Another difference between these more modern meat alternatives and their predecessors is that Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger were both created in labs and have drawn criticism over regulation practices and labeling (the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association has petitioned for the government to ban these companies from using the terms “meat” and “beef” entirely). However, the alt-meat trend shows no signs of slowing down—and to be honest, we’re thrilled, seeing as beef is one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. (BTW, if cows were a country, they’d be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.) Some of the biggest meat producers in the country are jumping on board, including Tyson Foods, and you can now find veggie burgers on the menus of nearly every fast food chain. With so many alternative meat options on the market, we wanted to break down the most common products you’ll find in grocery stores and restaurants. And if you’re considering a more plant-based diet, kudos! Find our guides to the healthiest plant-based foods, plant-based food substitutions you’ll love cooking with, vegan recipes, and the most common plant-based diet mistakes here.
