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Not so long ago, anyone looking to satisfy their meat cravings with a plant-based alternative had to be content with alternatives made from ingredients like soy, lentils, or beans. The results often range from bland to bearable, and meat-lovers trying to reduce their consumption without sacrificing flavor are usually disappointed. That began to change in 2012, when Beyond Meat, a California-based vegan meat producer, introduced their chicken-free strips, replicating the taste and texture of their animal-based counterparts. This was soon followed by the company’s signature product: a burger that “bleeds,” which won praise from meat eaters and set Beyond Meat on the path to becoming the market leader in the plant-based protein space.
After being initially funded by venture capitalists, Beyond Meat went public in 2019 with a hugely successful IPO, becoming the first vegetarian meat alternative to trade on a US stock exchange. This has helped the company offer a wider range of plant-based products, including sausage, ground “beef”, chicken tenders, crumbles, meatballs and its ever-popular burger patty. They can be found in more than 122,000 retail outlets in 80 countries.
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Many locations weren’t easy to break into, but Beyond Meat has two things going for it: a unique product and favorable word of mouth. This was made easier by company founder Ethan Brown’s refusal to work with stores until they agreed to display the brand’s products in the meat aisle, a move he considered crucial. “The future is one where the meat case will be called the protein case and consumers will be able to buy plant-based and animal-based protein side by side,” he said. The Washington Post In 2016.
What is Beyond Meat made of?
Beyond Meat products taste so much like animal-based products that it’s hard to believe they’re made entirely of plant ingredients. Each product is different, although the main ingredients are water, pea protein, various oils and seasonings. In addition, the burgers contain rice protein, yeast protein, cocoa butter, methylcellulose, potato starch, apple extract, sunflower lecithin, and beet juice, which later causes them to bleed.
Explaining Beyond Meat’s ingredients to investors in 2019, Brown said, “When we think about meat, we define it in terms of its composition. And as it turns out, meat is high levels of amino acids, lipids, minerals and vitamins, and water. An assembly. We have over the past few decades developed a scientific and technological understanding as well as the infrastructure to integrate these key components into a meat architecture, drawn directly from plant-based sources.”
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What makes Beyond Meat products resemble animal meat is the process of putting ingredients through an extruder machine, a giant pressure cooker that gives plant protein a fibrous structure similar to muscle tissue. It also helps that the company infuses its products with coconut oil, which gives a mouthfeel similar to animal fat.
Beyond Meat does not use any genetically modified ingredients.
Is Beyond Meat Healthy?
Although far from being a “health food”, meat products are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Beyond Burger now contains B-12, for example, an essential nutrient found in animal-based meats (and very few vegetarian foods). It has 35-percent less saturated fat, fewer calories and no cholesterol than 80/20 ground beef—all while providing the same 20 grams of protein found in a traditional hamburger.
The biggest health concern outside of meat is that it is a processed food. But nutritionists have determined that meat is a fairly healthy choice, if eaten in moderation. A study has been published American Journal of Clinical NutritionMeanwhile, non-meat products have even been shown to lower certain cardiovascular risk factors compared to red meat.
Another concern is the list of laundry ingredients that Beyond Meat products contain. Methylcellulose, which Beyond Meat classifies as a plant-derived carbohydrate, is particularly intriguing, as it apparently does not occur naturally and is produced synthetically. (It’s found in many other foods, such as ice cream, bread, and cake.) The increasingly crowded field of animal-friendly protein is constantly evolving, and Beyond Meat’s R&D team—composed of experts with backgrounds in biomedical and cancer research, food science, and chemistry— continues to refine its products to make them healthier and tastier.
Is Beyond Meat good for the planet?
The Beyond Meat website conducted a 2018 life-cycle analysis showing that production of its Beyond Burger produces 90-percent fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than regular beef. A peer-reviewed study conducted by Beyond Meat and conducted by the University of Michigan compared the environmental impact of the Beyond Burger to a quarter-pound US beef burger and found that the Beyond Burger also uses 99-percent less water, 93-percent less land, and 46 percent less energy in its production.
But some environmental groups have criticized Beyond Meat for not publicly disclosing the amount of GHG emissions from its operations, supply chain or consumer waste, and for not disclosing the impact of its operations on forests or how much water it uses, verifying its planet-friendly claims. difficult Marco Springman, a senior environmental researcher at the University of Oxford, agrees that switching to a plant-based diet is good for the planet, and companies like Beyond Meat are joining an important food movement. “However, their processed products have about half the carbon footprint of chicken, with five times the footprint of a bean patty.”
Even if Beyond Meat relies on industrial farming practices to make its products and doesn’t disclose the full extent of its environmental impact, years of research have shown that plant-based meats have a lower carbon footprint than most animal products. With animal agriculture contributing 14.5 percent of the world’s GHG emissions—and global demand for meat growing—it’s clear that moving away from eating animals is far kinder and more sustainable.
Beyond meat products
The company currently offers 11 animal-friendly products that mimic the taste and texture of meat:
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Beyond burgers The beef patty smells, sizzles and satisfies, providing the experience of enjoying a burger without the cruelty.
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Beyond Beef Can be used in sliders, meat sauces, chili, enchiladas and casseroles—any recipe that calls for ground beef.
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Out of the sausage Available in three flavors: Original, Hot Italian or Sweet Italian Brats. They can be cooked on a skillet, griddle or grill and are also perfect on pizza or pasta.
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Beyond Meatballs Authentic and versatile, they’re great whether they’re smothered in spaghetti sauce, fried for a sub, baked as an hors d’oeuvre, or simmered in a soup.
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Beyond Breakfast Sausage It’s an easy-to-prepare patty that can be added to pancakes, fried for a frittata, or tucked into an English muffin for a delicious morning sandwich.
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Beyond Beef Crumbles A convenient ingredient for nachos, spaghetti sauce, tacos, sloppy joes and more.
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The chicken is out of tender Can be used in any recipe that calls for baked and wrapped chicken, sandwiches, salads, tacos, or breaded chicken.
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Beyond popcorn chicken Get ready to party. Paired with an array of dips and sauces, these bite-sized dishes make a perfect appetizer for any get-together.
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Beyond Chicken Nuggets Check out this vegan brand’s chicken offerings. Even the toughest kid critics would approve.
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Beyond the steak Perfect for loading into tacos, top nachos, burrito bowls, salads and more. Plant-based seared tips are smoky, tender, and pack a punch of flavor.
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Beyond the shakes This brand leads the snack offering. Available in Teriyaki, Original and Hot & Spicy flavors, these slow-roasted and kettle-cooked snacks pack 10 grams of protein per serving.
How to use it outside of meat
Non-meat products come with cooking instructions and are prepared in the same way as animal-based meats. They are sold ready to cook – no further preparation required. Beyond Meat Crumbles are pre-cooked and ready to heat up for use in meals. Check the sell-by date, as products should be used right away. If purchased frozen, be sure to thaw the Beyond Meat product before cooking. Beyond Jerky is ready to eat after purchase.
Where to find Beyond Meet
Beyond Meat’s flagship product, the Beyond Burger, can be found in more than 30,000 grocery stores, schools and restaurant chains such as A&W, Carl’s Jr., and Denny’s. (The company made another version of its patty for McDonald’s.) Meanwhile, you can also find Beyond Meat products used at Del Taco, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Peet’s Coffee, Subway and Veggie Grill, among many other restaurants. To find Beyond Meat products near you, visit the company’s store locator here.
Beyond meat recipes
Below are five vegan Beyond Meat recipes that will satisfy meat-lovers.
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1 A bowl of Beyond Beef Chili
This easy recipe is packed with flavorful vegetables, beans, and plant-based protein prepared in a slow cooker.
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The Vegan Atlas
2 Classic vegan meatloaf without meat
Meatloaf is an old-school comfort food that’s been reimagined many times using different plant-based ingredients like lentils, chickpeas, and beans—none of which capture the texture and flavor of this traditional dish quite like Beyond Meat and this recipe. .
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Not nutritious
3 Beyond Beef Shepherd’s Pie
Originally an Irish delicacy, this hearty casserole is known for meat cooked in gravy, carrots, celery and onion and topped with a mashed potato crust. This vegan version is a crowd-pleaser that serves six.
Get the recipe
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4 Tuscan-Style Beyond Sausage Pasta
Tuscan cuisine is centered on Italian concepts Poor kitchen or “poor cooking”, calling for simple and readily available ingredients. This recipe uses linguine, sliced Beyond sausage brats, tomatoes, cannellini beans, baby spinach and seasonings to create a mouthwatering dish.
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5 Beyond Beef Midwest Sloppy Joe
Sloppy Joes—a variation on hamburgers—can be made in countless ways, but few are as hearty and heart-healthy as this version.
Get the recipe