4 ms·

Actually misses the point entirely. Comparing a Beef patty to a Beyond Meat patty shows roughly comparable macro nutritional values. [1],[2] Beyond Meat "wins

Actually misses the point entirely. Comparing a Beef patty to a Beyond Meat patty shows roughly comparable macro nutritional values. [1],[2] Beyond Meat "wins" in that it does not have any cholesterol, and no trans fats. But each has comparable calories, and fat levels. (Though it should be noted that Beyond Meat is most likely much better for the environment oz for oz). The issue that the Whole Foods CEO is taking is that Beyond Meat is marketed as a healthy alternative to meat. It is only marginally more healthy at best. Replace a cheese burger with Beyond Meat and you still have something that is unhealthy. I'd liken this to the same diet fad marketing that vegetarian food was healthier. This lead to Americans believing they were being healthy while over consuming pastas and other processed grains simply because they omitted the meat. 1: https://www.beyondmeat.com/products/the-beyond-burger/ https://www.beyondmeat.com/products/the-beyond-burger/ 2: https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/ground-beef-(85%25-lean---15%25-fat-patty-cooked-broiled)?portionid=46541&portionamount=4.000 https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/ground-bee...

coder4life 7y ago
How is "marginally more healthy _at_ best" defined? Vegetarian food is healthier, and reduces all cause mortality. Here's one of many studies that say so: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31387433 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31387433
- balls187 7y ago
  The study is about plant-based diets, not "vegetarian food." I don't have access to the article, so I'm not sure what they define as a plant-based diet, but Harvard defines them as a diet focused mostly on plants, not one that omits meat (vegetarian) and/or animal products completely (Vegan). I wouldn't argue a diet based around plants is more healthy than one that is not, but I wouldn't generalize and say vegetarian (read: no meat) is more healthy than one that does involve meat. > How is "marginally more healthy _at_ best" defined? Just comparing the nutritional values between 4oz of beef vs 4oz of Beyond Meat.
- simonsarris 7y ago
  No it isn't, and that study isn't even about vegetarians. Studies done in the USA can have very disparate conclusions because questionnaire studies are terrible w.r.t. diet "in your study, "The ARIC study did not assess whether participants were following a plant‐based diet.", the average person eats insanely unhealthy (> 70% overweight) and the average american's idea of meat is basically fried bread with condiment levels of meat. It's further confounded because vegetarians are usually higher SES or conscientious about what they're eating in the first place. So you would expect to find studies disputing this and also studies that find the health effects of vegetarian diets are not unique. And you do: (2012) Vegetarian diets, low-meat diets and health: a review. Public Health Nutr 15: 2287–2294. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22717188 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22717188 > CONCLUSIONS: The health benefits of vegetarian diets are not unique. Prudent plant-based dietary patterns which also allow small intakes of red meat, fish and dairy products have demonstrated significant improvements in health status as well. At this time an optimal dietary intake for health status is unknown. Plant-based diets contain a host of food and nutrients known to have independent health benefits. While vegetarian diets have not shown any adverse effects on health, restrictive and monotonous vegetarian diets may result in nutrient deficiencies with deleterious effects on health. For this reason, appropriate advice is important to ensure a vegetarian diet is nutritionally adequate especially for vulnerable groups. 2017 study shows "no evidence that following a vegetarian diet, semi-vegetarian diet or a pesco-vegetarian diet has an independent protective effect on all-cause mortality": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519/ An Austrian study suggests vegetarians are less healthy and have a lower quality of life, and higher rates of mental illness: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0088278&type=printable https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/jo... In Australia, which I think has one of the highest meat intakes in the world, "We found no evidence that following a vegetarian diet, semi-vegetarian diet or a pesco-vegetarian diet has an independent protective effect on all-cause mortality." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519?dopt=Abstract https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519?dopt=Abstract
- rhinoceraptor 7y ago
  That study does not say a vegetarian diet is more healthy, it says that people who self-report following a vegetarian diet are more healthy. And you would expect people who eat a vegetarian diet to be more healthy on average. They're likely more affluent, educated and aren't drinking, smoking or eating junk food as much as the general population.
bagacrap 7y ago
Real beef patties definitely don't have any trans fat, unless maybe they contain weird additives. Trans fat comes from hydrogenation of vegetable oils.
- coder4life 7y ago
  Real beef patties contain trans fats, as does dairy.... About a 1/2 gram of the fat in a burger is trans fat. https://nutritionfacts.org/2014/02/27/trans-fat-in-animal-fat/ https://nutritionfacts.org/2014/02/27/trans-fat-in-animal-fa...
whycombagator 7y ago
Sort of this. Also remember the meat alternatives like Beyond are processed foods and there's more to health than just comparing macros. Ingredients for Beyond: "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)"[0] [0] https://www.beyondmeat.com/products/the-beyond-burger/ https://www.beyondmeat.com/products/the-beyond-burger/ Edit: I am aware you can buy processed burgers/meat. But you can also buy/make burgers from meat that is not processed. I am not aware of a process to make meat free burgers/meat without processing and a ~dozen ingredients
- balls187 7y ago
  This is true. I've made this point in another post about Plant Based Protein Meat Alternatives. To simplify the discussion though, I focused on the nutritional values, which seem very similar to beef.

coder4life 7y ago

How is "marginally more healthy _at_ best" defined? Vegetarian food is healthier, and reduces all cause mortality. Here's one of many studies that say so: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31387433 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31387433

balls187 7y ago
The study is about plant-based diets, not "vegetarian food." I don't have access to the article, so I'm not sure what they define as a plant-based diet, but Harvard defines them as a diet focused mostly on plants, not one that omits meat (vegetarian) and/or animal products completely (Vegan). I wouldn't argue a diet based around plants is more healthy than one that is not, but I wouldn't generalize and say vegetarian (read: no meat) is more healthy than one that does involve meat. > How is "marginally more healthy _at_ best" defined? Just comparing the nutritional values between 4oz of beef vs 4oz of Beyond Meat.
simonsarris 7y ago
No it isn't, and that study isn't even about vegetarians. Studies done in the USA can have very disparate conclusions because questionnaire studies are terrible w.r.t. diet "in your study, "The ARIC study did not assess whether participants were following a plant‐based diet.", the average person eats insanely unhealthy (> 70% overweight) and the average american's idea of meat is basically fried bread with condiment levels of meat. It's further confounded because vegetarians are usually higher SES or conscientious about what they're eating in the first place. So you would expect to find studies disputing this and also studies that find the health effects of vegetarian diets are not unique. And you do: (2012) Vegetarian diets, low-meat diets and health: a review. Public Health Nutr 15: 2287–2294. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22717188 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22717188 > CONCLUSIONS: The health benefits of vegetarian diets are not unique. Prudent plant-based dietary patterns which also allow small intakes of red meat, fish and dairy products have demonstrated significant improvements in health status as well. At this time an optimal dietary intake for health status is unknown. Plant-based diets contain a host of food and nutrients known to have independent health benefits. While vegetarian diets have not shown any adverse effects on health, restrictive and monotonous vegetarian diets may result in nutrient deficiencies with deleterious effects on health. For this reason, appropriate advice is important to ensure a vegetarian diet is nutritionally adequate especially for vulnerable groups. 2017 study shows "no evidence that following a vegetarian diet, semi-vegetarian diet or a pesco-vegetarian diet has an independent protective effect on all-cause mortality": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519/ An Austrian study suggests vegetarians are less healthy and have a lower quality of life, and higher rates of mental illness: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0088278&type=printable https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/jo... In Australia, which I think has one of the highest meat intakes in the world, "We found no evidence that following a vegetarian diet, semi-vegetarian diet or a pesco-vegetarian diet has an independent protective effect on all-cause mortality." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519?dopt=Abstract https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28040519?dopt=Abstract
rhinoceraptor 7y ago
That study does not say a vegetarian diet is more healthy, it says that people who self-report following a vegetarian diet are more healthy. And you would expect people who eat a vegetarian diet to be more healthy on average. They're likely more affluent, educated and aren't drinking, smoking or eating junk food as much as the general population.

bagacrap 7y ago

Real beef patties definitely don't have any trans fat, unless maybe they contain weird additives. Trans fat comes from hydrogenation of vegetable oils.

coder4life 7y ago
Real beef patties contain trans fats, as does dairy.... About a 1/2 gram of the fat in a burger is trans fat. https://nutritionfacts.org/2014/02/27/trans-fat-in-animal-fat/ https://nutritionfacts.org/2014/02/27/trans-fat-in-animal-fa...

whycombagator 7y ago

Sort of this. Also remember the meat alternatives like Beyond are processed foods and there's more to health than just comparing macros. Ingredients for Beyond: "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)"[0] [0] https://www.beyondmeat.com/products/the-beyond-burger/ https://www.beyondmeat.com/products/the-beyond-burger/ Edit: I am aware you can buy processed burgers/meat. But you can also buy/make burgers from meat that is not processed. I am not aware of a process to make meat free burgers/meat without processing and a ~dozen ingredients

balls187 7y ago
This is true. I've made this point in another post about Plant Based Protein Meat Alternatives. To simplify the discussion though, I focused on the nutritional values, which seem very similar to beef.