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Plant-basedmeat alternativesproducts that look, taste, and even sizzle like animal meatare having a pretty big year.
Getty / Drew Angerer
Beyond Meat boasts similar numbers.
Why are people who enjoy meat shelling out for these meatless products?
I talked to experts and looked at research to attempt to find an answer.
It seems like its better for me.
I wanted to cut back, so I gave it a shot once and loved it.
The truth is, the research is pretty complicated.
Which, of course, sounds scary!
Even major medical organizations have issued recommendations to reduce the intake of red meat.
For instance, theAmerican Cancer Societytells us to limit red and processed meat consumption to reduce colorectal cancer risk.
People want to do things that are good for them, Levitsky explains.
So how much healthier are these meatless burgers, really?
The answer depends on whom you ask (and what you define as healthy, of course).
The hamburgers meatless rivals are mostly composed of plant-basedproteinsand fats.
(Konrad says, Our goal is to beat leastas nutritious as a burger from cows.)
So it mostly comes down to whether youd prefer to get your fat from an animal or plants.
Nutritionally, they look great.
Thats much less fat and sodium, and more protein than either beef burgers or veggie burgers.
So if youre motivated by health reasons alone, these are a pretty good choice.
Its better for the planet.
And this seems like a good opportunity to do that.
Exactlyhowgreat of an opportunity depends on what data you look at.
Beef production also taxes the planet with the mind-boggling amount of resources it requires.
So its not surprising that scientists are urging people toeat less meat, especially beef.
Researchers concluded, GHG emissions cannot be sufficiently mitigated without dietary changes towards more plant-based diets.
But we dont need to all go full vegan to reap some benefits.
Yes, producing less red meat overall is the general goal.
Measuring the actual impact of swapping to burger alternatives specifically, though, is tricky.
Impossible Foods commissioned its ownstudywith the help of environmental sustainability consulting group Quantis.
By the way: Tied into some peoples concerns about the environment are those about animal welfare.
Im just not ready to go veg yet.
Committed vegans have their bean burgers, and some percentage of die-hardcarnivoreswill never give up their beef burgers.
(At least, not yet.)
Its one way they can do it without having to give up their meat.
Many Americans have grown up eating meat.
Shes hopeful about going full veg in the future.
John is less optimistic.
I don’t think it would ever completely replace burgers for me, he admits.
But if more restaurants add it to their menu, I’ll continue to order it.
One things for sure, though.
We dont see signs of the meat industry disappearing anytime soon, San Martin says.
