Impossible Foods & Beyond Meat products is ridiculous. It's being artificially hyped to hell by investors & media to try to tap on on the next big fad/thing.

A very small percentage of people I've met throughout my life are actual vegetarians/vegans. This blitzkrieg is totally fabricated.

R27 here, I forgot to add, these companies know damn well that every Youtuber, Foodie blogger, Mommypreneur recipe blogger, and media outlet is going to impulsively post some stupid ass "OMG, I just tried the Impossible Burger, you won't believe what happened next!..."

R27 -- have you considered the possibility that you've met very few people who are actually vegan or vegetarian because living in your mother's basement for the last decade has severely limited your social circle?

Too much soy is grown now. If it were soy-free, maybe.

R29, I'm sure all the yo-yo dieters and hefty fraus like you are going to stick to that vegetarian/vegan diet. BK already had Morning Star Farms veggie burgers on their menu - nobody bought them. I have nothing against actual vegans or vegetarians, I just can't stand faux vegans/vegetarians that want to remind you 24/7 that they don't eat meat anymore, but you know damn well they're gorging on double whoppers, excessive amounts of meat lovers pizzas, ice cream, blocks of cheese, etc... when they're alone with themselves.

I just hope they don't charge more for it, or not much more. BK charged more for its previous veggie burger, which was fine, but veggie's never going to catch on if we have to pay more for it.

If it tastes good, I might give it a shot.

[quote]I just hope they don't charge more for it, or not much more. BK charged more for its previous veggie burger, which was fine, but veggie's never going to catch on if we have to pay more for it.

So far, they do seem to be charging more.

Here in Canada, the Beyond burger first appeared at A&W, where its price is higher than beef, but not outrageously higher. In grocery stores, though, the difference really is outrageous. The price for Beyond seems consistent at $16 a pound, which is at least triple what you'd normally pay for ground beef. (Maybe quadruple when beef is on sale.)

I love the "sofritas" meat alternative at Chipotle. It's delicious with rice in a bowl or burrito. I don't remember them getting this much press when they launched it about four years ago.

There are people in this thread who seem mad that this is being offered. No one is trying to force you to be vegan. Lots of people are happy to have an alternative (including people who will continue to eat meat, as well). It's healthier, good for the environment and does not require the slaughter of an animal. Why be mad that something helpful exists, especially when you don't have to consume it if you don't want to.

I hope something like impossible burger completely replaces meat burgers. Millions of cows die for those burgers and the amount of greenhouse gasses expended is mind boggling

[quote]The more I think about it, the less I want to eat the flesh of dead animals. It represents fear and pain. Call me a bleeding heart liberal vegetarian faggot, but meat really is the flesh of a dead creature. And it's rotting, too. Slowly, slowly rotting, from the moment the creature is killed to the moment it lands in the acid of your stomach.Not my cup of tea.

Relax, have a cup of warm milk.

The people that are angry over this and vegans are the people that feel guilty that they are eating like shit and others have self discipline. That is what it boils down to.

Some people abstain from meat for ethical reasons. I respect that. But let’s not forget that thousands of small mammals and birds are killed in the combines during the harvest of grains, etc. So there’s that.

But saying meat is inherently unhealthful or causes cancer is a lie.

Eat whole, unprocessed foods. And that includes meat.

R40, not NEARLY as many. There are plenty of studies that will prove that. Per million calories, of chicken and other meat....many many more animals are killed than per grains and non meat. So, theres that. And, the WHO indicates that yes, it is "probably" a carcinogen (processed is). And, by the way, if you don't think there is not politcal BS with that (even American Cancer, heart and Breast association conduct studies paid for by cattle and dairy assoc.) you are not thinking straight. Meat and dairy is a health danger, and if you don't see it you need to read more.

R40 is going to die of a heart attack before he's 70.

R41 - Preach!

And now let us discuss the Boomer / Millennial divide on this topic........

Also, most of the grains grown are for the CATTLE. Not for human. So, theres that.

Also, a plant-based diet has been shown to reverse diabetes, so there's that.

I doubt those studies include junk food which happens to be plant based. You can spend all day eating vegan donuts, chips, fake meat, chug soda, and processed soy products and you will be unhealthy. These fake meat patties are junk food. Eat them as much as you want, just acknowledge that they are junk food and do not pretend they will help "avoid diabetes" or anything else. Sorry.

That is a different debate r47. Not all vegans eat junk food and most will ear mock meat as a treat. More often than not vegans are purely plant based.

Eat.

R48

All of those items listed in R47 ARE plant based, R48. That's the point. White flour is plant based. It is highly processed wheat. Trans fats are plant based. They are processed vegetable oils. Chips are usually processed corn or potato, fried in vegetable oils. Even sugar comes from a plant. High fructose corn syrup comes from a plant. So technically it's all vegan. The point is that vegan simply means no animal products. It does not equate to HEALTHY. It CAN be healthy. So can being an omnivore if good food choices are made.

Soy based meat substitutes like tofu contain phytoestrogens, which act like estrogen - and cause hormonal imbalance. Think developing bitch tits, mood swings, and the like...

R15, What's the verdict on soy? Know a lot of Asian restaurants use a lot of soy oil.

Correct R51. And it can encourage growth of cancer cells as well. Many doctors advise avoiding soy if you're being treated for cancer. All that fake food that some vegans and vegetarians eat is probably worse than real food like meat that so many people are convinced is the root of all evil. Remember the "low fat" craze of the '80s? Then it was discovered that carbs were causing obesity. Now high fat keto is the craze. Balanced diet with as little processed food and as little sugar is probably the best route unless you have some specific medical condition where a very structured diet is warranted.

Nobody is mad at the existence of these new burgers. However, it's fair to ask why, and to opine that maybe they're not so great.

They're highly processed foods. Vegetarian diets derive many of their benefits from the consumption of whole foods. Impossible/Beyond Burgers aren't whole foods. They are far more processed than meat is. Vegetarians who are opposed to meat for ethical reasons should probably be concerned at the verisimilitude of these new burgers to the meat they believe should not be slaughtered for human consumption.

They don't improve access to protein. These new burgers are 2-3X the price of beef, meaning that they are out of reach of poorer consumers. One of the original arguments in favor of vegetarianism is that it makes healthy nutritious food more widely available. This doesn't.

The product is nothing more than a marketing boondoggle. If you dump enough venture capital into something, it will happen, is the lesson here. Nobody needs realistic fake burgers. As others said, BK already had a vegetarian burger on its menu. The only difference here? The new product is being advertised relentlessly. After a period of popularity, these new burgers will be mostly forgotten.

Does this veggie meat have protein like meat? That would be my only interest. I'm fine with vegetables tasting like vegetables.

R54, BK's Morning Star Farms fake burger is equally processed as well as tasteless. Various restaurants make a vegetarian patty made out of actual vegetables & legumes, heavily seasoned with roasted onions, garlic, oregano, and made from scratch ketchup. It's a far healthier alternative, and one of the more popular items on the menu. Difficult to recreate at home however.

CCF is odious. Koch, tobacco, etc. money.

When you attack Beyond Meat or the Impossible Burger or Just Foods, remember that this means you are supporting the Koch brothers.

Exactly, r58.

R51, you don't think meat has hormones? Or, milk from a cow? Well, it does. That whole soy/estrogen "study" was conducted using ONE male. ONE. A teen that had bitch tits, and they linked it to soy. The "study" has since been debunked, and it is known that soy actually HELPS to fight cancer. Milk and meat on the other hand....

R54, vegansism is a philosophy, not a diet. The idea is about not exploiting animals. So, if a vegan eats a processed burger, they are still not exploiting animals. And, as processed as it may or may not be...it won't clog arteries with saturated fat. This idea that saturated fat does not clog arteries will not age well. So, if one eats a "processed" non meat burger while the other eats a real burger......the latter is asking for more trouble down the road. Most mock meats these days contain less than 10 ingredients. THe good ones, at least. So, while ppl upthread opine about vegans and junk food and diabetes..they may want to read about how meat and dairy cause it over anything else.

Veganism.

R51 and r53 with the tired passed anti-soy message. Those have been debunked

Yes, veganism is all about how much photo-realistic vegan meat dusted with Daiya fake cheese you can shovel down your pale blubbery vegan fatwhore maw. The more realistic the meat the better.

They should make vegan hams and veal chops that beg for their mothers when you stick a fork in them. Veganism can finally say it has arrived when it, in cooperation with Monsanto, invents a vegan substitute for monkey brains, and a group of aborigines sit around eating and enjoying it in an advertisement for an Apple product, or maybe Geico insurance.

Veganism will have gone too far when its adherents begin feasting upon vegan Ortolan.

Oh, and you stupid cow frau cunt R61, there is twice as much sat fat in an Impossible patty than there is in fucking hamburger, you terminally stupid fat troll whore.

R64 sounds like a delightful human being. Just delightful. Tolerant and kind.

R64 is terrifying -- the fact that there are people in this country whose mind operates like his explains everything from Trump to gun violence -- stupidity, cruelty, intolerance, etc.

I come to Datalounge to escape the world, but when you read posts like r64's you realize there is no escape.

I tried one and the texture is so meat-like it's off-putting. Gimme a black bean burger instead, please.

Yikes. R64....why are you on DL tho?

Yikes, R64 and R67, why can't you detect sarcasm? Vegan monkey brains and ortolan? Obviously a joke. But the extra sat fat and salt in Impossible burgers? Truth. "Fat whores" is a Datalounge term of art.

They need to lose the soy. All of these kinds of products. Too much soy, too little NON-LEGUME vegetable.

Soy is a healthy alternative. That ONE study with ONE male that erroneously linked soy to breast cancer has been debunked. It is actually a cancer fighter and good for people with diabetes, cancer, etc. Yeah, ONE person in the study.

R3 why don’t you shut your fucking mouth. Are you a goddamn scientist or something?

Once again R72 managed to get to the computer before she took her medicines.

R73, you got that right!

[QUOTE]Soy is a healthy alternative.

Soy lowers testosterone.

Nobody's gonna argue that fast food is healthy, of course it's super processed and not healthy to have on a regular basis. It's just nice to have a vegan option so you can go eat a burger with your carnivorous friends sometimes, and not look pitiful with your salad or side of fries. I don't see why people would be mad about it.

[quote]It's just nice to have a vegan option so you can go eat a burger with your carnivorous friends sometimes, and not look pitiful with your salad or side of fries.

Omnivorous.

[quote]I don't see why people would be mad about it.

See R75.

No, R75..it does not. There are plenty of people that have proven that to be untrue.

R75 This whole soy and testosterone thing has been debunked. It was ONE study with ONE male. It is laughable.

But, meat w all the hormones and milk with all the hormones....well....that DOES lower it while it also clogs your ateries. What do you think ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION is from??

^

Arteries.

That was a joke, R77. They call me a herbivore I call them carnivores.

[quote]This whole soy and testosterone thing has been debunked. It was ONE study with ONE male. It is laughable.

I thought the study with one male was about breast cancer?

Anyway, I know that women are told to stay away from Soy if they have reproductive issues (in terms of things overdoing it) because soy will supposedly exacerbate them.

R82, it was one male and there was ZERO evidence it was from soy. That is not a real study, it is a farce. The soy guy also may have taken steroids....

Women are not told not to eat soy. In fact, it helps to PREVENT breast cancer.

It is so laughable, the ONE study on ONE man in his sixties who got fat tits from drinking 1200 calories of soy milk a day for months. Uh, yeah....it was FAT......how many fat men eating burgers and fries have the same thing?

Too funny what stupid Americans cling to.

NO, it was not breast cancer. It was gynecomastia. Fat tits, basically. NOT cancer.

Not to mention, the "study" was conducted by the Brook Army medical center. You know, funded by the US goverment. You know, who fund milk and meat farmers........politics, money......etc....

meanwhile, there are literally thousands of studies with thousands of people that prove meat and dairy cause atherosclerosis and people ignore it. I can't. Lol.

[quote]You know, funded by the US goverment. You know, who fund milk and meat farmers

And give farmers a subsidy if they grow soy beans?

They only do that to use in junk food, not to feed people. R88. Besides, 99 percent is for sugar, dairy meat.

.....and to help the farmers who sell to CHINA lol. Then again, that has zero to do with the fact that the study is bogus.Lol.

This is where the 85 million acres of US soybeans are going:

[quote]Just over 70 percent of the soybeans grown in the United States are used for animal feed, with poultry being the number one livestock sector consuming soybeans, followed by hogs, dairy, beef and aquaculture.

[quote]The second largest market for U.S. soybeans is for production of foods for human consumption, like salad oil or frying oil, which uses about 15 percent of U.S. soybeans.

[quote]A distant third market for soybeans is biodiesel, using only about 5 percent of the U.S. soybean crop.

[quote]A small number of acres in the United States are dedicated to growing organic soybeans. These soybeans are divided into two types: food-grade and feed-grade, and receive premium prices.

I suggest they make a blend of meat and vegetable. Even cutting the meat content in half would be healthier- and much better for the planet.

They always want to offer either/or.

I'm like Kevin Smith. I fucking LOVE Veggie Grill (LA plant-based chain). I've lost quite a bit of weight on it, too. They have normal comfort food stuff, along with the more modern health-food stuff (healthy bowls).

There are so many cool vegan options. When my parents were growing up, they had none aside from the obvious. There are more and more, it is great.

Veggie Grill Mondo Nachos are my favorite. Fucking awesome.

I'd like Real Food Daily if it weren't so pretentious and the service weren't so bad.

Screamers in NYC has awsome pizza.

^

Awesome

R92, that is because most people that want the meat less version are doing it for health or ethical reasons. Meat eaters prefer all meat. The former and latter consumers will not buy the half meat product.

If I can get everything with no cholesterol and a much lower carbon footprint, why not? It's just as yummy, so far from my experience. Beyond Burgers, Impossible. As long as it's yummy!

Mondo Nacho me! Fuck yeah.

"with your carnivorous friends sometimes"

Human beings are omnivorous, not carnivorous.

Damn, that looks good. R100

I want Mondo Nachos and a big Diet Coke. Then I'll do ellipticals for two hours while organizing my Google Photos and listening to podcasts. Perfect day.

Sounds perfect, just throw in a BJ, 103.

In my opinion, these meatless burgers are a decent vegetarian alternative when eating fast food. They have approximately the same amount of protein as a meat option and don't elicit stares from other customers. (Why is he eating a plate of lentils and rice instead of a BURGER!? However, don't judge vegetarian meal options based upon these faux burgers. They are expensive and rather processed. Most people who eat vegetarian meals either all the time or often, know that they need to combine some sort of legume (beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, soy) with a whole grain and/or some tree nuts in order to get complete protein. Many cultures have been doing this for thousands of years. Corn and beans (Mexico), Rice and beans (the Caribbean), peanuts and rice (Africa), soy and rice (Asia), wheat and garbanzos (the middle East), lentils and rice (India), and the list goes on. It's not rocket science, and this way of eating is both healthier, tastier, and far less expensive than eating meat.

Quinoa is great and is a complete protein. Quorn and Buckwheat and soy too. People always ask where I get my protein. Maddening.

I like the healthy bowls (kale, quinoa. beans, etc.), but I also like the plant-based junk food. All about it!

Love Monty's in LA, but it's a bit too trendy right now. I don't like waiting in line on Friday nights. Crazy cool kids everywhere.

R107, the crazy cool kids find older ppl crazy cool when online at a vegan place!!

Burgers without the bun. Really delicious and low sodium/calories.

So glad Mackey said this, because it's true.

Of course r110 He is a vegan who eats only Whole Foods. The burgers are for those who want to eat outside of that diet or want something that tastes good. Nobody I know says impossible or beyond are health foods lol. They are just not slaughtered beings. vegans may or may not eat healthy. That’s not what Veganism is about. Its about not exploiting animals as much as practicably possible.

the CEO of whole foods isn't too impressed with this "new" meat. says it's heavily processed.

Of course, as is most junk food R112 lol.

And as meat and dairy is heavily processed too.

So has anyone actually tried the Whopper? I'm afraid, it's not cheap and would suck to ruin meal.

My bf loves it, R115 - not healthy but good for a junk food fix/cheat meal.

R115 I tried it, just imagine a very dry burger. If you enjoy your meat well done, you won't really notice that much of a difference, especially as a sandwich. Meat has more protein and is less expensive, which makes it the better option for non vegetarians. But for those who are philosophically opposed to eating meat, it's definitely better than any other alternative such as garden burgers and so on.

The burger is only slightly more expensive but it's not available on the mix and match menu which is how you get the most bang for your buck at fast food restaurants.

[quote] They have approximately the same amount of protein as a meat option

An impossible burger has 19g of proten while a whopper has 31g so not quite.

People are obsessed with protein. It is nearly impossible for the typical American NOT to get enough. Men need less than half a gram per lb.

If R119 actually looked these things up, he wouldn't sound so stupid.

The original Whopper clocks in at 660 calories (more than half of them coming from fat), 40 grams of fat, and 28 grams of protein. The Impossible Whopper comes in at 630 calories (again, half from fat), 34 grams of fat, and 25 grams of protein.

These burgers are a CIA plot to give Americans kwashiorkor through protein malnutrition. In your debility they will take over your 401Ks. Be sure to stock up on lots of Plumpy'Nut so you won't fall down.