Buzz
We’re in the midst of a golden era of plant-based burgers. Both the Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger deliver the meaty taste and texture without using actual meat. But how do they measure up in terms of nutrition compared to a real beef patty? Surprisingly, they're quite similar.
Let’s compare three patties: a 4-ounce Impossible Burger, a 4-ounce Beyond Burger, and the USDA's standard for a 4-ounce beef patty, made from 85% lean ground beef before cooking.
Calories: Impossible Burger: 240. Beyond Burger: 250. Beef Burger: 192. (Before cooking, the beef burger contained 283 calories, so the final calorie count depends on how much fat is allowed to render off during cooking.)
Fat content: The Impossible burger contains 14 grams of fat, the Beyond burger has 18 grams, and the beef burger offers 12 grams of fat after cooking, down from 17 grams in raw form. Cooking methods can affect these values.
Looking at saturated fat, the Impossible burger provides 8 grams, the Beyond burger has 6 grams, and the beef burger contains 5 grams.
Carbohydrates: The Impossible burger has 9 grams of carbs, with 3 grams being fiber. The Beyond burger contains 3 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber. Beef has no carbs at all.
Protein content: The Impossible burger has 19 grams of protein, the Beyond burger has 20 grams, and the beef burger also contains 20 grams of protein.
Sodium: The plant-based burgers have higher sodium content (370 and 390 milligrams, respectively) compared to beef, which only has 55 milligrams. The added sodium in the fake burgers comes from seasoning, while the beef numbers do not account for any added seasoning.
Overall, the plant-based meat replicates the nutritional profile and taste of real meat. If you’re being picky, the beef burger takes the lead slightly—offering fewer calories while maintaining the same amount of protein and slightly less fat.
So, choosing the plant-based burger doesn’t automatically mean you’re eating healthier. However, if your choice is driven by environmental or animal welfare concerns, rest assured you’re getting a comparable nutritional profile.
