Yahoo Finance Our Registered Dietitians Can't Stop Talking About Beyond Meat's Newest Launch
Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat was one of the first brands to take plant-based meats mainstream. But a lot has changed in the past 15 years, and the brand has been busy reformulating its products to be both meatier and healthier.
Beyond Meat just launched the fourth iteration of its Beyond Burger as well as its plant-based ground meat product, Beyond Beef. Spurred by customer feedback, the brand spent years working with leading medical and nutrition experts to revamp its signature products in order to offer a healthier plant-based solution to customers. In fact, I was one of the registered dietitians who worked closely with Beyond Meat on this project, dubbed Beyond IV.
As a registered dietitian and the director of the Nutrition Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, I rigorously analyze food products to assess whether or not they meet our high standards for earning the Good Housekeeping Nutritionist Approved (GHNA) emblem. In order to receive the GHNA emblem, products must meet nutrition criteria informed by the latest evidence-based nutrition authoritative guidance from the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
When Beyond Meat expressed interest in creating a healthier version of its products that met the GHNA emblem criteria, I was eager to help the brand improve the nutrition quality of its plant-based meats.
What's in the new burgers?
The new Beyond Burgers are now made with avocado oil, which has cut the saturated fat in the product by 60%. In addition to a simplified ingredient list, the new version also has 20% less sodium and more nutrient-dense plant-based ingredients like red lentils and faba bean protein. According to the company, Beyond IV has 75% less fat than traditional 80/20 beef (that's 80% lean meat and 20% fat).
Here's a full nutritional breakdown of the Beyond IV burgers:
230 calories per serving
21g of protein per serving derived from peas, brown rice, red lentils and faba beans
2g of saturated fat derived from avocado oil
20% less sodium than the previous version
No cholesterol
No GMOs
How do the new meats taste?
Of course, more protein and less fat is great — but does it taste good? It was very important to our team at Good Housekeeping that Beyond Meat's latest iterations be delicious. Luckily, avocado oil has a smooth, neutral flavor that unlocks an even meatier, beefier flavor profile, as well as a juicier product overall. Plus, avocado oil has a higher smoke point than the coconut and canolia oils used in previous products, so the brand's plant-based beef sizzles and cooks up even better than before.
Not only do Beyond Meat's products now qualify for the GHNA emblem, they've also been recognized by leading health organizations, including the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association. They're the first plant-based meat products to be Clean Label Project Certified, as well.
“Every ingredient in this fourth iteration was thoughtfully selected to bring the nutritional power of plants — from the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats in avocado oil, to the protein and fiber in peas, red lentils, faba beans and brown rice," said Beyond Meat Founder and CEO Ethan Brown in a recent press release. "There is goodness throughout Beyond IV, and we are excited to pass along these benefits to the consumer."
The new products are expected to roll out this spring at retailers across the United States.
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