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Due in part to the pandemic, sales of plant-based foods have soared recently. One survey reported 77 percent of U.S. shoppers bought at least one type of plant-based food in the last six months. Of those, 30 percent said this was a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some respondents said they wanted to make a conscious effort to eat healthier to improve their immune systems. Others said it was because they had more time at home to experiment with new food choices.

Our primary care doctors at MD 2.0 in Jupiter certainly applaud this trend. At the same time, we noticed one of the main drivers of plant-based food sales is the meatless burger. You can now find it on grocery store shelves and many restaurants.

So are plant-based burgers healthier than their meat-based inspiration? The answer seems to be, not necessarily.

Plant-based is better

The term “plant-based” describes a type of diet that relies largely on plant foods rather than meat. Also known as a “flexitarian” approach to eating, it features plant foods as the main component of the diet, while also allowing some meat, fish, dairy, and eggs.

In this way it differs from the better-known vegetarian and vegan diets, which contain no meat at all.

There’s no doubt that a plant-based diet is healthier for the planet. And numerous studies have found that this type of diet is also healthier for humans.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), eating less meat decreases the risk of:

• heart disease
• stroke
• obesity
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• type 2 diabetes
• many cancers

“Meat is often loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat,” the AHA reports, “which often have starring roles in poor heart health.”

Andrea Murray, health education specialist at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas explains further.

“Plants give your body what it needs to help fight off infection. A plant-based diet strengthens your immune system to protect you against germs and microorganisms.”

Processed vs. natural

So when the soy-based Impossible Burger hit the market in 2016, sales exploded. It was almost as though Americans had been waiting for just this product to come along. Not only does it make them feel better about avoiding factory-farmed meat, but also as a chance to eat healthier.

A large part of the burger’s popularity stemmed from the fact that finally there was a prepared meat substitute that actually tasted like the real thing. And plant-based burgers contain substantial amounts of fiber, which meat does not.

At the same time, though, side-by-side comparisons of the nutritional content of a four-ounce Impossible Burger and a comparable beef burger reveals not all that much difference.

One Harvard Health Publishing report found the calorie content, fat and saturated fat, and protein content for the two burgers was nearly identical, except for cholesterol. The Impossible Burger and its popular cousin, the Beyond Burger, contained zero cholesterol. The ground beef burger, however, contained 80 milligrams of cholesterol.

The bad news is the two plant-based burgers contained 370 and 390 milligrams of sodium, compared to 80 milligrams in a beef burger.

The Impossible Burger uses soy as its protein source and the Beyond Burger relies on peas and mung beans. Unfortunately, they’re so heavily processed that little of the plants’ original nutrients remain.

The Harvard report notes the health benefits of whole soy foods like edamame (soybeans), for instance, have been attributed to the plant compounds known as isoflavones. But after processing, the Impossible Burger contains less than eight percent of the isoflavones found in a quarter of a block of tofu or a cup of soymilk.

Better alternatives?

Nevertheless, except for their high sodium content, in the long run plant-based burgers and other such foods are probably somewhat better for your overall health, not to mention that of the planet.

Just keep an eye on the ingredients. If you have a choice, go for the burger that emphasizes legumes, seeds, and whole grains like quinoa and brown rice.

Even better, consider a do-it-yourself approach.

That’s the route the plant-based foods promotion group Forks Over Knives recommends.

“Homemade veggie burgers can be way more nutritious than eating a beef burger or a vegan patty from your local restaurant or grocery store,” they say.

“That’s because you can decide which whole-food, plant-based ingredients to add and which cooking methods to use, giving you total control over calories, fat, and sodium. And making your own veggie burgers can be quick, simple, and affordable.”