Veggie burgers have become increasingly popular in recent years as more people adopt vegetarian and vegan diets or look to reduce their meat intake for health or environmental reasons. Many people assume that because they don’t contain any meat, veggie burgers must be a lower fat option than beef burgers. But is this really the case? Keep reading to find out whether veggie burgers are actually low in fat.
What are Veggie Burgers Made of?
Unlike beef burgers which are made entirely from ground beef, veggie burgers can contain a variety of ingredients including:
- Beans, lentils, or soybeans
- Grains like rice, quinoa, or oats
- Vegetables such as mushrooms, carrots, or beetroot
- Nuts and seeds
- Eggs or egg substitutes
- Cheese or other dairy products
- Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
- Seitan or other wheat proteins
The specific ingredients used can vary widely between different brands and recipes. Some veggie burgers try to mimic the taste and texture of beef as closely as possible, while others don’t attempt to imitate meat at all.
Fat Content of Different Veggie Burger Varieties
Since there are so many potential ingredients, the fat content of veggie burgers can also vary quite a bit. Here’s a look at how the fat content stacks up in some common varieties:
Bean or Lentil-Based Veggie Burgers
Burgers made primarily from protein-rich beans or lentils tend to be relatively low in fat. For example:
- Amy’s California Veggie Burger (made with lentils, carrots, and walnuts): 9 g fat per patty
- Trader Joe’s Veggie Burger (made with black beans and quinoa): 6 g fat per patty
Bean and lentil burgers get most of their fat from the small amounts of nuts, seeds, oil, or other ingredients used to bind them together. The legumes themselves contribute mainly protein and fiber.
Soy-Based Veggie Burgers
Soybeans are another veggie burger base that’s naturally low in fat. For instance:
- Boca Vegan Original burger: 6 g fat per patty
- Morningstar Farms Grillers Original burger: 9 g fat per patty
Again, the fat in these burgers comes mostly from added ingredients, not the soy itself.
Veggie Burgers with More Fatty Ingredients
Some veggie burgers incorporate cheese, nuts, seeds, or oil which significantly increases the fat content. Examples include:
- Hilary’s World’s Best Veggie Burger (with cashews, walnuts, and olive oil): 17 g fat per patty
- Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burger (with cheese, avocado, and spinach): 15 g fat per patty
While these veggie burgers are higher in fat than the options above, they can provide healthy unsaturated fats from plant-based sources. But the extra fat calories need to be considered.
Veggie Burgers that Mimic Beef
Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have invested a lot of resources into developing veggie burgers that mimic the texture, flavor, and juiciness of beef as closely as possible. They use ingredients like beet juice for color and coconut oil for mouthfeel. As a result, these beef-like veggie burgers tend to be higher in saturated fat due to the coconut oil. For example:
- Beyond Burger: 14 g fat per 4 oz patty
- Impossible Burger: 17 g fat per 4 oz patty
So trying to replicate the indulgent taste of beef does mean a higher fat content.
How Veggie Burgers Compare to Beef Burgers
Now that we’ve looked at the fat content of different types of veggie burgers, how does this compare to traditional beef burgers?
On average, a 4 ounce beef burger patty contains about 15-16 grams of fat according to USDA data. 80% of the fat in beef is saturated fat due to the high levels in animal-based foods.
So while some veggie burgers are fairly lean, others like the Beyond Burger have a similar fat content to beef. And even when veggie burgers do have less fat, beef still contains more artery-clogging saturated fat.
Here is a comparison of the fat content in 4 ounce patties of some popular burgers:
| Burger | Total Fat | Saturated Fat |
|---|---|---|
| 85% lean beef burger | 16g | 7g |
| Black bean veggie burger | 6g | 1g |
| Beyond Meat burger | 14g | 5g |
| Morningstar Farms burger | 9g | 2g |
So while some veggie burgers are significantly leaner than beef, others are fairly comparable when it comes to fat content.
Are Veggie Burgers Healthy?
Given the wide range in fat content, can veggie burgers be considered a healthy choice? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Lean veggie burgers made from things like beans, lentils, or soy can be a smart choice, providing protein, fiber, and vitamins without a lot of fat.
- Veggie burgers made with fatty ingredients like nuts, seeds, avocado, and coconut oil can be fine in moderation as part of a balanced diet. They provide beneficial fats – just watch your portion sizes.
- Heavily processed veggie burgers that attempt to mimic beef often end up with a similar fat and sodium content, so they aren’t necessarily healthier despite being plant-based.
- For kids especially, almost any veggie burger is likely to be a better choice than a beef burger because it replaces saturated fat and cholesterol with veggies.
- No matter what type of veggie burger you eat, be mindful of toppings like cheese and mayo which can add a lot of fat. Load up with veggies instead.
The healthiness factor really comes down to the specific veggie burger and how it fits into your overall eating pattern. Veggie burgers can range from around 100 calories to over 300 calories each depending on the size and ingredients. Compare brands and nutrition labels to find the leanest options if that’s your priority.
Are Frozen Veggie Burgers Healthy?
Freezing is a common and convenient way to preserve veggie burgers for longer storage life. Are frozen veggie burgers less healthy than fresh? Here are some considerations:
- Freezing itself doesn’t degrade the nutrient content – studies show frozen veggies are nutritionally similar to fresh.
- Frozen veggie burgers may contain slightly more preservatives to maintain quality during freezing.
- Read labels carefully as some frozen veggie burgers have a lot of added oils and salt as preservatives.
- Stick with reputable natural brands of frozen veggie burgers without a long ingredients list.
- Allow frozen veggie burgers to thaw before cooking for best texture and flavor.
Overall, choosing frozen veggie burgers is fine for convenience. Just be wary of excessive fat, salt, and preservatives in some mass-produced frozen varieties. The healthiest frozen veggie burgers rely on natural preservatives and have a clean ingredient list.
Tips for Choosing the Healthiest Veggie Burger
Here are some tips for finding the leanest, most nutrient-packed veggie burger options:
- Select veggie burgers made primarily from vegetables, beans, lentils, quinoa, or other whole foods.
- Avoid burgers with a long list of processed mystery ingredients.
- Compare nutrition labels and opt for burgers with less fat, saturated fat and sodium.
- Watch out for veggie burgers cooked or fried in oil. Grilled, baked, or broiled is best.
- Try DIY homemade veggie burgers where you control the ingredients.
- Look for brands clearly marked as vegan or vegetarian if you want to avoid eggs and dairy.
- Consider burgers made with antibiotic-free, non-GMO, or organic ingredients when possible.
Choosing veggie burgers made predominantly from plants is a great way to get lean protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals into your diet. Just be selective about overly processed varieties or those cooked in oils. Read labels to pick the healthiest veggie burgers for your needs.
Are Veggie Burgers Sustainable?
In addition to health impacts, more consumers are considering how their food choices affect the environment. So how do veggie burgers stack up in terms of sustainability?
Lower Environmental Impact
Numerous studies have found beef production to be far more taxing on the environment compared to plant-based foods. The main considerations are:
- Water use – Beef has a 20x higher water footprint compared to beans or lentils.
- Land use – More deforestation occurs to support cattle grazing.
- Feed requirements – Cows need far more crops for feed compared to eating crops directly.
- Greenhouse gas emissions – Cattle produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
So veggie burgers require significantly less natural resources and generate far fewer emissions than beef overall.
However, heavily processed veggie burgers with lengthy transport routes can still carry environmental impacts.
Benefits of Minimally Processed Options
To be most environmentally friendly, the best veggie burger choices are:
- Local – Support veggie burgers produced in your region.
- Homemade – Make your own from locally sourced whole foods.
- Minimally processed – Avoid burgers with long lists of additives.
- Plant-based – Ensure ingredients are predominantly vegetables, grains and legumes.
This minimizes processing inputs, transport miles, packaging waste, and more.
Are Beyond or Impossible Burgers Sustainable?
Two of the most popular mainstream brands are Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Do these high-tech beef mimics stack up in sustainability?
- Better than beef – Producing Beyond/Impossible uses less water, emissions, and land than cattle.
- Highly processed – Use more additives and inputs than a bean or lentil burger.
- Novel ingredients – Rely on genetically engineered yeasts and soy leghemoglobin.
- Questions on scaling – Resource demands could increase greatly if adopted widely.
While Beyond/Impossible burgers are likely an environmental improvement from beef, simpler veggie burgers may be more sustainable long-term. But meat reducers should feel good about choosing these mainstream plant-based options.
Conclusion
Veggie burgers can sometimes get a bad rap as an overprocessed, unhealthy fake meat. But the truth is, veggie burgers can vary tremendously in their fat content and nutrition profiles based on the ingredients used. Choosing options made from vegetables, beans, lentils and whole grains results in a veggie burger that’s actually low in fat and quite nutritious. Even higher fat veggie burgers provide plant-based unsaturated fats that are preferable to the saturated fat content of beef burgers. Frozen veggie burgers can provide similar nutrition to fresh as long as you choose high-quality options without excessive additives. Opting for veggie burgers – even occasionally – benefits both our health and the environment by reducing reliance on resource-intensive beef production. So don’t hesitate to fire up a tasty veggie burger this grilling season knowing it’s a more sustainable choice that can be just as flavorsome and satisfying.