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Comment by ArkVark | Hacker News Reader

Why not just eat the soy beans directly? This stuff is just glorified processed food.

Probably because a hamburger is tasty?

It's an open secret things like "Impossible Meat" and others are really not healthy for you - certainly not a healthier alternative than just eating beef. They are higher in calories, and contain a lot more oils.

Instead, it's for people who wish not to eat meat for whatever reasons (personal choice, religion, etc)... and now they can have a tasty alternative at the next Backyard BBQ.

Cost. As soon as this is materially cheaper than meat it will become the 'filler' used on so many burgers, taco places etc. and they'll do it without telling customers. Then so many people who would otherwise 'not like this stuff' have to internalize the fact 'they are already eating it widespread'. And even more directly, 40% of consumers are extremely price sensitive (think dollar store) and will buy the cheapest thing making 'real meat' a luxury.

I'm not against meat but I do view 'vegetarian strategic path to meat elimination' as entirely economic.

People care more about their money than anything that's how it will happen in my view.

That said - if it tasted 'really good' I don't mind at all now and again personally and I feel probably most people feel that way as well. If I had burgers once every two weeks and 1/3 of them were 'good vegan' I would fall into just considering it 'another choice in the menu' type of thing, which I believe a lot of folks will go for.

I agree that's the only realistic way it will replace meat in the short-medium term. Besides - replacing the garbage-level-meat (your average cheap hamburger, sausage, nuggets, etc.) that provides most of meat-based calories to the masses with this would be better for everyone and then you can still have your grass-fed steaks and such every now and then without having millions of cows polluting the place.

> As soon as this is materially cheaper than meat it will become the 'filler' used on so many burgers, taco places etc. and they'll do it without telling customers.

This already exists. Tofu is commonly used in fast food as a meat "filler", and very few people notice as it is. Tacos at Jack in the Box "May Contain Soy Products", and more.

Making "Impossible Meat" is always going to be more expensive than Tofu fillers, simply because it's processed to a much higher degree and requires a lot of ingredients.

They have lower cholesterol than regular meat and are lower in nitrates, and consumption of those is associated with behavioral issues.

But yeah the macro-nutrient composition of this meat substitute patties is as unhealthy as meat as they are very high in fat. The sodium content is also really high so they don't help with high blood pressure issues.

Why not just troll individual people directly rather than general trolling? You might enjoy it more.

I do. It's how I maximize my gains after a workout.

IB's are soy free

Literally the second ingredient:

  Water, Soy Protein Concentrate, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavors, 2% Or Less Of: Potato Protein, Methylcellulose, Yeast Extract, Cultured Dextrose, Food Starch Modified, Soy Leghemoglobin, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (Antioxidant), Soy Protein Isolate, Vitamins and Minerals (Zinc Gluconate, Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Niacin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12).

And the first is water, so as a practical matter soy is the biggest single ingredient.

You're probably thinking of Beyond Meat, which uses pea protein.

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