by Taylor Wolfram, MS, RDN, LDN
A recent study compared three plant-based burgers available in the European Union (Beyond Burger, Incredible Burger, and Planty-of-Burger) to 85% beef burgers.
The main ingredients for the plant-based burgers include:
- Beyond Burger: pea protein isolate, canola oil, coconut oil
- Incredible Burger: soy protein, canola oil, coconut oil, wheat gluten
- Planty-of-Bburger: sunflower and pea protein concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil
All of the burgers contained beets for red color and resembled beef (as opposed to the traditional, more whole-foods-based patties).
Protein, sodium, and total and saturated fat content were similar between plant-based and cow-based burgers; alpha linolenic acid (ALA), omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, and medium chain triglycerides were also statistically similar. Plant-based burgers contained less cholesterol, trans fat, and zinc; more fiber, carbohydrate, and polyunsaturated fat (particularly omega-6 fatty acids); and twice as much iron.
A free version of the paper is available at the link from the citation below.
