This is going to be a post with facts. I’m going to keep my opinion to myself. I’m also not going to debate a carnivorous diet vs vegetarian or vegan diet. It is not up to me to tell you how your ethics contribute to your diet. My ultimate goal is to give you the best information so YOU can make your own informed, educated health decisions.

With that said, I’m also not very good at keeping my “advice” to myself- so let’s see how this goes 😉

The Beyond Burger is hitting the scene like a wrecking ball. Veg heads and meat eaters alike agree that this burger is a delicious, plant based alternative to beef burgers. It’s being marketed as healthy.

I’ve seen this image floating around social media and it really struck me, so I dug a little deeper….

Now, I went directly to the Beyond Burgers website and the ingredients list is ACTUALLY– Water, Pea Protein Isolate*, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Rice Protein, Natural Flavors, Cocoa Butter, Mung Bean Protein, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Apple Extract, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Pomegranate Fruit Powder, Beet Juice Extract (for color).

And here is the Nutrition Label for the Beyond Burger:

Bear with me….

Next is the nutrition facts for a 4 oz (identical size) Beef Burger

And just for shits and giggles… here’s one last image, the nutrition label of a 4 oz turkey burger:

You are all very intelligent, investigative people and I am confident that you can decipher the information in these graphics. But I’m not asking you to really compare the numbers in these labels, really. I’m asking you to use your instincts and really think about what makes a food “healthy”.

Let me put it to you in a very simple way that aligns with my nutrition and food philosophy.

EAT FOODS THAT ARE FOOD.

If that doesn’t explain to you how I feel about the Beyond Burger, I will offer more insight. I will always stand by eating food that is as close to it’s natural state as possible. Natural as in how it actually exists in nature. Whether that is an animal or a product made of plants. If the ingredients in a processed food needs to be processed before they go into the processed food…thats way too many steps away from nature for me to feel comfortable including in my diet on a regular basis. If my body needs to spend time and energy on breaking down unidentifiable substances in my food then my body isn’t able to spend as much time and energy functioning as it should, metabolizing my food into energy , burning fat, building and maintaining muscle and strengthening my immune system.

Even though there are some nutritional benefits to each of these products, I will always choose the least processed foods first, THEN compare nutrition facts to decide which is a better choice. And you know what? The best choice for me, nutritionally, is very likely not the same best choice for you nutritionally. You may need to be focusing on reducing your saturated fat intake, while I may need to be increasing my protein. Some people may require significantly less protein that others and some have to focus on eating more fat.

There is no one size fits all approach to nutrition. There is no diet plan, or eating schedule, or macro breakdown that will work for everyone. So I just beg of you one thing– before you begin any new program or theory, ask yourself… “Is this RIGHT for ME?”

And finally, later today, I will write another post illustrating what I would ACTUALLY eat in this debate….. stay tuned!

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