"Beyond Meat", My Professional Opinion

I have been getting a lot of questions about my opinion on the new “Beyond Meat” options being offered at various establishments and thought it was time to just lay it all out in a post. So here it goes...
​
First, let’s consider the establishments that sell beyond meat options, do they actually sell healthy options?  No, they don’t so that should be a red flag right there. Burgers and breakfast sandwiches are not healthy options they are something you have occasionally not regularly.  
​
Are “Beyond Meat” patties healthier than burgers or other meat substitutes?  Let’s break it down.

​Animal Based Burger Patties	Meal Alternative Patties	"Beyond Meat" Patties
Too much animal protein is not healthy, one should keep animal proteins to 10% or less of their caloric consumption Most franchises season their patties and one would need to question what they are seasoned with.  Sugar or hidden sugars tend to be the norm. Sodium is also something one should consider. Some franchises use very processed unhealthy fillers and preservatives.	Meat analog and soy-based substitutes are unhealthy choices do to the “processed soy” as a main ingredient.   If they are seasoned they may contain hidden sugars and other unwanted ingredients Full of fillers and preservatives.​ ​ ​	Contains very processed ingredients like pea protein isolate It contains expeller pressed canola oil, an oil that is not healthy. Contains lots of hidden sugars from starches to extracts. It’s a very processed patty​ ​

As you can see they are not healthier, so if you are switching to this burger or menu item for health and wellness reasons you are better off finding an eating establishment that actually has healthier menu items or make your own lunch to go.  ​

If you are consuming it for ethical reasons such as lower carbon footprint. It may be a better option if consumed on occasion.  However, if we factor in a poor quality diet has been shown to be a major contributor to chronic diseases and illness, frequent/regular consumption may lead to the opposite effect.  Being unhealthy and treating chronic disease increases your carbon footprint if you need to rely on medication. Just a little food for thought.

Dana Clark, CNHP, CHC, CHN, RNC, CLE