As plant-sourced burgers become available in most stores and many menus, the question arises, "Are they any healthier than a beef hamburger?". Spoiler alert: YES. The worst fact is that both Impossible and Beyond (less so) have the same amount of saturated fat as a traditional burger, although its source is coconut oil. The American Heart Association has warned thatcoconut oil increases our risk of heart disease as it raises LDL cholesterol. (There is some suggestion it is not quite as harmful on a gram-for-gram basis as animal fat.) What's superior about plant burgers is they contain NO cholesterol, they HAVE fiber (animal fat has no fiber), and NO TMAO. (See my video for a discussion of TMAO and how it causes heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease, or visit Harvard's discussion ). They also have not concentrated toxins all the way up the food chain. Remember, you eat what your food ate. Yes, plant burgers have salt, but put this in perspective- impossible has 370 mg. of sodium, but a low salt diet allows up to 2,000 mg of sodium per day.

For a great summary of beef vs. plant burgers, see this fact sheet from Dr. Greger's website, nutritionfacts.org.