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BK Impossible Whopper....

I've had the Impossible Whopper (tried out of sheer curiosity) and the Beyond Burger (friend took me out to lunch and she's vegetarian, so I didn't want to make her pay for meat).

Overall, I thought the Beyond burger was pretty bad. It had an overwhelmingly bad odor (smelled like ... boiled peas) and the flavor was nowhere near actual beef. Very, very dry, too. I'd never have one again.

The Impossible Whopper was ... something. It smelled like a beef burger, it looked like a beef burger, and for the most part, it tasted like a beef burger (I'm guessing the high sodium content has something to do with it). But again, the texture was off, almost crumbly. But it wasn't a waste of four bucks, I suppose. Not something I'd ever go out of my way for, either.

That being said, I'm glad for the surge of improvements in plant-based meat substitutes. Our meat consumption, not just as a country but across the entire world, is entirely unsustainable and is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. The technology will only get better as time goes by.

It's easier if you don't really think of them as being hamberger. Just think of it as a food that vegitarian a can eat that gives them complete protein if eaten with bread.
The shape is just an option that is something most people are familiar with.
 
To me, "Vegan" will always mean someone from a planet orbiting Alpha Lyrae. I find it such a weird coinage for people who think "vegetarian" isn't vegetarian enough. It's even weirder that two of the three letters "vegan" shares with "vegetable" aren't even pronounced the same way.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Vegan

:techman:
I find the idea of a vegan Whopper to be rather amusing. Who goes to places like BK for their health, anyway? :lol:

People who care about animal welfare.
 
I tried one. Years ago I was vegan before some food intolerances made that untenable. It tasted surprisingly like a regular Whopper and was light years ahead of the meat substitutes that were around 15 years ago or so. I found it a bit dry but overall not bad. The best thing about the burger was the sweet onions. They had some amazing onions that day.

I'm all for the development of meat and dairy substitutes and hope more people come around to it, especially given they have been synthesizing casein protein from bacteria lately so also might finally be able to make a non-dairy cheese worth being called cheese. However, I hope that they focus more on healthier options than they are currently making. If it's not healthy for us but is healthy for the planet, I'm not sure I could call that a win. It's just a step in the right direction.
 
I'll be glad when vat-grown meat becomes tenable and widely marketed. It's cultured from real animal cells, so it's a way to get actual meat without killing animals or damaging the environment. Seems like the best of both worlds, really. The trick, as with vegetarian substitutes, is to find a way to recreate the taste and texture of natural meat so that consumers will be satisfied with it.

Honestly, the "tastes like a Whopper" recommendation doesn't do much for me, since I don't recall being that fond of Whoppers. Now, if they could duplicate a Rax roast beef sandwich... and if we still had Rax in my city...
 
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I'll be glad when vat-grown meat becomes tenable and widely marketed. It's cultured from real animal cells, so it's a way to get actual meat without killing animals or damaging the environment. Seems like the best of both worlds, really. The trick, as with vegetarian substitutes, is to find a way to recreate the taste and texture of natural meat so that consumers will be satisfied with it.

You're behind the times. Morning Star Farms had corn dogs 20 years ago that looked and tasted like the real thing. And things have only gotten better.

But you have to look for stuff like that. That's why a major chain like BK coming out with this is newsworthy.

Honestly, the "tastes like a Whopper" recommendation doesn't do much for me, since I don't recall being that fond of Whoppers. Now, if they could duplicate a Rax roast beef sandwich... and if we still had Rax in my city...

Well, aren't you special? I could just hug and cuddle you and tell you how special you are. ;)
 
You're behind the times. Morning Star Farms had corn dogs 20 years ago that looked and tasted like the real thing. And things have only gotten better.

But you have to look for stuff like that. That's why a major chain like BK coming out with this is newsworthy.

Yes, culturally, this is a HUGE shift from even a decade ago when no major chains would commit to even saying they'd consider something like this, much less do it. KFC sold out of their vegan chicken debut in something like 5 hours. The market is there for it and growing.
 
But you have to look for stuff like that.

Exactly my point. It exists, but it hasn't gone mainstream yet. It's seen as a niche product, so it hasn't yet significantly reduced the demand for conventionally grown meat. What I'm saying is that I want both vat-grown meats and vegetarian/"vegan" meat substitutes to become so universally accepted that we're able to wean our culture off of livestock farming altogether.
 
What I'm saying is that I want both vat-grown meats and vegetarian/"vegan" meat substitutes to become so universally accepted that we're able to wean our culture off of livestock farming altogether.

Yeah, this is where I sit as well. Even the Impossible Burger, despite having issues, is getting there (and I think it's on its third recipe iteration, so it's only going to get better). The fact of the matter is that factory farming is destroying the environment, between pollution of the water supply from waste, waste in general, deforestation, soil degradation and over-use of a rapidly dwindling fresh water supply. (It's projected that at least 20 percent of the world's population will be experiencing water scarcity within the next ten years; there's a reason there's such a push to find an energy-effective method of desalination.)
 
I haven't had a Beyond Meat Burger yet, but for some reason I would like to try one. They are pretty expensive though.
 
I haven't had a Beyond Meat Burger yet, but for some reason I would like to try one. They are pretty expensive though.

The Beyond burgers are pretty bad and have an incredibly foul smell; I'd eat a Boca or Morningstar burger before I ever dared try another Beyond. Impossible is definitely getting there, though the sodium content is a bit concerning.
 
I did not like the Beyond Meat Burger at all, and it really irritated my gut. It's not worth the price or the hype.
 
I'll be glad when vat-grown meat becomes tenable and widely marketed.
Yeah, me too.

Surprised we haven't had an interjection from a meat eater wondering 'Why on earth a vegetarian/vegan would want something that tastes like meat ?' or 'Why not have meat then ?'.

There does seem to be a common misconception that people mainly give up meat because they don't like it or for health reasons. I know quite a few meat avoiders and I can't think of any that applies to.

I can, however, think of some that would have reservations about lab grown meat.

I'm not one of them.
 
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There does seem to be a common misconception that people mainly give up meat because they don't like it or for health reasons. I know quite a few meat avoiders and I can't think of any that applies to.

Yup. For many people it's for ethical reasons or environmental concerns. Vat-grown meats would let people enjoy the taste of meat without worrying about animal welfare or climate change.
 
I've had the Beyond Burger and I really liked it, especially since the nutritional profile is closer to actual meat. I didn't notice any strange odor at all, and it didn't give me indigestion. If it was a lot more affordable, then I would gladly make it part of my regular routine. Around $12 will get me either four Beyond patties, or twelve beef patties. My protein intake is quite high to support my fitness routine, so the latter is still a much more economical option.

Incidentally, I'm seeing an ad on the page for guacamole bacon burgers at Carl's Jr. as I type this post...

Kor
 
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