Not often touted as something ‘good for you’, burgers are a food which face scrutiny when it comes to advocating for better human health. And let’s be honest, who could possibly say no to such flavoursome juiciness sandwiched between golden buns? Well.. perhaps it doesn’t have to be one or the other.

10 REASONS WHY PLANT BASED BURGERS BEAT MEAT

1. Versatile and Delicious Flavours!

Ever tasted a plant-based burger? It could be argued that the reason people enjoy the taste of meat is due to the added seasoning which, surprise, surprise, comes from plants!

Of course vegan burgers are made entirely from … well, plants; therefore have all the flavour you could dream of expecting to taste from a meat burger.

2. Plant-Based is Better for You!





Plant-based food lack the hormones, carcinogens, pus (ew!? see dairy), saturated and trans fat that a burger made from animal protein does. Instead, they are full of fiber, nutrients, protein – YES PROTEIN!

A plant based burger has the potential to nourish your body in every way that a meat patty never could.

Meat can stick around in your colon a little longer than it should, until eventually passing (with maximal effort) and can lead to poor digestion and limited bowl movements.

3. Save the Earth!





Plant-based is better for the planet! Farming, agriculture and the production of animal products is dangerously damaging the environment, in fact livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of co2 per year (that’s 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions!)

Plant-based burgers such as the Impossible Burger use 75% less water, 95% less land and create 87% less greenhouse gas emissions than a burger made from slaughtered animals!

4. You Can Eat Cruelty-Free!





No one likes a heavy conscience! By choosing plant-based, you can fully enjoy chowing down on that mighty satisfying and mighty delicious burger without a care in the world about how many animals had their lives cut short for your meal.

It’s nice to sleep with a clear conscience and after waking up to the hidden truths of meat production, hamburgers might just seem a little less tasty…!

5. What Cancer?

PBBs don’t increase your chances of developing cancer growth! Processed meat is classed as a group 1 carcinogen, this means that it is known to cause cancer cell growth and increases the risk of colon cancer by a staggering 18%! Additionally, red meat is classed as a group 2A carcinogen which is a concern when in the US, every 1 in 4 deaths are from cancer.

Furthermore, vegetarians are about 40% less likely to develop cancer than omnivores, as discovered through a large study in England and Germany.

6. Save Money!





Plant-based is so much more economical than expensive meat, especially ‘quality’, ‘lean’, ‘organic’, ‘grass-fed’ or ‘free-range’ products.

Food derived from plants are the most inexpensive food available! When the cheapest cuts of meat are compared cost-wise to the same amount of dried beans, legumes, pulses or tofu, meat comes out at nearly double the cost!

Eating vegan can be as economic and budget-friendly as you make it so you can save those pennies while you save the animals, the earth and your body!

7. Pink Slime!





Plant-based burgers are free of ‘pink slime’! This is an additive to most processed meat and ground beef (70% of supermarket ground beef contains it!).

It’s made of fatty animal leftovers that have been heated then spun to remove fat then treated with ammonia gas to remove bacteria (yet the ammonia gas still enables pathogens to get in…) before being added to ground beef and other meats.

Thankfully nothing even remotely similar is inside plant-based burgers, but if you are keen for that ‘pink’ element, try adding beetroot juice for extra colour, flavour and a multitude of health benefits!

8. Bye, bye E.coli!





You won’t have to worry about contracting a nasty case of E.coli anytime soon if you choose a plant-based burger!

E.coli is a bacteria present in animal products such as milk and meat that when ingested causes abdominal pain and cramping, dehydration and kidney failure.

The ‘cheaper’ meat and lower the quality of the cut often means a higher amount of ground up animals in your hamburger; one singular patty can have upward of 100 different cows in it and the larger the amount of animals in the patty, the higher the chance that you can contract food poisoning or E.coli.

9. Rock that Body!





Due to plant-based burgers being free from saturated and trans fat, they generally have a lower calorie content per gram when compared to a meat burger.

People who choose a plant based diet tend to have a lower body fat content, less cholesterol and are able to maintain a healthy weight without really even trying!

10. Better Quality Protein!

If you are consuming sufficient calories to meet your body’s needs, you already are consuming sufficient protein!

Obesity is a growing concern and studies show that most of us are already eating enough protein because we are eating more than enough calories! (Seriously, have you ever even met someone with protein deficiency?)

It’s not the quantity of protein intake, it’s the quality of what you consume, and vegan/plant-based diet consumes larger amounts of higher quality protein than an omnivorous diet!

In fact consuming too much of it can actually be detrimental to your health, with studies showing links to osteoporosis and kidney failure.

Image Credits: Viva Glam | Tasting Table | Carrots and Flowers | PETA | Vegan Break | Neurotic Mommy | Contentedness Cooking | BMag