Ask the doctors: Health debate over plant-based burgers’ ingredients

Dear Doctors: My roommates are vegetarians, and they eat a lot of those plant-based burgers that look like real beef. I have read the labels, and they have tons of ingredients, some that I can’t pronounce. Isn’t this an ultra-processed food? Are any of them actually good for you?

Dear Reader: Your questions about the newest generation of plant-based beef substitutes put you in the midst of a debate that sprang up with the products’ debut. They are vastly different from the veggie burgers that came before them, which looked and tasted like the soy, beans and legumes from which they were made. The new “burgers” are the result of an approach known as biomimicry, in which both natural and chemical ingredients are manipulated to create a realistic copy.

Variously known as meatless meats or meat analogs, they mimic the taste, look and texture of real meat to an almost uncanny degree. The “beef” patties even release juices when cut or bitten into, just like a real burger. In terms of calories and protein content, analog meats are similar to real beef.

Depending on the type of oil used in their production – some use coconut oil – the products are either somewhat or much lower in saturated fat than real beef. They also contain dietary fiber, an important nutritional component that is absent from real meat. But meat also contains a range of micronutrients that are not always added to meatless meats. These include iron, zinc, potassium, selenium and B vitamins, including niacin and B12.

The products, whose manufacturing requires less land and water and also produces fewer greenhouse gases than meat from cattle, are seen as an environmentally friendly choice. However, the plant-based starting ingredients undergo intense manipulation to reach their meatlike state. This includes industrial processes such as food-grade electrospinning, high-moisture extrusion, shearing and even 3D printing. Each has a specific role in making the vegetable proteins look, taste and behave like real meat. Add in a range of food additives, such as conditioners, binders, colorings and flavorings, along with a hefty dose of sodium, and meatless meats fall firmly into the category of ultra-processed food.

When it comes to whether analog meats are healthier than real meat, the answer is that no one knows yet. The products are still relatively new and, although rapidly growing in popularity, are not yet widely used. More time, data and research are needed to get a clear picture of their effects on health and well-being.

When talking with our own patients about adding analog meat to their diets, we start out by pinpointing their goals. If their wish is to move away from animal products and switch to a plant-forward diet, our suggestion is to first choose the whole, minimally processed foods that research continues to highlight as the most healthful choice. This includes the more traditional vegetarian proteins like grains, lentils, peas, chickpeas, peanuts, beans and quinoa, and also soy-based products, such as tofu and edamame. And for would-be vegetarians who still enjoy the occasional juicy burger, meatless meats are just a shopping trip away.

Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu.