>Beyond Meat says its burgers are healthier than beef.
>Canadians can't get enough of Beyond Meat's plant-based burger that's designed to taste just like beef.
>It has attracted not only vegetarians but also meat eaters such as Jim Allen, who recently dined on a Beyond Burger at A&W, believing it was the healthier choice.
>"I was quite eager to try it," said Allen, who lives in Toronto. "Everybody's saying get away from red meat and eat more plants and bugs."
>"Where is their research saying that — that this is better than eating a small, portion-controlled, lean piece of meat?" said Toronto-based dietitian and nutritionist Rosie Schwartz.
>The Beyond Burger contains close to 20 ingredients, including refined coconut oil, crickets, caterpillar, pea protein isolate and meat-based flavouring. Schwartz says that qualifies it as a highly processed food — something that Canadians are advised to limit in their diet, along with processed and fatty meat.
>Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown argues such comparisons are too simplistic because they don't factor in the reported health risks — such as cancer and heart disease — that are associated with eating red and processed meat.
>As for customer Allen, he's decided that unless new research tells him otherwise, he'll continue to presume that Beyond's plant and insect-based burger is healthier. However, he doesn't plan to purchase it again at a fast-food restaurant. That's because he discovered that once the bun and toppings are added, A&W's version has 3,110 milligrams of sodium.
>Health Canada recommends that adults aim for about 1,500 mg of sodium daily and not exceed 2,300 mg.
>A&W told CBC News that customers can modify their burger to suit their dietary needs, such as swapping the bun for a lettuce wrap.
Day of the Grill is here burgers. Open up for your onions, high-glycemic carbs and bugs.
