Is Impossible™ Burger Good for You?

Impossible™ Burger is delicious, satisfying and certainly better for the planet than meat from animals, but is Impossible Burger good for you? We created Impossible Burger as a part of our mission to save our planet from the disastrous effects of the animal agriculture industry, and it uses less land, water and generates less greenhouse gas emissions than ground beef from cows. So from a sustainability perspective, you can feel good choosing to eat Impossible Burger. However, the term ‘good for you’ can often be a little subjective and broad. 

The bottom line is: consuming a balanced mix of foods is the best way to obtain the nutrients our bodies need to meet our own unique nutritional requirements. Impossible Burger is a good source of several essential vitamins and nutrients, but remember -- you can’t live off of burgers alone. Treat your body right by eating a diverse diet rich in grains, protein, fresh fruits and leafy greens, and add in delicious dishes made with Impossible Burger when you want a sustainable alternative to animal meat.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s dive into what’s in Impossible Burger, nutritional facts and nutritious recipes you can make with our meaty meat made from plants.

What is in Impossible Burger?

At Impossible Foods, we don’t want to make meat made from plants different—we want to make it better. And that starts with the ingredients themselves: 

• Protein from soy and potatoes provides a rich and meaty bite

• Heme, a molecule found in all living things—including meat from animals—gives Impossible Burger its meaty, hearty flavor 

• Coconut oil and sunflower oil give Impossible Burger that familiar sizzle when it hits the grill, while binders like methylcellulose (a culinary binder found in products like ice cream and jams) help provide Impossible Burger with its texture so you can use it just as you would ground beef

Each 4 oz serving of Impossible Burger contains:

• 19g of plant-powered protein

• 0mg cholesterol (14g total fat, 8g saturated fat)

• 3g of dietary fiber (unlike meat from animals)

• Vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, niacin, vitamin B12 and thiamine

• ZERO animal hormones or antibiotics

How Does Impossible Burger Compare to Ground Beef?

When compared to a 4 oz serving of 80/20 ground beef*, Impossible Burger is equal to or better than its animal meat counterpart in the following ways:

• Contains the same amount of protein as 80/20 beef

• Has equivalent or greater amounts of many micronutrients, like 8X more calcium

• Has 39% less total fat

• Contains 0mg cholesterol (14g total fat, 8g saturated fat) compared to 80mg for 80/20 ground beef

*USDA 80/20 ground beef contains 19g protein, 23g total fat, 9g saturated fat and 80mg cholesterol while Impossible Burger contains 19g protein, 14g total fat, 8g saturated fat and 0mg cholesterol per 4oz serving.

But what about sodium? One serving of Impossible Burger contains 370 mg sodium—more than a serving of unseasoned 80/20 ground beef. However, it’s crucial to note that ground beef typically has salt added to it during or after cooking, and it’s better to focus on the sodium content of your full meal and overall diet instead of just one aspect of it. 

Is There Soy in Impossible Burger?

Yes! Soy is the only widely-consumed plant protein that is comparable in quality to animal protein. Plus, it is a good source of fiber and essential nutrients like copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, and potassium. We source our soy protein concentrate directly from American farms.

Although the health benefits of soy have been definitively supported by scientific consensus, some concerns about its safety still persist in some corners. Learn more about why we use soy in Impossible Burger.

It’s also important to mention why we use genetically engineered soy that has been approved by the FDA, USDA, and EPA. This is a big part of what makes our mission of averting catastrophic climate change and irreversible damage possible in the first place. GMOs have been around for thousands of years. Early farmers used methods such as artificial selection and selective breeding to improve the strength of their crops and ensure their ability to thrive in adverse conditions and climates. This ancient farming practice is now conducted today using safe, advanced technology that enables food suppliers to insert specific beneficial genes to create foods that are more resistant to drought, diseases, pesticides, and the pests themselves—all over the world. Learn more about why we use genetically modified soy in our plant-based meats.

Nutrient-rich Recipes Made With Impossible Burger

• FitMen’sCooks Impossible™ Taco Bowl 

• Chimichurri Impossible™ Lettuce Cups From Haven's Kitchen 

• Impossible™ Taco Salad

• Impossible™ Lemongrass Skewers

• Impossible™ Quinoa Bowl

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Find Impossible Products Near You

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