# "Beyond meat" (vegan) burgers really do taste and feel like meat. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428 "2019-05-03T16:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/61 "2019-05-06T06:36:37Z")
The Beyond Burger: pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, water, yeast extract, maltodextrin, natural flavors, gum arabic, sunflower oil, salt, succinic acid, acetic acid, non-GMO modified food starch, cellulose from bamboo, methylcellulose, potato starch, beet juice extract Holy crap I counted 3-4 things on there that my docs would have a total fit if they found out I was eating it … there’s more oil in that thing that the fries … ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/62 "2019-05-06T07:01:51Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > It’s not useful to prepare the sodium content of a prepared food (such as the plant burgers under discussion) to an unprepared food. When ground beef is cooked into hamburgers, sodium is added. Maybe some people just cook up plain ground beef without any flavoring but I wouldn’t want it. > > I suppose you could use potassium salt if sodium was a real issue and in that case you wouldn’t want any prepared food with a lot of sodium. uh, I don’t add a ton of salt to ground beef. These sound way over salted for my tastes. > [@pulykamell](#): > > … > > I mean, I found my first experience (at Umami Burger) pretty surprising. While it did not meet the “tastes exactly like beef” hype that I was getting from Youtube videos from sources I mostly trust, it was shockingly close to a meat experience, in my opinion. For me, it had passed the hump of the “uncanny valley” territory of meat substitutes. I used to be of the opinion of either eat meat, or eat veggies, and forget all this weird stuff pretending to be meat. My attitude has changed. Now I think, you know, for those who want to – for whatever reasons, moral, environmental, etc – reduce meat in their diet but want a meat-like experience, they are coming up with some pretty darned good and tasty meat substitutes. For example, I like a lot of Morningstar’s products – yeah, they’re salty as shit, but their various bean patties are quite good, and not pretending to be meat. Meanwhile, I’ve hated every Boca burger I’ve ever tasted. These products – Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger – actually did make me rethink my attitude towards fake-meat burgers. > > … thank you. I guess i have to try this. But I like to eat my burger plain, with maybe a bun and some ketchup. (But often I just put a burger on my plate and eat it with a fork.) Mine never “taste like mustard”. So I may be a harder audience to please. > [@drmark7](#): > > Here’s the deal for me… as a 30+ year vegetarian… I don’t really WANT my burgers to taste “just like real beef.” I’ve been happy since my first Boca Burger to have a substitute patty that I can DRESS “like a real burger.” But I really didn’t like meat when I still ate meat. I especially don’t want any of the new veggie burgers that “bleed” “like real meat.” YUK! Kinda defeats the point. I don’t think you are the intended market. I think it’s for people who like meat, but either feel bad about slaughtering cows, or worry about the global warming caused by cows. > [@nightshadea](#): > > The Beyond Burger: pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, water, yeast extract, maltodextrin, natural flavors, gum arabic, sunflower oil, salt, succinic acid, acetic acid, non-GMO modified food starch, cellulose from bamboo, methylcellulose, potato starch, beet juice extract > > Holy crap I counted 3-4 things on there that my docs would have a total fit if they found out I was eating it … there’s more oil in that thing that the fries … there nothing there that I’m not supposed to eat, but I avoid canola oil because it readily develops a really nasty flavor. I’m surprised they used it. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/63 "2019-05-06T10:23:43Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > The Beyond Burger: pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, water, yeast extract, maltodextrin, natural flavors, gum arabic, sunflower oil, salt, succinic acid, acetic acid, non-GMO modified food starch, cellulose from bamboo, methylcellulose, potato starch, beet juice extract > > Holy crap I counted 3-4 things on there that my docs would have a total fit if they found out I was eating it … there’s more oil in that thing that the fries … I’m curious what’s so bad about the ingredients, or which ones jumped out at you? They seem mostly innocuous, and present in most processed pre-packaged food of any kind. I mean, maltodextrin doesn’t exactly grow wild, but I don’t think of it as sinister in any way. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/64 "2019-05-06T12:26:45Z")
Re: sodium, this dubious nutrition website tells me a 43g BK patty has 145 mg of sodium > **[Calories in Burger King Hamburger Patty and Nutrition Facts](https://mobile.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/burger-king/hamburger-patty)** > > There are 145 calories in 1 patty (43 g) of Burger King Hamburger Patty. Get full nutrition facts for other Burger King products and all your other favorite brands. When comparing two products we have to be sure we’re comparing cooked vs cooked or raw vs raw. And I’m not sure which this is. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/65 "2019-05-06T13:31:39Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I don’t think you are the intended market. I think it’s for people who like meat, but either feel bad about slaughtering cows, or worry about the global warming caused by cows. Yeah, I’ve been about 99% vegetarian for 6 years now; I liked meat, I still like meat, but I can’t in good conscience eat meat any more knowing the effect it’s having on the planet. Is a Beyond Burger as good as a regular ground beef patty? I cant’ say that it is; in fact, the smell alone is a huge detriment. But the way I see it, it doesn’t matter how good it is compared to the authentic article – beef burgers are bad for the planet, so they should be eaten sparingly or not at all. That means the choice isn’t between a beef burger and a Beyond Burger, but between a Beyond Burger and a conventional veggie patty, or a Beyond Burger and no burger at all. And personally, I’d order a Beyond Burger over a black bean burger every time. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/66 "2019-05-06T21:34:54Z")
I had an Impossible Burger at a decent enough restaurant, but sadly they overcooked it. If I had enough time, I would have sent it back as I did order it “medium” and I wanted to have it juicy. So I don’t know that I had a good enough example to judge it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/67 "2019-05-07T16:51:41Z")
From the AP today: [Meatsplainer: How new plant-based burgers compare to beef](https://apnews.com/144141f89d9940b29c0cedde15e93e2f). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/68 "2019-05-07T18:22:15Z")
If one is morally opposed to eating meat, then why would one want to eat something that is doing its best to look, taste and have the texture of meat? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/69 "2019-05-07T18:29:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If one is morally opposed to eating meat, then why would one want to eat something that is doing its best to look, taste and have the texture of meat? What do look, taste, and texture have to do with climate change? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/70 "2019-05-07T19:31:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If one is morally opposed to eating meat, then why would one want to eat something that is doing its best to look, taste and have the texture of meat? But some/many of us are not morally opposed to eating meat and want to reduce the environmental impact of eating meat. Or perhaps we are folks who are considering vegetarianism/veganism, but need a little “bridge” to help us over the gap. Or maybe we just want to reduce eating meat for myriad other reasons. Use your imagination. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/71 "2019-05-08T23:41:14Z")
the beyond taco is del tacos hottest selling item ever :[MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/del-tacos-vegan-taco-on-track-to-become-one-of-the-chains-most-successful-new-menu-items-ever/ar-AAB1R8k?li=BBnb7Kw#page=2) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/72 "2019-05-09T17:01:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If one is morally opposed to eating meat, then why would one want to eat something that is doing its best to look, taste and have the texture of meat? Someone else already answered, but I’m curious your reasoning here. Why would they not? The moral objection is to killing animals for food, and no animals are being killed. So what do you imagine would be the issue? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/73 "2019-05-09T17:40:34Z")
[This](https://seekingalpha.com/article/4261728-beyond-meat-unhealthy-heart-portfolio) was in my Google news feed. Tl; dr: it is unhealthy junk food. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/74 "2019-05-09T17:59:37Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [This](https://seekingalpha.com/article/4261728-beyond-meat-unhealthy-heart-portfolio) was in my Google news feed. Tl; dr: it is unhealthy junk food. So, is he comparing 4oz of unadulterated lean ground beef to the Beyond burger? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/75 "2019-05-09T18:09:56Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > So, is he comparing 4oz of unadulterated lean ground beef to the Beyond burger? I mean, if he wants to argue that a beyond burger is not particularly healthy, I don’t think that’s a shocker to anyone. However, he seems to disagree, as he thinks there’s a sizeable market of health-conscious consumers who will stop buying them once they realize it’s not a health food. It’s a stock blog, so that’s his primary interest, but personally I think people who buy burgers know that burgers are junk food. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/76 "2019-05-09T19:31:51Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I mean, if he wants to argue that a beyond burger is not particularly healthy, I don’t think that’s a shocker to anyone. However, he seems to disagree, as he thinks there’s a sizeable market of health-conscious consumers who will stop buying them once they realize it’s not a health food. It’s a stock blog, so that’s his primary interest, but personally I think people who buy burgers know that burgers are junk food. His whole argument seems dumb to me, but whatever. I don’t think anyone in this thread has mentioned anything about them being “healthier” or not than beef (whatever that means–and we can argue till the cows come home about that one). From my personal experience with myself and others who have been trying out and eating these meat substitutes, the “healthiness” aspect of it has never figured into our equation to eat them. I know it’s a small sample, but I’m not at all convinced the main market for these is health-food types. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/77 "2019-05-09T19:38:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > His whole argument seems dumb to me, but whatever. I don’t think anyone in this thread has mentioned anything about them being “healthier” or not than beef (whatever that means–and we can argue till the cows come home about that one). From my personal experience with myself and others who have been trying out and eating these meat substitutes, the “healthiness” aspect of it has never figured into our equation to eat them. I know it’s a small sample, but I’m not at all convinced the main market for these is health-food types. If the Beyond Burger is not healthier than a regular beef burger than I can not see a reason to choose one over a beef burger unless you are a vegetarian/vegan. As much as they have tried to replicate a beef burger with vegetables they just are not quite there. They are not bad but if I am in the mood for a burger I can never see myself choosing the Beyond Burger in lieu of a regular beef burger if the goal is to enjoy a good burger. If I did my reasons would have to extend beyond taste to something else (cost, save the planet maybe). ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/78 "2019-05-09T19:39:19Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > His whole argument seems dumb to me, but whatever. I don’t think anyone in this thread has mentioned anything about them being “healthier” or not than beef (whatever that means–and we can argue till the cows come home about that one). From my personal experience with myself and others who have been trying out and eating these meat substitutes, the “healthiness” aspect of it has never figured into our equation to eat them. I know it’s a small sample, but I’m not at all convinced the main market for these is health-food types. I’m going to assume the author isn’t a vegetarian and is basing his analysis on misconceptions of vegetarians/vegans. Although some people do go plant-based primarily for health reasons ([17% according to this](https://vomadlife.com/blogs/news/why-people-go-vegan-2019-global-survey-results)), I’ve had a ton of people ask if I’ve done it for health reasons while offering up salads. It’s almost a cliche at this point – I don’t want your stupid side salad, give me fries, dammit. I’m a vegetarian, not fat. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/79 "2019-05-09T19:40:46Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > If the Beyond Burger is not healthier than a regular beef burger than I can not see a reason to choose one over a beef burger unless you are a vegetarian/vegan. Believe it or not, there are tons of people out there who are trying to eat less meat in order to reduce their carbon footprint without going full vegetarian/vegan. It’s not a binary choice. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428/80 "2019-05-09T19:47:02Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I don’t think anyone in this thread has mentioned anything about them being “healthier” or not than beef Posts #9 and #14. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beyond-meat-vegan-burgers-really-do-taste-and-feel-like-meat/833428.md?page=5)