Is the Vegan Impossible Burger Healthy for You?
These juicy plant-based burgers could fool even a meat lover. But are they actually healthier for us?
Veggie burgers have been around for decades. And as the popularity of plant-based and flexitarian diets has grown, there are more and better options in this category than ever. You probably wouldn’t ever have mistaken one of these for actual beef. But if you’re looking for something meatless to put on a hamburger bun, there are plenty of choices.
There’s a new meatless burger on the market that claims to look, cook, taste, and chew so much like actual ground beef that you might not be able to tell the difference. Having sampled it this week, I have to say that this claim is actually not far off the mark.
The Impossible Burger is made from wheat, soy, and potato protein, and coconut oil. The makers have done an admirable job configuring those ingredients into something that looks and acts remarkably like raw ground beef. You can even choose whether you want to cook it well done or still pink in the center.
What Is Heme Iron?
But the magic ingredient that is responsible for its beefy taste and appearance is heme, an iron-containing molecule that is abundant in animal tissue. While all animal foods contain heme iron, red meat is much higher in heme iron than chicken or fish, and that’s what provides much of the color and flavor that we associate with red meat. Because it’s so well absorbed, heme iron is terrific at treating and preventing iron deficiency and anemia.
Plants tend to contain the much-less-absorbable nonheme form of iron. But the clever folks at Impossible Foods have figured out how to get yeast to produce a plant-based source of heme iron that’s identical to the heme in red meat.
Heme iron may be a double-edged sword, however. Athough it’s very bioavailable, it’s also a highly reactive molecule which, in excessive amounts, could lead to cell damage. Studies have found that those who eat the most red meat have higher risks of colon cancer and other diseases compared to people who eat other types of meat or no meat at all. One of the working theories points to high intakes of heme iron as the culprit.
So, ironically, if you’re avoiding red meat because of its association with increased cancer risk, it’s possible that this meatless burger may present similar concerns. Keep in mind, however, that these worrisome associations between red meat and cancer are seen in those who eat red meat once or twice a day. Those who eat red meat just once a week have approximately the same risk as those who never eat meat.
How Does the Impossible Burger Compare to Regular Burgers?
Nutritionally speaking, the Impossible Burger has been formulated to approximate the nutritional profile of 80% lean ground beef—for better or worse. It contains a similar amount of protein and calories. It’s a bit lower in total fat but actually significantly higher in saturated fat. That’s because unlike beef, which contains a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fats, coconut oil is virtually all saturated. So, if you avoid beef burgers in an effort to moderate your saturated fat intake, you might be better off with a turkey or bison burger.
Compared with cattle farming, the Impossible Burger uses far less land, water, and produces less greenhouse gas emissions.
If your main motivation in avoiding beef is out of concern for the welfare of the cows or perhaps the impact of cattle farming on the environment or climate—but you love the taste of red meat—then this might be a great solution for you. Compared with cattle farming, the Impossible Burger uses far less land, water, and produces less greenhouse gas emissions.
The Bottom Line on the Impossible Burger
As you can see, there are a lot of different reasons that people choose to avoid meat or red meat. I don’t think this will be the ideal alternative for everyone. If you’re sensitive to soy or wheat, for example, this is not for you. And if you find the taste, texture, and appearance of meat disgusting, this is definitely not for you. But it is a pretty impressive feat of culinary engineering. We seem to be getting closer to being able to produce meat without any animals. Whether this ends up being an upgrade for us nutritionally we’ll have to evaluate on a case-by-case basis.
Curious? Right now, the Impossible Burger is only available in restaurants, not in retail or direct to consumers. You can check the company’s website to see if there’s a restaurant in your area. If you try it, I’d love to hear what you thought! And if you’re not interested in trying it, for whatever reason, I’d like to hear from you, too!
Share your thoughts below or on the Nutrition Diva Facebook page.
Image of Impossible Burgers from ImpossibleFoods.com
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About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.
