Since their wildly successful introduction in 2019, plant-based burgers like Beyond and Impossible have continued to evolve. Let’s take a look at the latest formulations and how they compare to each other and to real beef.
Since their wildly successful introduction in 2019, plant-based burgers like Beyond and Impossible have continued to evolve. Let’s take a look at the latest formulations and how they compare to each other and to real beef.
Mentioned in this episode:
Nutritional Comparison of Plant-Based Burgers (Nutrition Over Easy blog)
Hello, everyone! I'm Monica Reinagel, and welcome to the Nutrition Diva podcast, where I try to keep you up-to-date with emerging food and nutrition trends. And today, we’re talking about two popular plant-based burgers, both of which have updated their formulations since their introduction five years ago. We’ll take a look at what’s changed and how they compare nutritionally to each other and to lean ground beef.
I reviewed both Beyond and Impossible burgers back in 2019, shortly after their introduction to the marketplace. As I said back then, these products were a big departure from the type of veggie burgers that we were used to. Both were formulated to mimic the appearance, taste and texture of real ground beef. As such, they probably have limited appeal to people who don’t like eating meat. These are really designed for people who enjoy meat but want to reduce their consumption, whether that’s due to health, environmental, or animal welfare concerns.
In the intervening 5 years, both brands have been refining their recipes, so I wanted to revisit this topic and tell you what’s changed. Let’s start with the Beyond burger–with a small caveat: The new recipe that I’m reviewing here is not yet available in retail, but it should be rolling out to grocery stores very soon.
One notable change is that they have replaced canola and coconut oil with avocado oil, and this has reduced the saturated fat from 5g to just 2g per serving. Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats and has a more neutral flavor than coconut. It also has a higher smoke point. Another big change is in the protein sources used in Beyond beef. The original pea protein isolate has been replaced with a blend of proteins from peas, brown rice, red lentils, and tiny amounts of faba bean protein. Using a variety of plant-based proteins could help to round out the amino acid profile and improve the protein quality. The other really notable change is a 20% reduction in sodium.
Beyond has also removed a bunch of ingredients, probably in an effort to create a simpler and cleaner-looking label. In the process, the fiber content decreased slightly from 3g to 2g. But, hey, you’re probably not eating burgers for the fiber. Unfortunately, the quest for clean labels also often leads manufacturers to remove ingredients that might actually make a product healthier, such as vitamins and minerals. And this appears to be the case here as well.
Beyond is no longer fortifying Beyond Beef with B12 and zinc, which are nutrients that are often harder to get on an exclusively plant-based diet. Then again, these products are less likely to appeal to strict vegans and so that fortification may not be as important. And market research may have led them to conclude that a shorter ingredient list, featuring fewer chemical names, would be more appealing.
Now, let's turn to Impossible Beef. Their original recipe featured wheat gluten as the primary source of protein, while current formulation leans much more heavily on soy, and that might reflect the increasing number of people who avoid gluten. However, the protein has also decreased from 27 grams per serving to 19, which is a pretty substantial decline–although it is still in line with a serving of actual beef.
For me, the real innovation of Impossible Beef was its use of heme iron. This is a form of iron that is normally only found in animal foods but they figured out a way to derive it from genetically modified yeast. This ingredient is key to replicating that distinct meaty flavor. Impossible has also significantly reduced the total and saturated fat, which has reduced the calories. Like Beyond, they have also cut the sodium.
Because the ratio of potassium to sodium in the diet may be more important than the amount of sodium, it’s worth mentioning that both products are quite high in potassium and they have a very favorable potassium:sodium ratio.
All in all, while they have distinct ingredient profiles, the Beyond Burger and the Impossible Burger have become more similar in their nutritional profile. They now have virtually the same amount of calories, fat, and sodium per serving. Beyond is a bit higher in protein. Both contain similar amounts of iron. However the heme iron in Impossible is likely to be better absorbed.
Impossible is somewhat higher in fiber, calcium, and potassium. The products are also fortified with B12 and zinc.
Both products are now gluten-free but only Beyond is soy-free. Beyond is also lower in saturated fat.
I put together a table for you so that you can see all the nutritionals for Beyond, Impossible, and regular beef side by side. Check the shownotes for a link to that.
In terms of how they compare to actual ground beef, the amount of protein is similar. In terms of fat and calories, the original Impossible recipe was similar in its nutritional profile to 80% lean ground beef. The current formulations of both Impossible and Beyond are lower in fat and calories, closer to 90% lean beef. Depending on how lean you like your burgers, this could be perceived as an upgrade or a downgrade. An 80% lean burger is going to be higher in fat and calories but also a little juicier.
And to that end, Impossible has also expanded its portfolio to include an Indulgent Burger, which is higher in fat and calories and also has a somewhat bigger portion size, as well an Impossible Burger Lite, which is lower in fat and calories.
Two other aspects of these products deserve mentioning: sustainability and processing.
One of the big concerns with beef is the environmental impact and high carbon-footprint of raising cattle for food. On the other hand, plant-based meats involve a lot of processing, and that can increase the carbon footprint of a food.
Even taking processing into account, plant-based foods have a significantly lower environmental impact than animal-based foods. And both brands also see sustainability as a key selling point and promote sustainable agriculture and resource conservation in their production processes.
As for the fact that plant-based meats are considered ultra-processed foods, I don’t think that this makes them inherently unhealthful. When we’re considering processing, I think we need to consider what the function of the processing is. In this case, it’s to transform sustainable ingredients into a nutritious and appealing alternative to animal based protein. Personally, I think the end justifies the means in this case.
The one remaining question to be addressed is taste. Taste of course is highly subjective, so obviously I can’t guess which one of these two options you might prefer. And, of course, there are those who will always prefer the taste of real beef. When I taste-tested them each back in 2019, I must confess that I liked Impossible burgers better. However, a lot has changed. And recently, during a sponsored conference I was attending, I had the opportunity to try the new Beyond burger and I have to update my previous opinion. The new formulation is terrific!
As most of you know, I am not a strict vegetarian but I do limit my consumption of meat–more due to environmental and animal welfare concerns than concern about its healthfulness. And I find these plant-based alternatives to ground beef to be a great option for burgers, tacos, meatballs, and the like. If it’s been a while since you tried them, you might want to try them again. I think you’re in for a pleasant surprise. But let me know what you think.
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