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At Burger King, have you favored the plant-based burger? Big mistake. Contrary to appearances, it is not healthier, according to a new scientific study.
More caloric “fake” meat
To find out more about the composition of these famous “vegetarian burgers”, the researchers analyzed 1,868 meals (burgers, salads, noodles and pizzas) from 50 fast food chains located in Australia, Canada, Poland, UK and USA.
These included Wagamamas, Prêt, Pizza Express, LEON and Burger King.
The number of calories in the dishes, but also their nutrient, salt and fiber content were analyzed. Then, the team of researchers compared dishes based on meat of animal origin to those containing plant-based meat, from the same country and the same chain.
Result ? The vegan options weren’t at all healthier than the meat ones.
“Our study shows that plant-based meals are not associated with fewer calories, something consumers may not realize“, reveals to Times the study’s principal investigator, Mikolaj Kaminski.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
More sugar in plant-based burgers
THE plant-based burgers In addition, they contained less protein and sodium than their counterparts, and higher levels of carbohydrates and sugar.
“The results revealed that plant-based fast food meals were more likely to contain more carbohydrates and sugar than meat-based equivalents“, confirms the author.
Researchers also found that plant-based meals contained more allergens such as sesame, seeds or nuts.
In fact, dishes based on “fake meat” would not be ideal for health or for the figure.
These “imitation meat” foods (steak, chicken, merguez, nuggets, bacon, etc.) often made using bean proteins, oil and preservatives, remain indeed processed foods.
“This really highlights the importance of making informed food choices, especially when it comes to consuming fast food – even more so if you have a metabolic disorder like type 2 diabetes“, conclude the researchers.