Plant-Based Burgers
If you have been watching the news lately you may have noticed that plant-based foods, burgers especially, have been featured prominently. The buzz is because unlike the meatless burgers of the past, Beyond Meat in particular has managed to produce a burger that they say comes as close to cooking, looking, and tasting like an actual beef burger as you can without the cow.

How is that even possible? you might ask…the answer is pea protein.

Pea protein is derived from yellow split peas that have been dried and then ground into a fine powder. The starch and fiber are then removed, leaving a powdered concentrated protein substance also known as pea protein isolate. This protein isolate is completely plant-based, unlike some other protein alternatives—which means it is ideal for vegetarians and vegans. What is amazing about pea protein is that it can be made in such a way that it mimics the way ground beef cooks as well as it’s texture. It even bleeds like a burger thanks to added beet juice. Added coconut oil is what gives the burger it’s juiciness.

Being plant-based doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better for you, though. Reality is the calorie count for one of these burgers is essentially the same as the real thing, hovering at around 280 calories. Same goes with the saturated fat content. The sodium is on the high side too. Also, If you are someone who is trying not to eat processed foods keep in mind that this product, though plant-based, is highly processed. Lastly, the peas used are legumes. Anyone who has a peanut allergy or reacts to other legumes might want to steer clear to avoid a reaction.

Ultimately, the choice to eat a plant-based burger v.s. a real beef burger is an environmental one as well as a personal choice. The less beef we eat, the less stress we put on our resources and our planet which we can all agree is a good thing, but then again so is the occasional double cheese burger.

We put the Beyond Burgers to the test with some hardcore carnivores and we were pleasantly surprised. All of them said that while they still prefer the taste of a beef burger, the Beyond Burger is something they would actually buy and eat as a a healthier alternative like they would a turkey burger or black bean burger.

Beyond Meat is not just about burgers. They also make sausages and their version of ground beef. We are currently using their ground product in a number of our meatless pasta dishes available in our Deli Grab N Go section so if you are curious, pick some up for dinner tonight…