First of three parts
Ocean Robbins submitted the following article for the Food Revolution Network.
“Inspired by health, ethical, and environmental concerns, more people are eating plant-based foods and plant-based meat alternatives. And the range of options is growing rapidly. But, how do veggie burgers and fake meats stack up? We know they can be better for the environment and the animals, but what about your health? This article evaluates the pros and cons of popular plant-based meat options.
“Back in the ’60s, when my parents were coming of age, the dream of a plant-based hamburger that could satisfy meat-eaters was practically inconceivable. The best they could find in their local health food co-ops were hockey puck-shaped patties comprised of lentils, red beans, corn, or wheat. These earnest imitations didn’t fool anybody. And nobody ever tried to cook them on a grill — at least, not twice.
“Fast forward 50 years, and the plant-based, ‘fake animal products’ industry is exploding. There are more alternatives to cheese, milk, butter, and eggs than ever. Some taste and perform almost, or, as well, as their animal analogues. And they’ve gone mainstream, too; many mainstream supermarkets carry these products to cater to the growing number of consumers who are trying to curb their consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs.
“And the part of that industry making the biggest technological strides is plant-based meats. Many grocery stores now carry several meat alternatives like plant-based burgers, hot dogs, and sausages. And more restaurants and fast-food chains are adding plant-based burgers and other fake meats to their menus.
“Is this a positive trend? What are the pros and cons of eating plant-based meat alternatives? Are they healthy, or just another way to grow heart disease and obesity?
“There are two plant-based burgers at the top of their game right now: Impossible Burger, by Impossible Foods, and Beyond Burger, by Beyond Meat.
“After decades of imposter burgers that wouldn’t grill, or tasted like cardboard, or had the consistency of an orthodontic retainer, these two brands produce burgers that cook, smell, taste, and bleed like real meat.
“They’ve become so popular that places like Red Robin, Qdoba, White Castle, Carl’s Jr., Del Taco, Burger King, and A&W now carry them, and they proudly advertise the fact!
“Some people are even predicting that the competition will force McDonald’s to jump on the bandwagon.
“Demand for these intensely-realistic meat-free burgers is increasing exponentially, and so are profits. Beyond Meat recently went public, starting at $25 a share. By early Summer this year, a share was trading at $168. Impossible Foods has reported a shortage in supply as they struggle to keep up with consumer demand for their burgers. And they’re not even selling in retail stores yet, but just in select restaurants.
“Other companies can smell the opportunity and are following suit. Ikea recently announced its plan to develop a ‘realistic’ meatless meatball, and Burger King plans to offer the Impossible Whopper on a national scale (however, full of GMOs and glyphosate).
“Why has there been such a rise in popularity? It seems there’s been a major shift in public consciousness. For many years, the primary reason people choose vegan and vegetarian foods was due to animal welfare concerns. But more recently, people are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their food choices on the environment and their own health, too.
“In 2015, the World Health Organization announced that red and processed meats were carcinogenic. And in 2018, the largest analysis to date on how farming damages the planet informed us that avoiding meat and dairy is the ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your environmental footprint.
“But in order to shift in a plant-based direction, we have to contend with the world’s burger obsession. In the U.S. alone, Americans are downing 50 billion burgers every year. And that’s where veggie burgers come in.
Part two is available at thevoice.us/plant-based-meat-options-increasing-exponentially-2