What do yall think about plant based meats?

[soos_mite_ah]

I'm taking about things like beyond burgers, plant based sausages, and other meat substitutes. 

I can see eating these in moderation depending on what kind of ingredients the substitutes have and how processed they are. I can also see them as a way for people to ease into things like veganism and vegetarianism or dip their toe into entertaining that thought. Or if you're vegan/vegetarian and you have an itch/craving you can go for these substitutes. 

How healthy is this option? What are some downsides? 

[BlackMaze]

They are highly processed foods. If you eat this stuff very often it's unhealthy. In the case you value your own health more than veganism better eat meat sometimes. 

That said they are not bad in taste and they are getting better. If a healthy vegan eats them once in a while they are a great junk food. You just can't call that healthy food. 

[Village]

An absolute joke, basically vegans craving meat but instead of listening to their body they'll eat something that imitates meat but has none of the nutrition (rather, it's made of 20+ synthetic ingredients and some people actually believe it's healthier than a steak).

[Leo Gura]

It tastes gross. I don't understand how anyone likes it.

[Michael569]

@soos_mite_ah it's not good. This stuff is basically a ultra-processed vegan junk food. They are trying to replace protein with cheap protein powders and it is full of the cheapest oils, thickeners, preservatives, colourings, E-numbrs, fructose and phosphates. 

I'd prefer to make the burgers myself using beans, mushrooms, onions and some spices with some tahini or olive oil to mix it all up . If you have food processor, it is fairly easy to do and you have 100% control 

[whatishappeningtome]

Veggie burgers made of beans are much more tasty.

[Girzo]

Premium plant-based burgers like Beyond are very cool to eat for fun with friends in a restaurant, for example. It's not a daily staple, but it's nice they exist.

Homemade bean burgers are not the same thing.

[Hello from Russia]

1 hour ago, Village said:

An absolute joke, basically vegans craving meat but instead of listening to their body they'll eat something that imitates meat but has none of the nutrition (rather, it's made of 20+ synthetic ingredients and some people actually believe it's healthier than a steak).

Did you actually check the contents of at least one vegan meat before writing this? 

[Thought Art]

It's not all the same. Some is gross, unhealthy other is healthy and tastes good. Just depends. 

Some of it I find dehydrates and poisions me (Daya)

But, we have some local vegan butchers who make it right there and its all natural ingredients. 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Thought Art

[Waves]

I think they're a good stepping stone towards reducing meat consumption, especially when taking large fast food chains into account. Pretty unhealthy, but if you consider the meat quality served in most fast food restaurants, I think it's a step further. A major factor is that they need fewer resources to be produced, they have lower emissions and they don't involve animal farming. Overall, a positive for society, imo.

I personally treat them as junk food, exceptions for social events like BBQs, and not something that I would cook at home by myself. 

[BlackMaze]

5 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

It tastes gross. I don't understand how anyone likes it.

Well in my case when i was vegan for about a year or a bit less they offered the illusion that i was eating something that resembles meat again. A junk food break from just legumes and tofu. Some of them don't taste so bad because of how much you miss the taste of meat but still they are unhealthy junk. 

[RendHeaven]

Of all the "fake" meat brands, I like Gardein the best. Specifically their "meatless crumbles."

Minimal ingredients, still tastes good. Totally destroys something like beyond burgers lol.

That beings said, it's still relatively unhealthier than unprocessed foods.

Just eat well-cooked seasoned tofu lol

Edited May 23, 2021 by RendHeaven

[StarStruck]

It is not meat. Stop calling it meat. Just because you make it look like it doesn't make it meat. 

[Roy]

I've been vegetarian for 6 years. Plant based/fake meat products are kind of disgusting and not very nutritious to be honest. Not to mention STUPID expensive. If I wanted something like meat I'd just have a cheat day or straight up go back to eating meat. I'll have a beyond meat burger from somewhere very rarely on a road trip.

Just get your proteins from chick peas and different kinds of beans, eggs, etc. There are a lot of nutritious options.

[Gregp]

46 minutes ago, Roy said:

I've been vegetarian for 6 years.

So your opinion may be outdated. Just recently it has gotten better. 60% isn't good enough , but the 40%.. It's only just started the manifacturers found out it can deliver a lot of money, so it will get even better. Its surprising people still want to eat meat. Its so easy to find lots of things that are very tasty.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Gregp

[Village]

58 minutes ago, Gregp said:

Its surprising people still want to eat meat. Its so easy to find lots of things that are very tasty.

How is it surprising that people want to eat what humans have always eaten? You admitted yourself you crave meat, otherwise you wouldn't be buying meat imitations.

[Godhead]

@Michael569 What's your opinion on tofu?

[Ora]

@Godhead soy is controversial. Most studies suggest it raises estrogen which dampens thyroid and metabolism. Some studies suggest it may reduce risk of certain cancers. But they are loaded with unsaturated fats which you want to avoid.

I think if you want to eat it for taste it's OK once in a while, but don't use it as a staple for protein.

[RendHeaven]

12 minutes ago, Ora said:

Most studies suggest it raises estrogen which dampens thyroid and metabolism.

This is conjecture  

[mivafofa]

Unpopular opinion here but I find it very tasty. 

Tasty, probably unhealthy. it's like plant based junk food.