We're in the midst of a fake meat frenzy, with makers of the stuff claiming they're saving the planet from the horrors of raising cattle and consumers thinking they'll lose weight by eating plant-based burgers. Both are probably wrong.
Dr. John Higgins is a professor of cardiology with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth.
"If you are looking for a burger and you want the healthiest burger, then these do not actually appear to be that answer."
Dr. Higgins says the main problem is too much sodium, but the meatless burgers also have too much fat and just as many calories. He recommends a different kind of meat.
"You are actually much better off going for a lean chicken burger or a turkey burger."
Dr. Higgins says what's "impossible" with some of these burgers is the notion they're healthier than beef.
"They are quite processed so they have similar amounts of saturated fat in them and, unfortunately, the downside is that they typically have about four times to eight times the amount of sodium."
Some of the fake meat producers have said it's not about health, it's about impacting climate change. They claim the land and other resources used to raise cattle are threatening the environment.