Is This the Impetus You Needed To Remove Beef from Your Diet?
As we’ve discussed elsewhere, there are three good reasons to stop eating red meat, or at least heavily reduce its consumption. Doing so is:
Better for your health,
Better for the cow, and
Better for the environment.
In fact, the environmental issues associated with growing beef are more injurious to the planet than the consumption of fossil fuels.
Of course, there’s one reason that most people haven’t made the transition: it tastes terrific. Though the food industry, much to the chagrin of the beef “it’s what’s for dinner” people, has been trying to reverse engineer red meat, i.e., grow it in a laboratory, for more than 50 years, they’ve had varying degrees of success until very recently.
Enter the Impossible Burger. From this article: The most famous “alt-protein” product so far is the Impossible Burger, an entirely plant-based patty that has an uncanny resemblance to meat and is now served in more than 1,000 restaurants in the US, usually at around $15. The key meaty ingredient in the Impossible Burger – the “blood” – is a hemeprotein found in the roots of soy plants. But the way it is produced for the burger shows how the new food tech companies are harnessing techniques first developed for biomedical uses.
This appears to be a marketing game at this point, one that will succeed in the same way most consumer goods come into fashion: advertising, PR, and word-of-mouth. If I were handling this, I’d get a series of celebrity spokespeople: young, attractive, and robust.
Here’s a group that’s already using marketing on this product–to destroy it–and that’s the beef industry. From the same article: The meat industry appears to be well and truly rattled. In the US the beef industry has filed a petition to exclude non-animal products from the definition of meat, while a farmer politician in France has managed to get a law passed that bans vegetarian companies from calling their products “sausages” or “bacon.”
Good luck with that, as they say. Names like the “Impossible Burger” communicate what this product is about, and they do it with panache.
I know where I’m having lunch.
Craig,
Once again your enthusiasm exceeded reality !
The so-called “burger” produced by Impossible foods is a simply an imitation vegetable protein based substitute such as vegetarian companies have been churning out for years.
Impossible foods create the chemical library of proteins and fats from mostly legume root extracts with genetically modified additional ingredients to mimic the texture of meat.The include coconut fat, ground textured wheat, potato protein and genetically engineered fermented yeast.(alcohol).
The result is high in protein, although it’s debatable whether the protein is all that digestible, since it doesn’t contain the same enzymes as real meat.
Nor do such products contain essential vitamins that can only be metabolized by eating red meat. (V B12 etc) there is a minute quantity of B12 in yeast, but it not able to metabolize in humans.
As for your claims,
1) ” Better for your health”. There’s no evidence that eating this product is superior to meat,but lots of evidence to the contrary.
2) “Better for the Cow”. Not really, since cows are reared by humans to eat, the cow would become extinct since it would be uneconomic to keep these animals which would die sad and tragic deaths for no purpose.
3)” Better for the environment”. Again, just one of those claims made by people who have thought the matter through. These claims are always based on extreme instances (usually based on out of date statistics) of poor farming practices. In reality, Beef farming can be very environmentally responsible and even beneficial.
I have no issue with people who wish to eat whatever they wish when exercising their consumer rights, however, I do object to having other people try to bully me and insist I adhere to their philosophic or ideological beliefs.
If you want to eat a genetically engineered, imitation burger, that your choice ! Just don’t get too disappointed if most people don’t share your dietary preferences.
Re: reducing the amount of meat our civilization consumes, you write: “I object to having other people try to bully me and insist I adhere to their philosophic or ideological beliefs.”
Seriously? None of us could *possibly* care what you eat. Go for it.
Craig,
Thank you, I shall !
Australia produces just 3.9% of the world’s beef, however over 60% of production is exported. This means that Australia is one of the three largest beef exporters alongside America and Brazil.
I’m only a smallish beef producer, producing about 400,000 kg of saleable beef products per year with less than $4 per kilo profit. It’s very difficult industry with many risks and variables.
Weather, cost of hay, grass production, forest fires, insects, disease, water, fuel, labour, heat, hard, feed, slaughter costs, medicine, and a thousand other costs mean small scale cattle raising isn’t a very profitable enterprise.
I’m guess I’m fortunate since I’ve built up a reputation for high quality beef products marketed through my own independent outlets thereby obtaining much higher prices.
Like most farmers, primary production is a lifestyle and money isn’t the first consideration. I can make more money in a single day trading in the city, than the farm makes in a year. But, farming gets in your blood. No matter how far I travel, it’s nice to know that there’s always somewhere I can retreat where the river, rolling pastures, picturesque valley and rural lifestyle can refresh a jaded soul.
I also grow hops and antique barley(for beer) and linseed.
Farm life is very difficult for small farmers, most of whom are merely working for the bank, but despite all the risk,hardships and poor returns, they love the farm life.
Science and technology are essential to primary production, especially environmentally sustainable farming. As an investor I’m always searching for new technologies to promote more environmental farm practices. Some of the most successful innovations and R&D have been projects to dramatically reduce ruminant methane emissions, (especially in cattle) and eliminate excess number of male calves in Dairy cow breeding.
We’ve successfully developed or promoted a wide range of products and innovations to dramatically decrease farm climate change emissions while encouraging methods of increasing carbon absorption.
I don’t think many young and attractive celebrities want to be associated with promoting ‘Frankenstein-foods’, grown in a test-tube from chemically additive, genetically modified, foetus stem cell, artificial “meat”. (not even if it’s from plant roots).
One of my daughter’s classmates from the city visited the farm and wrote on her facebook page about the experience.
“I love cows! The cows I feed apples while walking my dog are probably going to be horrifically killed soon. OMG, it truly makes me sick ! I truly hate the killing of nice sensitive animals. Humans are the most despicable animals on Earth ! Hopefully Trump will wipe us all out & nature can recover its dignity !!!!”
Naturally, my daughter thought the post silly and immature, but it illustrates how disconnected the majority of people are from the realities of food production.
What does the writer think her beloved pet dog eats ? (along with 3-4 billion other pet carnivores in the world).
While it’s true animals can register pain and fear, they don’t ‘suffer’ in the same way as humans. ‘Suffering’ as such, is a purely human emotion since it requires reflection on the nature of pain. Why the pain is there, how long will it last, etc. This requires a process of abstract reasoning which animals simply don’t possess.
This doesn’t excuse cruelty or gratuitous mistreatment, simply to warn against attributing uniquely human characteristics to other creatures.
The other day I heard an earnest young Vegan denouncing the wickedness of humankind for killing leghorn chickens before their “natural” lifespan of 5 to 8 years.
What the earnest youngster didn’t bother to learn, was the animals he thinks of as “chickens”, doesn’t have any “natural” lifespan ! The modern chicken is a man made creation, far removed from it’s jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) ancestor in Northern India.
Romantic anthropomorphism in the public consciousness has reached a remarkable level. The reason is probably because only a tiny percentage of the population have any contact with animals outside of pets (bred to adopt human characteristics), and zoos.
As a species we are equipped with canine teeth to eat meat meat as an essential part of our omnivorous diet.
Whilst I do eat meat – mostly chicken, I also recognise that humanity as a whole is raising and consuming animals at a scale that has serious environmental impacts.
Contrary to some assertions, humans are not biologically obliged to eat meat, and can live healthily on a vegan diet if they take a little care to balance their diet. (past the weaning stage that is).
What is undeniable is that a given area of crop land can feed more people a vegan diet than a high meat diet, and that intensively farming crops to feed meat animals has a higher environmental impact than feeding the same number of people a plant based diet.
Where meat makes more sense is in less intensive situations where herbivores are part of a sustainable system of maintaining habitat, or in situations where wild animals are sustainably harvested to prevent excess populations in areas where human actions have removed too many predators from the environment e.g. Deer hunting in Scotland where there are no large predators to keep their numbers down!
There are well documented reasons to reduce humanity’s meat consumption to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the economic process driving deforestation and other forms of habitat destruction.
I agree 100%. I just a “Beyond Meat” burger for lunch. Excellent, though I think I like the Impossible Burger better.
Gary,
” Humans not biologically obliged to eat meat”
Er, sorry to disillusion you, but human are “biologically” disposed to eating meet which is why we are equipped by evolution with efficient canine teeth to cut flesh.
Humans can ‘survive’ on a non-meat diet since we are a true omnivore, but humans can’t biologically synthesize the type of vitamin B12 we need to maintain healthy cells, DNA, prevent a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemiaanemia)keep nerves and the brain cells healthy.
This type of B12 (and other essential elements) can only be derived from eating animals. Meat is very important for nursing mothers, early foetal development during pregnancy, early childhood, male childhood development and adolescence especially.
The bacteria in our intestines also produce some vitamin B12 but it can’t be metabolized or absorbed (unlike the myth of mushrooms, seaweed etc). Even prepared B12 formulae such as vitamin tablets and fortified milk, may prove very ineffective since the complex process of absorption seems to reject most artificial attempts to mimic meat consumption.
Are humans healthier eating an Omnivorous or Vegetarian/Vegan diet ?
Every international, accredited scientific study, (and there have been hundreds) has concluded in favour of a meat eating omnivorous diet. Oxford University studies, confined by studies from nearly every major international academic institution (including Johns Hopkins) reveal vegetarians have higher incidences of cancer, allergies, immune deficiencies, retarded bone and cartilage development, eyesight deficiencies and mental health disorders than their omnivorous counterparts.
Meat contains a great many highly complex elements which “switch on” specialized components in the human metabolic dietary process which aid consumption and absorption of a wide range of elements essential for human health.
(The British Medical Journal, published a brilliant analysis as a guide to assessing the methodology of studies)
Nor is vegetarian farming more ‘efficient’ or use “less resources”. All animals raised for food, especially chickens and pigs, are far more environmentally sustainable than vegetarian food.
A kilo of meat is far more sustaining for the human metabolism than a kilo of wheat. (which also needs processing before consuming). AnimalS (particularly chickens) also produce valuable fertilizer and seed distribution, enriching the soil.
It’s important to understand Humans are healthiest when consuming a balanced omnivorous diet in keeping with the amount of exercise and genetic background of the individual human.
like any excess, over consumption of meat will lead to health problems including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, bowel cancer etc.
The best fed nations are those who rear animals, and all food, on an industrial scale. Modern humans populations are city dwellers who require a high quality diet,with the widest possible variety. available on demand.
Within 20 years your concerns about animal (ruminants) contribution to greenhouse gases will have disappeared. Trials of stock raised with a genetic ability to dramatically reduce rumen methanogenesis is well advanced and field trials results report an 85-90% reduction, while actively increasing the health of the animal and it’s ability to absorb more nutrient lowering it’s consumption of feed.
Sadly, deforestation and other forms of habitat destruction is not restricted to cattle raising or food production. Ethanol , followed by Palm Oil industries are much larger causes, and in most cases purely for the US market.
Craig,
Did you enjoy your BYB meal for the monosodium glutamate (MSG) it contains ?
Or didn’t you notice that BYB cunningly disguises that information as “yeast extract” ?
Hmmm…, what about the addition of “Succinic Acid” (a chemical usually usually confined to the production of perfume esters) . This little additive is linked to:
1) Mitochondrial matrix and function in the cytoplasm as well as the extracellular space, changing gene expression patterns, modulating epigenetic landscape or demonstrating hormone-like signaling.
2) Damage to cellular metabolism (especially ATP formation0 preventing regulation of cellular function.
3) Dysregulation of succinate synthesis, and therefore ATP synthesis causing genetic mitochondrial diseases such as Leigh’s and Melas disease.
4) Degradation linked to pathological conditions such as malignant transformation, inflammation and tissue injury.
But hey, not to worry since the Trump administration’s US Food and Drug Administration has removed the product from the “industrial use only” category since food manufacturers can now self-affirm ingredients as being safe under the agency’s GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) (so you don’t need to worry !)
Then there’s Maltodextrin. Good old Maltodextrin a highly processed sugar linked to increses in diabetes and autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease. Again the FDA say’s okay, unless you are at risk of contracting or suffering from any one of 38 health conditions, but hey no problem, eh?
” Bleached Bamboo” ? yum !
Annatto Synthesized Extract, the FDA warns this chemical is linked to irritable bowel syndrome and anaphylaxis.
Vegetable Glycerin, probably harmless, unless you a genetically prone (17% of population) to gastric issues such as diarrhea, bloating or nausea, or bowel cancer.
Erucic acid, okay, that at least is pretty harmless, unless you are a child, or pregnant in which case consumption makes you a candidate for myocardial lipidosis.
Refined Coconut oil, a really great environmental product ? Well not really especially when burgers are grilled. Grilling usually means temperatures above 450 degrees at which point refined coconut oil burns and becomes toxic. For employees this means a work environment with the equivalent carcinogenic exposure as smoking 120 cigarettes per day !
Reading through all the ingredients , I would guess the ingredients in a BYB would be safer than the more heavily chemically engineered “Impossible Burger” .
There are health risks associated with meat consumption also, but the fundamental difference is evolution has equipped humans with hundreds of thousands of years to cope with meat consumption, and governments, health authorities are always increasing regulatory safeguards for the meat industry.
It would appear the food scientists behind both ‘Beyond Meat’ and ‘Impossible Meat’ are eager to cash in on the latest food fad, disguising as “natural” highly processed products with little or no research or regulation.