[Food] Beyond Meat boss backs tax on meat consumption

[Tyrone Biggums]

Meat isn’t essential though. You can make numerous tasty and nutritious meals with vegetables and/or beans so it doesn’t need to impact low income families.

Tasty is a subjective term though.

One mans tasty is another mans bin filler.

 

[dsr-burnley]

It will impact lower income families, obviously. But not necessarily in a negative way. As I say, there’s some excellent tasty and nutritious meat free recipes out there. Take a look at Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe books for example.

I have to say I've never been a fan of the lower orders being told what is good for them by their betters. For one thing, many of them (perhaps I should say many of us?) don't share the same viewpoint as to who our betters are. "Eat your greens, they're good for you" is something that mothers and fathers should tell their children, I dare say, but not something they need to tell everyone else's children.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Meat isn’t essential though. You can make numerous tasty and nutritious meals with vegetables and/or beans so it doesn’t need to impact low income families.

Who in their right mind is going to pay 50p for a head of broccoli when they can get a KFC ‘Bargain’ bucket for £17.99? A meal and a free bucket for £17.99, it’s a no-brainer surely?

 

[A1X]

8 Asda Plant Based Vegan burgers - £1.75
10 Smartprice burgers - £1.62
10 Asda Beef burgers - £3.75
10 Birdseye burgers - £3.00

Not sure cost is the issue here, or everyone would be buying the plant based burgers surely?

It's almost like people who are resistant to change want to find an excuse which isn't just "**** the planet".

 

[GT49er]

I do eat less meat than I used to for various reasons. In terms of health, though, I wonder how much processing, additves, salt and sugars are pumped into products to make them (sometimes very vaguely) taste like beef burgers or sausages.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I have to say I've never been a fan of the lower orders being told what is good for them by their betters. For one thing, many of them (perhaps I should say many of us?) don't share the same viewpoint as to who our betters are. "Eat your greens, they're good for you" is something that mothers and fathers should tell their children, I dare say, but not something they need to tell everyone else's children.

You’ve twisted this away from the underlying argument which is the environment. This isn’t class warfare, it’s saving the planet. I make careful and considered sacrifices in my life and I feel others should as well. It’s doesn’t matter if I’m working class or the Queen of England if the planet has been burnt to a crisp.

 

[Nitram]

Generally, plant based ‘meat’ is healthier than actual meat, as they tend to be lower in trans fats, saturated fat, cholesterol levels and sodium (but perhaps less so that the aforementioned). They are however, still not healthy. Moreover, meat alternatives aren’t necessarily about being the healthy choice, more so the more environmentally and animal friendly ones. Perfect shouldn’t be the enemy of the good.

Choosing between any processed food is like being given a choice between Scarborough and Blackpool as the best seaside resort to go to.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

Choosing between any processed food is like being given a choice between Scarborough and Blackpool as the best seaside resort to go to.

Sure, neither are healthy options but one is still definitely ‘healthier’. And if you’re not sold on that, it’s miles better for the environment and the animals so…

 

[beorhthelm]

8 Asda Plant Based Vegan burgers - £1.75
10 Smartprice burgers - £1.62
10 Asda Beef burgers - £3.75
10 Birdseye burgers - £3.00

Not sure cost is the issue here, or everyone would be buying the plant based burgers surely?

good to have some real data. so Beyond Meat is simply expensive as a premium brand.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

I do eat less meat than I used to for various reasons. In terms of health, though, I wonder how much processing, additves, salt and sugars are pumped into products to make them (sometimes very vaguely) taste like beef burgers or sausages.

See my post from earlier. Most meat alternatives are generally a lot lower in both sats and trans fats, cholesterol and sodium. Nor are they classified as carcinogenic like some meats are. I think we need to be really clear on this though, faux meat, like all processed foods, aren’t healthy. They are however still “healthier” than meat. If you want a healthy source or protein, eat beans, legumes, nuts and pretty much all the vegetables.

 

[Nitram]

Sure, neither are healthy options but one is still definitely ‘healthier’. And if you’re not sold on that, it’s miles better for the environment and the animals so…

Generalisation some veg foods are just as bad or worse, they are being marketed as healthy when they are not. To say all are better is wrong. I’m all for a healthy less meat based diet but changing from a meat based processed food to a veg processed food is not a healthy option.
Greater education on what is in foods and importance of balanced diets are much more important than a circular argument about which type of processed food is the lesser evil.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

Generalisation some veg foods are just as bad or worse, they are being marketed as healthy when they are not. To say all are better is wrong. I’m all for a healthy less meat based diet but changing from a meat based processed food to a veg processed food is not a healthy option.
Greater education on what is in foods and importance of balanced diets are much more important than a circular argument about which type of processed food is the lesser evil.

This is taken from a study comparing meat and faux meat. The results are pretty conclusive.



Being a vegan, and occasionally buying faux meat, I’ve never seen it labelled as a healthier option. Occasionally bean burgers, or plant burgers (beetroot, sweet potato etc), but only as a “only x calories” sort of thing. I can’t say I’ve ever seen faux beef or chicken labelled as a healthy option in a super market or at a restaurant. And, if I may be so bold, I can guarantee I’m probably more prone to noticing such things considering I’m part of the target audience of said products.

I’m all for education though. I think people should see how animals are kept, slaughtered and know more about the negative impact animal agriculture has on the environment.

 

[Mr Putdown]

8 Asda Plant Based Vegan burgers - £1.75
10 Smartprice burgers - £1.62
10 Asda Beef burgers - £3.75
10 Birdseye burgers - £3.00

Not sure cost is the issue here, or everyone would be buying the plant based burgers surely?

8 Beyond Burgers cost £20 at Tesco

 

[Postman Pat]

8 Beyond Burgers cost £20 at Tesco

Jesus!!!!

These are 2.50 at Asda - https://groceries.asda.com/product/...atless-farm-plant-based-burgers/1000212670990

 

[Hugo Rune]

Jesus!!!!

These are 2.50 at Asda - https://groceries.asda.com/product/...atless-farm-plant-based-burgers/1000212670990

Not Beyond Burger.

You’d be hard pushed to tell the difference between them and a normal burger, hence £2.50 each.

 

[Nitram]

This is taken from a study comparing meat and faux meat. The results are pretty conclusive.

View attachment 139205

Being a vegan, and occasionally buying faux meat, I’ve never seen it labelled as a healthier option. Occasionally bean burgers, or plant burgers (beetroot, sweet potato etc), but only as a “only x calories” sort of thing. I can’t say I’ve ever seen faux beef or chicken labelled as a healthy option in a super market or at a restaurant. And, if I may be so bold, I can guarantee I’m probably more prone to noticing such things considering I’m part of the target audience of said products.

I’m all for education though. I think people should see how animals are kept, slaughtered and know more about the negative impact animal agriculture has on the environment.

Fair enough, you obviously have more knowledge. From a bystanders point of view a lot of companies are certainly playing on the image of the Veg option being better for health. Clearly a lot of those processed meals are not. You are better preparing your own.
Again I’m not anti veg or vegan, just processed meals. Veg processed meals are also not good for you. Same as meat ones.
I respect your views and would agree overall that a freshly prepared Veg/Vegan meal is better for the environment.
My beef (sic) is with companies jumping on the bandwagon and promoting processed meals as healthy meals in particular v meat choices.
When I buy meat I’m careful to buy from a responsible source.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

https://youtu.be/9gg_jjUb-S4

 

[Timbo]

Not Beyond Burger.

You’d be hard pushed to tell the difference between them and a normal burger, hence £2.50 each.

The Beyond Burger is sensational and easily as good as most meat burgers. £4.50 for 2 at Tesco normally though so only tend to pick them up when they’re on offer. The little Sainsbury’s up the road sells them now but they’re a fiver for 2 in there.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

Fair enough, you obviously have more knowledge. From a bystanders point of view a lot of companies are certainly playing on the image of the Veg option being better for health. Clearly a lot of those processed meals are not. You are better preparing your own.
Again I’m not anti veg or vegan, just processed meals. Veg processed meals are also not good for you. Same as meat ones.
I respect your views and would agree overall that a freshly prepared Veg/Vegan meal is better for the environment.
My beef (sic) is with companies jumping on the bandwagon and promoting processed meals as healthy meals in particular v meat choices.
When I buy meat I’m careful to buy from a responsible source.

I know I’m being really pedantic about this, but, believe it or not, I do wholeheartedly agree with you that processed food should be avoided, or at the the very least, not consumed regularly. It’s in no way healthy and shouldn’t be advertised as such. It may seem like I’m quibbling over the lesser of two evils, because it’s only slightly less unhealthy, but it is categorically better for the environment and the animals (which I know isn’t necessarily an issue for some people) than its animal derived equivalent. So, if you are going to have something “meaty”, it would certainly be better for the animals, the environment and slightly better for your health to have the faux version.

Of course, if being healthy is your goal, try a whole food plant based diet. Incredibly healthy and the single biggest thing you can do to reduce your impact on the environment so says the most comprehensive study ever undertaken, looking at food and environmental impact.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Which is better for the environment and cheaper. Quinoa shipped half way around the world, or wild rabbit you have shot yourself?

How do you best replenish soil starved of nutrients from intensive crop growing. Is it
A) Grow unpopular crops that no one wants to eat?
B) Add plenty of Peat and Nitrogen?
C) Let animals graze someone else can eat the meat that replenishes the vegan soil.

If you want to eat meat substitute burgers for personal health reasons, or because you are against all forms of animal cruelty, these are both valid reasons. If you think everyone eating Beyond Meat burgers is only good for the environment I think you may be deluded.