Vegan burgers that BLEED like actual meat? It's for real and I've got all the bloody beets... I mean deets right here!
Meat, I mean, MEET these 4 meatless bleeding veggie burgers that promise to compare to the real thing!
It’s no secret that veganism is growing like a wild fire with over a 900% increase in demand worldwide for vegan options! (1)
It's predicted that the global meat-alternative market will reach $5.2 billion by 2020! (2)
So, what are all these vegans eating anyway?
You can peruse the internet for an endless supply of options that appeal to your wildest fantasies or what we like to call in the food world food porn ;)
You can even check out my own blog and find some (tooting my own horn here!) mouthwatering, veganized options of your personal favorite, traditional meals like burgers, sausages, brownies, cheeses, cakes and more! But what about if you want it to be really, intensely comparable to the real thing?
Like... what if you want it to bleed?
... I mean biting into that big, scrumptious, succulent burger and having the juicy blood drip from it.
Umm... well, I haven’t been able to conquer that yet but I know some companies that have and you’re going to love them!
If you’re into that (the whole rare burger, red meat thing) and I want to make it abundantly clear that I am in no way judging you- at one point I was right there with you. I would love me a smothered burger, rare to form, juicy, topped with some cheese and more cheese on top of that. I get it. I’m not judging, I swear.
BUT…
That was then and now since changing my diet and living a miraculous change in my health, I am a huge advocate for what I consider a better way!
So let's find it because let's face it, you want your cake and want to eat it too, right?
Cool, let’s make it happen!
Companies have made you vegan, cruelty-free copy-cats of your favorite patties and made them bleed for you!
I think we should check them out! What about you?
Beyond Meat (The Beyond Burger) USA
If you’re a fan of my future husband, Leonardo DiCaprio, you might have heard about “Beyond Meats” which produced the bleeding burger aptly named “Beyond Burger” using peas as their primary ingredient and has 20g of protein per patty (that’s a reported 32% of daily value in one burger!)
Beyond Meat offers a purportedly indistinguishable option for those craving a burger that explodes juices with every bite! See for yourself here!
Ingredients?
Pea Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Water, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Succinic Acid, Acetic Acid, Non-GMO Modified Food Starch, Cellulose From Bamboo, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Annatto Extract (for color), Citrus Fruit Extract (to maintain quality), Vegetable Glycerin.
More about how it’s made:
Can’t wait to have this on your plate?
Beyond Meats is available (according to their website at current time of posting) in the refrigerated & frozen section of 11,000 stores in the USA, including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Sprouts & many more. You can also buy Beyond Meat® online through either VeganEssentials.com or VeganStore.com.
Impossible Foods (The Impossible Burger) USA
According to their website, the Impossible Burger uses 95% less land, 74% less water, and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing plant based protein opposed to meat products! (3)
Those are some pretty game-changing stats if you ask me!
The Impossible Burger uses an ingredient called ‘heme’ which they refer to as ‘a basic building block of life on Earth, including plants… uniquely abundant in meat.’(4)
The Impossible team claims that heme is what makes meat ‘sizzle, bleed and smell’ the way the world has come to know and love which makes their vegan take on the patty so titillating to the senses!
Ingredients?
Water, Textured Wheat Protein, Coconut Oil, Potato Protein, Natural Flavors, 2% or less of: Leghemoglobin (soy), Yeast Extract, Salt, Soy Protein Isolate, Konjac Gum, Xanthan Gum, Vitamin C, Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Zinc, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12.
Contains:
Soy, Wheat
These guys also host 20g per patty, same as the Beyond Burger which just inches over the classic red meat version coming in at about 19g.
How’s that for getting our protein?
What I think is incredible about this company is not only their commitment to the environment and the health of those ingesting their products but also their capacity to make 1 million pounds of this vegan meat each month!(5)
That’s a LOT of protein for the world!
All of that production should probably cause a bit of environmental impact though, right?
Well, Impossible Foods says:
The Impossible Burger uses about 75% less water, generating approximately 87% fewer greenhouse gases and requiring around 95% less land than conventional ground beef from cows. Furthermore, the patty is produced without hormones, antibiotics, cholesterol or artificial flavors. (6)
Guess that answers that then ;)
Where can you get these mouthwatering delights?
Currently the Impossible Burger is located in stores and restaurants across the USA. Check their website for their handy location finder! Click here to check it out!
Don Lee Farms Organic Plant Based Burger USA
This burger has come through with a USDA certified organic label, shelf space in Costco and Whole Foods and bleeds with the use of plant magic.
What more could you want?
The company’s name has been is operation for 36 years and now boasts this GMO, artificial ingredient and preservative free bleeding burger that’s taking the vegan community by storm! (7)
“It’s a burger made with plants, not with science,”
Product Development team member at Don Lee Farms, Danny Goodman, said about their newest patty.
“As people choose to consume less meat, they expect a burger alternative to be made with simple, wholesome and recognizable ingredients. This is the burger for them. This product is another example of what our team develops by focusing on each ingredient’s purpose. Because we crafted this burger from organic and responsible sources, it’s truly the only sustainable replacement for a raw beef burger.” (8)
Ingredients?
I couldn’t find a full list as the product is quite new to market but what I gathered from multiple sources was:
The bleeding effect is caused from organic beet juice and sizzles on the grill from organic vegetable-based fats!
I don't know about you, but I can't wait to bite into it!
Where to get them?
Costcos, Whole Foods and restaurants throughout the USA.
'Iceland' Supermarket No Bull Burger UK (Available April 2018)
This burger hasn't even been released yet but I got wind of it and wanted to share it with you! They launch in April this year at Iceland Supermarkets across the UK!
Iceland says the burger is an attempt to win over the growing population of flexitarians who are looking for plant based alternatives to add to their diets to cut down on meat consumption. (9)
Ingredients?
It's made with the protein of soya and colored with beetroot extract to give it that juicy red blood and is spiced with paprika!
Verdict?
Harry Wallop from The Sun got to try these before they hit the market and says of them:
“The texture was chewy, like a real meat patty. And the flavour was fascinatingly beefy – a very savoury taste... If you closed your eyes you might almost think it was the real thing.” (10)
Catch them at Supermarkets coming this April 2018 across the UK at just £2 per two pack! (11)
How 'bout 'dem apples?
I don't know about you all, but this research mission has made me super excited about the future of the vegan burger and I can't wait for a trip back to the US to give all of these a try!
Have you ever tried any of these brands before?
- If so, how did you find them?
- Did they compare to the real deal?
- Would you eat them again?
If you haven't tried any of these, would you be interested in giving them a go?
- Would you serve these to your family/friends?
Would you be willing to switch to plant based if it was comparable in taste?
- What do you think about bleeding plant based burgers?
Personally, I'm excited for all of the creativity coming through with the rise of interest in plant based diets! Thanks to the creators of these products for giving us options!
Want these meat alternatives in your country? Demand creates production so head on over to the companies' websites or a local store and ask for it to be ordered in and distributed in your area!
Sources:
(dang right I did my research!) 😉
(1) Live Kindly: Vegan Stats
(2) Plant Based News: 5 Studies
(3) Impossible Foods
(4) Heme
(5) Live Kindly: Impossible Foods
(6) Impossible Foods FAQ
(7) Business Wire: Don Lee Farms
(8) Live Kindly: Organic Vegan Burgers
(9+10) The Sun: Iceland Vegan Burgers
(11) Plant Based News: Iceland's Plant Based Burger
I truly believe we can heal ourselves through food and it is my mission in life to create and inspire delicious, mouth watering creations that are beneficial and packed full of plant based goodies to fuel our bodies, minds and lives!
Just a friendly reminder to all that I am hosting a very vegan contest click here to see the post explaining how to get involved! Anyone can enter and anyone can win as long as you follow the rules! 💖
Until next time!
Sending you love through food,
While you're here, check out some of my recent plant-based, love-filled recipes!
Pumpkin Spiced Lattes!
10 Minute Vegan Pepper Jack Cheese
Rainbow Antioxidant Smoothie
Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake for Breakfast!
Lucky Leprechaun Mint Choco Nice Cream Bites
Delicious Vegan Cheese Spread
Easy + Healthy Chocolate Pancakes
XO,