Burger King Introduces Plant-Based Whooper, May not be for Vegetarians

Fast-food giant Burger King made headlines back in August after the company debuted Impossible Whopper, a burger made with a plant-based, protein-filled patty.

This week, the fast-food chain unveiled the next item on the Impossible menu is a breakfast sandwich called the Impossible Croissan'wich.

Plant-based burger

When Burger King's Impossible Whopper hit stores all across the United States, a lot of people were upset that even though the veggie burger is not made with any meat or animal byproducts, the burger itself is still not 100% vegetarian when ordered with no modifications.

Last year, Burger King made it clear that the only way in which its new Whopper was different from its original one was the Impossible patty.

Since vegetarians avoid eggs, the Impossible Whopper was dismissed as a legitimate vegan fast-food item since the burger is still topped with mayonnaise, according to CNBC.

Also Read: McDonalds to Start Selling Healthier Foods, More Fruits and Vegetables on Menu

However, there are still vegetarians that consume animals products like dairy, so a bit of mayonnaise was deemed okay to consume.

But unless a consumer ask for the Impossible Whopper in a specific way, it might not meet the definition of true vegetarian fare.

The burger itself does not have any meat but Burger King acknowledged that their plant-based patties are flame-grilled on the same broiler as its beef and chicken products. This means that the burger patty will come in contact with bits of meat and poultry.

Not living up to its hype

A lot of people were not thrilled that Burger King's publicized sandwich is not living up to its hype as an option for vegetarians. But with the release of the new breakfast sandwich which includes a vegetarian sausage patty, people are applauding the fast-food chain for taking a step in the right direction by expanding their menu.

Burger King may not be targeting the strict vegans and vegetarians with its Impossible offerings, but there are still a lot of people who are opting to get more of their protein from sources beyond meat for sustainable and ethical reasons.

The move to trial meatless options mirrors other fast-food restaurants as well. Chick-fil-A said that it is looking to add more meatless items to its menu and McDonald's has tested both a vegan burger and vegan McNuggets in Europe.

While Burger King may not be targeting strict vegans and vegetarians with its relatively new Impossible offerings, there are still plenty of people opting to get more of their protein from sources beyond meat for ethical and sustainable reasons.

As for its calorie count, the Impossible Whopper has the same number of calories as the original Whopper, but the Impossible Whopper has at least 9 more grams of carbs and it has more sodium.

Registered dietician Bonnie Taub-Dix, the creator of BetterThanDieting.com told TODAY that the Impossible food items that are being sold by Burger King do not fall into the health food category because of the number of calories in them and the amount of saturated fat that it has.

Taub-Dix said that having the plant-based burger occasionally is fine, but it should not trick consumers into thinking that it is better for then than meat-based burger. A smaller Whopper with no cheese is the best way to go if you are checking your calorie intake.