Is Impossible or Beyond Meat Healthy? A Balanced Look

Impossible and Beyond burgers are not health foods, but they are not junk either. Compared with 80/20 ground beef, they have similar protein, no cholesterol, some fiber, and less saturated fat (much less in Beyond's case), but more sodium. They are processed foods, so they work best as a swap for the burger or sausage you would otherwise eat, rather than as a replacement for beans, lentils, tofu and vegetables.

What is actually in them

Impossible Burger is built mainly from soy protein concentrate, with coconut oil and sunflower oil for fat, methylcellulose as a binder, and soy leghemoglobin. That last ingredient is a heme-containing protein made through fermentation with engineered yeast. Heme is the molecule that gives meat its color and some of its flavor, and it is what makes Impossible taste notably "meaty." Impossible also adds vitamins and minerals, including B12, iron and zinc.

Beyond Burger uses pea protein as its main base, along with rice, lentil and faba bean proteins, avocado oil, methylcellulose, potato and pea starch, and beet-derived color. It contains no soy and no gluten. Recent versions have been reformulated with avocado oil and a higher protein count.

Neither contains anything exotic or alarming by food-industry standards. Methylcellulose, for instance, is a common plant-derived thickener also used in many other foods. But the ingredient lists are long, which is where the processing debate starts.

The nutrition, side by side with beef

Here is how a 4-ounce serving compares, using the manufacturers' current labels and standard nutrition data for raw 80/20 ground beef. Formulas change, so always check the package you buy.

• Impossible Burger: about 19 g protein, 14 g total fat, 8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 370 mg sodium.
• Beyond Burger: about 21 g protein, 14 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 310 mg sodium.
• 80/20 ground beef (raw): about 19 g protein, 23 g total fat, roughly 9 g saturated fat, around 80 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, about 75 mg sodium.

A few things stand out.

Protein is a wash. All three deliver roughly the same amount per serving. If you were worried about losing protein by switching, you are not.

Saturated fat is lower, especially with Beyond. Impossible's coconut oil keeps its saturated fat close to beef. Beyond's switch to avocado oil brought its saturated fat down considerably. If you are watching cholesterol or heart health, that difference matters.

Sodium is higher. This is the main nutritional trade-off. Plain ground beef has very little sodium until you season it, while both plant burgers are pre-seasoned. In fairness, most people salt their beef burgers heavily, so the real-world gap is smaller than the label suggests. But if you are on a low-sodium diet, factor it in and go easy on salty toppings.

Fiber and cholesterol favor the plant burgers. Beef has no fiber and does contain dietary cholesterol. The plant versions have a little fiber and no cholesterol.

The ultra-processed question

Impossible and Beyond fall into the category many nutrition researchers call ultra-processed foods: products made from extracted and recombined ingredients rather than whole foods. Large observational studies have linked diets high in ultra-processed foods to worse health outcomes, and that has fueled a lot of skepticism about plant-based meat.

It is worth keeping that in perspective. The ultra-processed category is very broad, covering everything from soda and candy to packaged bread and plant-based burgers, and researchers are still debating whether all foods in it carry the same risk or whether specific ingredients and nutrient profiles matter more. Many processed meats, such as hot dogs, bacon and deli meats, are also highly processed, and they have their own well-established health concerns.

There is limited direct research on plant-based burgers specifically. A small 2020 Stanford trial of 36 adults, who ate either animal meat or Beyond products for eight weeks and then switched, reported lower LDL cholesterol during the plant-based phase. It was short and small, and it was supported by a research gift from Beyond Meat (the researchers say the company had no role in the design or analysis), so it shouldn't be taken as the final word.

A sensible reading of the evidence: plant-based meats are a reasonable replacement for the red and processed meat in your diet. They are not a replacement for the whole foods, such as beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, grains and vegetables, that do most of the work in a healthy plant-based diet.

When they make a good swap

Plant-based burgers and sausages earn their place in a few situations:

• The meals you miss most. If a backyard burger or a sausage at a ballgame is the moment you'd otherwise go back to meat, a plant version that tastes right is a useful tool.
• The early weeks of cutting down. Familiar foods make the transition much easier while you are still building a repertoire of new meals.
• Social situations. Bringing a pack of plant burgers to a cookout means you eat the same thing as everyone else, which takes the pressure off.
• Replacing processed meat. Swapping a plant-based sausage for a pork sausage, or a plant burger for a fast-food beef burger, is a reasonable trade nutritionally.

They are less useful as your everyday protein. For daily meals, whole-food proteins are cheaper and come with more fiber and less sodium. Our protein without meat guide covers those in detail, and the best meat substitutes guide compares options by dish.

A practical middle ground

You don't have to choose between "plant burgers are health food" and "plant burgers are poison." A pattern that works well for many people is to eat whole-food plant proteins most days and use plant-based meats a few times a week for the specific dishes where nothing else scratches the itch.

That approach also lines up with how meat cravings tend to work. They are usually tied to specific meals, times and places rather than a general need for meat. When one hits, it typically peaks and fades within 10 to 20 minutes. The Spared app is built for that moment: you open it instead of the fridge, ride out the craving, and it counts each one you get through along with your days and the animals spared. If you still want the burger once the craving fades, having a plant-based one ready is a perfectly good outcome.

Who should be more careful

A few groups should look at labels more closely. People with soy allergies should avoid Impossible, and people with pea or legume sensitivities should check Beyond's ingredient list. Anyone on a sodium-restricted diet should count plant burgers like any other seasoned, processed food. If you have specific health conditions, a doctor or registered dietitian can help you decide how these products fit into your diet.

Common questions

Is Impossible or Beyond healthier?

On current labels, Beyond has noticeably less saturated fat and slightly less sodium, while Impossible is fortified with more vitamins and minerals, including B12 and iron. Both have similar protein. Which is "healthier" depends on what matters most for you, and both are best eaten as part of an overall diet built mainly on whole foods.

Are plant-based burgers healthier than beef?

They have similar protein, no cholesterol, some fiber and usually less saturated fat, but more sodium. As a swap for beef burgers or processed meats, they are a reasonable choice. They are not a substitute for whole-food proteins like beans, lentils and tofu.

What is soy leghemoglobin, and is it safe?

Soy leghemoglobin is a heme-containing protein found naturally in soy plant roots, produced for Impossible through fermentation with engineered yeast. It gives the burger its meaty color and flavor. The FDA has reviewed it and allowed its use in food in the US.

Are Impossible and Beyond ultra-processed?

Yes, by most definitions they count as ultra-processed foods. That category is very broad, and research on plant-based meats specifically is still limited. Treat them like other processed foods: fine in moderation, especially as a swap for processed meats.