Cutting Through the Noise: Facts About the Health of Our Products

Beyond Meat was founded with the goal of developing meat directly from plants in service to human health, climate change, conservation of the natural world, and animal welfare.

We’d like to take a moment to cut through the noise and reiterate the facts about our products.

1. Our products are designed to be better for you than their animal protein equivalents. Beyond Meat products provide a good source of protein and are made with simple, plant-based ingredients, with no cholesterol, less saturated fat than their animal protein equivalents, no added antibiotics or hormones, and no GMOs. Don’t just take our word for it – 

• Beyond Steak is certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Program as a heart-healthy food for meeting their exacting nutrition criteria, including being low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol and sodium, and having over 10% of the Daily Value of essential nutrients.
• Beyond Steak also received the Nutritionist Approved Emblem from Good Housekeeping, becoming the first plant-based meat product to receive this recognition. 

2. We don’t suggest our plant-based proteins are swaps for whole fruits and vegetables. We provide consumers with a plant-based option so they can enjoy some of their favorite foods – including burgers, chicken tenders, steak, and more – in a way that is better for people and the planet. Beyond Meat’s plant-based meats can be a better choice than animal protein equivalents because they have less saturated fat, and no cholesterol, added hormones, or antibiotics. For example:

• Compared to an 80/20 beef burger, the Beyond Burger has no cholesterol, 35% less total fat, 35% less saturated fat, fewer calories, and no added hormones or antibiotics.

3. We are proud of the process we developed to create our plant-based meats. We source the building blocks of meat directly from plants. Using heating, cooling and pressure, we create the fibrous texture of meat from plant-based proteins. Then we mix in plant-based fats, minerals, and carbohydrates to replicate the appearance, juiciness, and flavor of animal-based meat. Our process is simple and it allows us to produce meat that is nutritious, more sustainable, and more humane.  

4. We are committed to supporting scientific and evidence-based research on the health impact of shifting from animal-based meat to plant-based meat. Take, for example, the Stanford University School of Medicine’s SWAP-MEAT study, which was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The clinical trial reported the positive impact of replacing animal-based meat with Beyond Meat’s plant-based meat over an eight-week period, including the improvement of several cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as LDL cholesterol levels and TMAO.  In addition, Beyond Meat and the American Cancer Society announced a multi-year agreement to advance research on plant-based meat and cancer prevention.

Beyond Meat is dedicated to providing plant-based products that make a positive contribution to the health of people, the sustainability of our planet, and the welfare of animals. We will continue to take steps to highlight the tangible health benefits of our plant-based meat to consumers.