Vegan burgers that BLEED like actual meat? It's for real and I've got all the bloody beets... I mean deets right here!
Meat, I mean, MEET these 4 meatless bleeding veggie burgers that promise to compare to the real thing!
Itโs no secret that veganism is growing like a wild fire with over a 900% increase in demand worldwide for vegan options! (1)
It's predicted that the global meat-alternative market will reach $5.2 billion by 2020! (2)
So, what are all these vegans eating anyway?
You can peruse the internet for an endless supply of options that appeal to your wildest fantasies or what we like to call in the food world food porn ;)
You can even check out my own blog and find some (tooting my own horn here!) mouthwatering, veganized options of your personal favorite, traditional meals like burgers, sausages, brownies, cheeses, cakes and more! But what about if you want it to be really, intensely comparable to the real thing?
Like... what if you want it to bleed?
... I mean biting into that big, scrumptious, succulent burger and having the juicy blood drip from it.
Umm... well, I havenโt been able to conquer that yet but I know some companies that have and youโre going to love them!
If youโre into that (the whole rare burger, red meat thing) and I want to make it abundantly clear that I am in no way judging you- at one point I was right there with you. I would love me a smothered burger, rare to form, juicy, topped with some cheese and more cheese on top of that. I get it. Iโm not judging, I swear.
BUTโฆ
That was then and now since changing my diet and living a miraculous change in my health, I am a huge advocate for what I consider a better way!
So let's find it because let's face it, you want your cake and want to eat it too, right?
Cool, letโs make it happen!
Companies have made you vegan, cruelty-free copy-cats of your favorite patties and made them bleed for you!
I think we should check them out! What about you?
Beyond Meat (The Beyond Burger) USA
If youโre a fan of my future husband, Leonardo DiCaprio, you might have heard about โBeyond Meatsโ which produced the bleeding burger aptly named โBeyond Burgerโ using peas as their primary ingredient and has 20g of protein per patty (thatโs a reported 32% of daily value in one burger!)
Beyond Meat offers a purportedly indistinguishable option for those craving a burger that explodes juices with every bite! See for yourself here!
Ingredients?
Pea Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Water, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Succinic Acid, Acetic Acid, Non-GMO Modified Food Starch, Cellulose From Bamboo, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Annatto Extract (for color), Citrus Fruit Extract (to maintain quality), Vegetable Glycerin.
More about how itโs made:
Canโt wait to have this on your plate?
Beyond Meats is available (according to their website at current time of posting) in the refrigerated & frozen section of 11,000 stores in the USA, including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Sprouts & many more. You can also buy Beyond Meatยฎ online through either VeganEssentials.com or VeganStore.com.
Impossible Foods (The Impossible Burger) USA
According to their website, the Impossible Burger uses 95% less land, 74% less water, and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing plant based protein opposed to meat products! (3)
Those are some pretty game-changing stats if you ask me!
The Impossible Burger uses an ingredient called โhemeโ which they refer to as โa basic building block of life on Earth, including plantsโฆ uniquely abundant in meat.โ(4)
The Impossible team claims that heme is what makes meat โsizzle, bleed and smellโ the way the world has come to know and love which makes their vegan take on the patty so titillating to the senses!
Ingredients?
Water, Textured Wheat Protein, Coconut Oil, Potato Protein, Natural Flavors, 2% or less of: Leghemoglobin (soy), Yeast Extract, Salt, Soy Protein Isolate, Konjac Gum, Xanthan Gum, Vitamin C, Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Zinc, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12.
Contains:
Soy, Wheat
These guys also host 20g per patty, same as the Beyond Burger which just inches over the classic red meat version coming in at about 19g.
Howโs that for getting our protein?
What I think is incredible about this company is not only their commitment to the environment and the health of those ingesting their products but also their capacity to make 1 million pounds of this vegan meat each month!(5)
Thatโs a LOT of protein for the world!
All of that production should probably cause a bit of environmental impact though, right?
Well, Impossible Foods says:
The Impossible Burger uses about 75% less water, generating approximately 87% fewer greenhouse gases and requiring around 95% less land than conventional ground beef from cows. Furthermore, the patty is produced without hormones, antibiotics, cholesterol or artificial flavors. (6)
Guess that answers that then ;)
Where can you get these mouthwatering delights?
Currently the Impossible Burger is located in stores and restaurants across the USA. Check their website for their handy location finder! Click here to check it out!
Don Lee Farms Organic Plant Based Burger USA
This burger has come through with a USDA certified organic label, shelf space in Costco and Whole Foods and bleeds with the use of plant magic.
What more could you want?
The companyโs name has been is operation for 36 years and now boasts this GMO, artificial ingredient and preservative free bleeding burger thatโs taking the vegan community by storm! (7)
โItโs a burger made with plants, not with science,โ
Product Development team member at Don Lee Farms, Danny Goodman, said about their newest patty.
โAs people choose to consume less meat, they expect a burger alternative to be made with simple, wholesome and recognizable ingredients. This is the burger for them. This product is another example of what our team develops by focusing on each ingredientโs purpose. Because we crafted this burger from organic and responsible sources, itโs truly the only sustainable replacement for a raw beef burger.โ (8)
Ingredients?
I couldnโt find a full list as the product is quite new to market but what I gathered from multiple sources was:
The bleeding effect is caused from organic beet juice and sizzles on the grill from organic vegetable-based fats!
I don't know about you, but I can't wait to bite into it!
Where to get them?
Costcos, Whole Foods and restaurants throughout the USA.
'Iceland' Supermarket No Bull Burger UK (Available April 2018)
This burger hasn't even been released yet but I got wind of it and wanted to share it with you! They launch in April this year at Iceland Supermarkets across the UK!
Iceland says the burger is an attempt to win over the growing population of flexitarians who are looking for plant based alternatives to add to their diets to cut down on meat consumption. (9)
Ingredients?
It's made with the protein of soya and colored with beetroot extract to give it that juicy red blood and is spiced with paprika!
Verdict?
Harry Wallop from The Sun got to try these before they hit the market and says of them:
โThe texture was chewy, like a real meat patty. And the flavour was fascinatingly beefy โ a very savoury taste... If you closed your eyes you might almost think it was the real thing.โ (10)
Catch them at Supermarkets coming this April 2018 across the UK at just ยฃ2 per two pack! (11)
How 'bout 'dem apples?
I don't know about you all, but this research mission has made me super excited about the future of the vegan burger and I can't wait for a trip back to the US to give all of these a try!
Have you ever tried any of these brands before?
- If so, how did you find them?
- Did they compare to the real deal?
- Would you eat them again?
If you haven't tried any of these, would you be interested in giving them a go?
- Would you serve these to your family/friends?
Would you be willing to switch to plant based if it was comparable in taste?
- What do you think about bleeding plant based burgers?
Personally, I'm excited for all of the creativity coming through with the rise of interest in plant based diets! Thanks to the creators of these products for giving us options!
Want these meat alternatives in your country? Demand creates production so head on over to the companies' websites or a local store and ask for it to be ordered in and distributed in your area!
Sources:
(dang right I did my research!) ๐
(1) Live Kindly: Vegan Stats
(2) Plant Based News: 5 Studies
(3) Impossible Foods
(4) Heme
(5) Live Kindly: Impossible Foods
(6) Impossible Foods FAQ
(7) Business Wire: Don Lee Farms
(8) Live Kindly: Organic Vegan Burgers
(9+10) The Sun: Iceland Vegan Burgers
(11) Plant Based News: Iceland's Plant Based Burger
I truly believe we can heal ourselves through food and it is my mission in life to create and inspire delicious, mouth watering creations that are beneficial and packed full of plant based goodies to fuel our bodies, minds and lives!
Just a friendly reminder to all that I am hosting a very vegan contest click here to see the post explaining how to get involved! Anyone can enter and anyone can win as long as you follow the rules! ๐
Until next time!
Sending you love through food,
While you're here, check out some of my recent plant-based, love-filled recipes!
Pumpkin Spiced Lattes!
10 Minute Vegan Pepper Jack Cheese
Rainbow Antioxidant Smoothie
Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake for Breakfast!
Lucky Leprechaun Mint Choco Nice Cream Bites
Delicious Vegan Cheese Spread
Easy + Healthy Chocolate Pancakes
XO,
I fell off the the vegan wagon, but I tried a number of alternative meat products, mostly out of curiosity. None of them were really that satisfying. I have not tried any of the above, or seen them in stores, although I am interested to try them out. I'm pretty curious about legit food and all.
What I do know about is cultured nut cheese, which I've had the opportunity to give a shot. They are a non-dairy cheese that is real cheese, because it's made with real cheese cultures, but don't have any of the animal products in them. This is the best of the best as far as vegan alternatives. None of the nut cheeses I tried had the same flavor or texture as dairy cheeses, but they do have that tangy cheese flavor that makes you go yum!
Treeline is one that I've tried. Thier cashew cheese is EXCELLENTE!!!!! ok, I'm done :)
Unfortunately a lot of alternatives are full of crazy ingredients which aren't so great but I'm really curious about the Don Lee Farms one here, they have the organic cert from the US and claim to be all about the good ingredients but I couldn't find a full list online since they are so new.
If you do try them. let me know. I'm super curious! I lived off veggie burgers when I first transitioned because I was having such a hard time giving up my emotional addiction to the food.
I've been making cheese like it's nobody's business lately. My dad got my senses all messed up ordering pizza around me all the time. I'll have to remember this brand next time I'm over that way or maybe you can pack some for me whenever you come over here finally ;) <3
You been making cheeses huh? I'm intrigued. How do you make cheese?
Well nut cheeses! I made an almond spread last week then a cashew pepperjack over the weekend and a bunch more I haven't even posted yet! They all are different, sometimes you use lemon and have it sit in the fridge to get it to take on this cheesy taste, sometimes you have to cook it to get it to melt. Depends what you're going for but some can be super easy!
but not fermented? that's da kine!
Depends how much time you want to put into it! If you want easy, quick stuff that tastes and acts like cheese, you can just do it like that. If you have more time, you can ferment and get into all kinds of craziness but it depends. I always eat everything before it's ready so I'm not the person to tell you about long term ;)
I'm all about fermented, because it gets that real tang from the culture :)
Well, as you know, I am omnivore. I am switching more and more to plant based, but...
That said, I'll give at least one of these a try. I have mostly quit red meat for a time and I just bought a grill at a yard sale, so I'll give them the ultimate test.
I'm most interested in the environmental numbers. Everybody, and I do mean everybody, in the greater SouthWest depends utterly on the Colorado river and this and other things could have an impact. Like goodbye iceberg lettuce and no alfalfa grown for export. Those two things would give us 30 years to change our need patterns to a much more sustainable level.
Thanks for a great review. I really appreciate it.
Oh @bigtom13 we all know I'm slowly pulling you onto my side with my tempting recipes ;)
Can you please try them and let me know? I don't think I'll be stateside anytime soon and you guys have all the fun over there with cool products like these ;)
I am 100% with you- personally, I obviously don't need these burgers but I LOVE that their environmental impact is so much lower than conventional burgers. They say people are either vegan for health or for the environment but I'm all for both! Why not save ourselves and the earth we live in at the same time, right? ;)
Go get them and let me know! I'm so curious! <3
Great post @heart-to-heart, these type of alternatives are a great transitioning tool for folks who want to move to a more sustainable, healthier and cruelty free lifestyle. I remember when I was in that time and it seemed like such a daunting to do. My reasons were for the animals primarily so there was no way I could just drop in and out of Veganism. Products like this would have been a godsend for me.
Would I try them now? Hell yeah! of course, I would. I think though as other people have suggested that an ingredients list like a chemistry set cant be good for overall health and a focus on whole foods really is hte key to great health, environmental sustainability and of course being cruelty free.
This is a very well researched and presented article that deserves to do very well. Upvoted and resteemed!
Hey @moonunit, I am so on board with you there! I would have eaten these every single day of my transition. I know it because I had an awful time at first and veggie burgers really pulled through for me!
I hope that these options give people a little boost to feel like they can at least try to cut down on animal products or see what a plant based sub might be like!
I'd try them now as well because I find it sooo interesting and I love trying everything haha but like you and others have said, not so sure about long term. I think this is a great start though and I love that they are putting so much thought and effort into it for the environment :)
Thank you for your kind words, I actually love research projects so sometimes when the mood strikes, posts like these come out of the woodworks ;) I guess I spend a lot of my free time reading this kind of stuff haha <3
If you manage to get your hands on one of these before I do, you've gotta let me know how they are! =D
I think too many vegan burgers are made out of soy and contain too many foreign ingredients. It's all good though, everything is better than eating meat - but I think the movement of the vegan burgers also needs to go towards more natural ingredients in the long term. Great article btw, very thoroughly work! Keep it up!
Completely agree! I think the burgers are a beautiful idea to help people transition. But, probably not the best for long term replacements. Until they up their ingredient game. I have seen a few whole-plant based burgers before. I think @heart-to-heart has even made some. They just don't bleed... Carnists love bleeding food...
Yes absolutely, I think these are transitional helpers to get people thinking and moving towards a plant based diet. THEN they can switch over to my recipes and make their own, organic, healthier versions at home ;)
Oh my goodness @fruitarianism, I totally agree with you! For one, I only use organic, non-gmo soy grown from a local farmer I have a connection with here and I use it sparingly but I worry about the soy crops of the world for sure.
As for these burgers, to be honest, I don't think they are perfect but I love the fact that people are out there working on this, trying to come up with an environmentally friendly, comparable alternative that people will actually try.
I make burgers probably on average once a week (none of them bleed nor would I want them to lol) and they are made from organic, non-sketchy ingredients and I would prefer if everyone would do it this way which is why I share those recipes however, since I know that's not really attainable for everyone, I was happy to do the research into these new easy to make burgers in hopes to spread the plant based movement and get people thinking about trying an alternative =D
Thanks for stopping by, I hope we get even better than this in the future, but I have high hopes that the world is changing towards a more natural selection of foods <3
Today it is easier to be vegan than ever, I don't know why some people still think that is difficult or that they will eat salad all day long, I'm glad you shared this, so those unbelievers can see that it is possible to be vegan and enjoy the same tastes you were enjoyed in the past ๐
Hi @auracosmica :) It's so true! There are so many options like this to transition away from animal products without giving up the foods people love! I know that some people are very attached to their favorite foods so I love that companies are helping people adjust by giving them options like this :)
Great content! Thanks for sharing! I hadn't heard of some of these before, but will definitely research further. Thanks! :-)
Thank you! These are some of the bigger names out on the market right now with this specialty burger! There are tons of veggie burgers though, the world is making plant based more delicious and easy to get every day :) Let me know if you end up trying any of these, I am so curious to hear about how they actually taste!
If it's impossible, how is this possible??
I've been close to eating real tasting-imitation meat but haven't come close yet.
That quality looks amazing though (with the medium rare). Always a moment in heaven for Britland consumers.
Magic ;)
I think that companies are getting smart and realizing that they need options for people who are transitioning as times change the demand increases. I haven't tried any of these and would most do so out of curiosity ;)
I don't think any of them are perfect yet, I like making my own veggie burgers at home, but I think it's a wonderful step for the movement as a whole :)
this is all game changing.... the world is going vegan no doubt!!! I thought linda mcartney burgers were good... geez..... I am yet to try LOTF!!!! YUM!!!
Definitely agree with you there! The stats go to prove it! It's just not sustainable to continue our diets the way we've been eating any longer. I think these burgers are going to really shake things up and get more people to try plant based ;)
I think the Vegatarian is good life style and keep like that
I think so too :) Plant based is a lot better for the environment and many studies prove that it's better for health as well <3
I think the day I eat anything vegan is the day I meet you. For real. Sorry, meat eater here for life hehe. Would give it a whirl though!
Hahaha well, lucky for you I know the vegan spots now in your area so I'll take you there and watch you enjoy the plant based meals =D
haha can't wait then
But, just....WHY would you want a vegan burger that bleeds?? O_o
Personally, I think there's a million other meal ideas besides recreating the holy grail of hamburger out of plant-based ingredients.
If I wanna eat plant-based (which I do, 90% of the time), I don't want it to resemble or taste like meat.
And if I REALLY miss burgers that much, I will go get the best-quality grass-fed organic small farm burger I can.
#formervegan
Hi @krystalt :)
Honestly, that's a good question and I'll tell you from a psychological perspective, people become very attached to their foods emotionally and the world (mostly Western) has become attached to this vision and commitment to bloody, juicy, rare meats... I know many people who will turn back a steak if it doesn't come out bleeding (I worked in a fine dining steak house for 3 years) -_- I for one am with you (now) but I used to be one of those people!
Of course there are other ideas and recipes and meals to try to fill the void (my steemit page is full of them) but in this case, I just think that companies are working towards appealing to the emotions of those in transition to give them an option where they no longer feel that they are giving up something they have grown attached to over their entire lives! It's just psychology.
As a nutritionist I can say to you that people do not succeed in changing their diets if they feel emotionally attached to what they're giving up so I feel that these burgers are going to be an important steeping stone in transitioning people to the point where they no longer need their crutch and start to venture off into those other ideas/meals/recipes you were suggesting before.
It's just a tool to help and I think it's going to be really effective and positive for not only health but the environment :) Hope this helps clarify why I posted <3
they look amazing!
Don't they?! I think they are doing a super job making alternatives!
I just love to read posts like this. Such a great job on putting this together :) I feel the need to go to USA and UK and just munch on all the goodness :)
Thank you! This one took me a super long time because I am crazy like that and had to read everything haha but I loved learning about these projects- so cool that they are jumping on the bandwagon and trying to figure out ways to get more people eating plants ;) We should go together and try these out <3
Haha, well it sure resulted in a great post :).
I heard that one of the brands either Impossible burger or Beyond Beef is making a sausage too.
Oh yes, we totally should :) Would love that :D
When I was researching them, I saw that they had other products which were interesting. I just was super fascinated by the bleeding burgers... I thought that was next level lol
Haha yeah I know, I'm not sure how I would react to eating one though. It would be scary :D.
But I'm so happy that they do this since it's easier for meat eaters to eat vegan instead :)
Me too :) That's the biggest thing! I think it's amazing ;)
Shit...I'm a meat eater but
doesn't actually sound that appealing...
You would not believe how many conversations I had to sit through listening to my dad and his friends talk in this way lol... I thought it was just to mess with me but they genuinely love it. I also worked in a steak house for years and this was something people requested. I can't get behind it now but then it was my job to have it come out just right -_-
I'm in general trying to avoid beef since it has much worse effect on environment than some other meats..but it's weird that they enjoy it...I mean - I dont wanna play a holy guy here, in steak house I order medium and not well-done, but really just because of the taste...The actuall blood which comes out of it is kind of gross.. but taste is good so I get over it...
Regarding your father - it's weird, my father is also doing this to my little sis who's been veggie for couple of months now. Dunno why they do it, might be that they just feel threatened, so they try to do it subconsciously, to persuade themselves they are right...dunno..I admire my sis for it, especially cuz I myself wasnt still able to do it (tried just 2 months)..
There are definitely huge environmental advantages to cutting down on meat that's for sure- I know you were talking about it over on another post but I think it's commendable to take any step at all towards making a difference. If everyone did, we would be in an entirely different world one day soon :)
You know, I don't think I can say I have ever liked the taste of meat without any seasoning or the way it was cooked so isn't it the spicing and cooking we owe the taste and satisfaction to? Then you have the texture but they've figured that out already with tons of plant based stuff like mushrooms even!
That's funny that your dad does that too! I think you hit the nail on the head with your analysis of it. He was doing it just to mess with me and rile me up. Over time when I started showing him some recipes, meals and stats he slowed down and in the end wanted me to help teach him how to bring vegan food into his restaurant so it's all just getting familiar with the new. Give your sis a high 5 because it can be hard to take from a dad as a daughter. I felt a lot of anguish about it even though he was joking!
Honestly, I swear it's like anything. At first it's hard as F! At least it was for me. I cried and whined and acted like a baby that I couldn't get my meat fix. After a while my body let go of all that and now I just have no desire at all for it anymore. <3
With all these posts of yours my Val, you sure know it means, during my visit, you will get more busy with me, right? How can i not want to have this kind of burger, which is totally from organic plant?
Well my dear, don't distract me too much! I hardly have any time anymore it seems with all of my adventuring and making delicious meals, it seems like the clock is on overdrive ;)
Hahaha @ overdrive. I totally understand. I will be more than considerate...and i come bearing gifts. You will have an amazing time.