I did believe that for a long time. It’s a narrative you come across often, and like many people, I’d absorbed it without questioning it. Once I started looking into it myself, I changed my perspective completely. I’ve been happily, healthily vegan for over a decade now 🙌🌱
I believe many people think it's expensive just because they don't see how insanely and impossibly cheap meat is. It's the inverse but they don't realise (yet, I hope!).
Same here. I’ve had incredibly tasty vegan burgers, sausages, mince, nuggets, steaks, deli slices - you name it. And the most amazing part is: we are still in the very early stages of vegan invention. There is so much more to come ✨
Stiftung Warentest is a highly respected and widely recognized institution in Germany with a large reach. This story has also been covered by numerous German media outlets, so the message will likely reach a broad audience within the country.
Our role is to help share these groundbreaking test results internationally. Feel free to pass this article along wherever you think it can make an impact. Thank you for stopping by, Lynne 💚
'A controlled, evidence-based comparison': Does this mean the burger-raters chose strictly on taste, without knowing which burgers were vegan and which were meat?
Taste was the most important category, but ratings go beyond taste. There were other criteria, too, as indicated in my above article.
But yes, to evaluate "appearance, smell, taste, and mouthfeel", Stiftung Warentest used an anonymized blind tasting. So the trained assessors evaluated the patties without knowing which were vegan and which were beef. The products were prepared under identical conditions.
No, you're not misreading the website – that's absolutely correct.
I had read Crow Mo' Sapien's comment a bit too quickly and assumed the question was only about whether the taste evaluation itself was conducted blind/anonymized. I've now corrected my response accordingly.
Thanks for the sharp eye and for pointing that out, Christopher.
PS re-reading this piece I see that you did state that it was 'conducted through an anonymised blind tasting, with trained assessors reviewing the patties without knowing which were vegan and which were beef.' It was me that read too quickly... I also glanced at the original study and this wasn't clear to me from the AI translation! I appreciate you clarifying.
Haha, no you didn’t read too quickly. I actually added that clarification after you asked, and your question helped me realise it was missing. So thank you for that, it was really helpful feedback. Really appreciate you being so attentive. Hope you’re having a good weekend, friend :)
The animal exploitation industries can lie as much as they want. They have no chance to survive. As I say in the article: the question of whether this industry will collapse under the weight of the fast-advancing plant-based competition is no longer if. It’s when.
And who can forget the McVeggie Burger? The Wendy’s Custom Veggie? Harvey’s Veggie Burger? KFC’s Veggie Tenders? Some so full of massively processed beans, nuts, peas, corn starch, artificial flavor and color, any real connection with actual nutritious food is purely coincidental. Rather than chasing after fake meat and cheese on a bun, just have a salad already.
I'll never eat beyond burger again. It did taste good but it's lab processed with other things added and belongs to a corporation bent on feeding us slop. But that's my own opinion. You do you.
I’ve never thought vegan food was bad or too expensive. I’ve been eating it for over 13 years..
I did believe that for a long time. It’s a narrative you come across often, and like many people, I’d absorbed it without questioning it. Once I started looking into it myself, I changed my perspective completely. I’ve been happily, healthily vegan for over a decade now 🙌🌱
Many people think that eating a plant-based diet means eating only salads. Not even nice salads, just lettuce, like a cow…
(Ok, I’m joking a bit but many people do have various misconceptions about what eating a plant-based diet exactly mean)
True. Some people really *want* to believe stuff like this because it's easier than thinking about where their own food comes from.
Yeah, classic Boca patties are very tasty. The stuff today is a whole new level, though.
True, some of today's vegan stuff is just mind-blowing.
And here's the crazy part: that's still just the beginning.
I believe many people think it's expensive just because they don't see how insanely and impossibly cheap meat is. It's the inverse but they don't realise (yet, I hope!).
I have tasted many types of vegan burgers and find them all to possess appeal. 🙂 Thank you sharing this important information, Pala. 🌟
Same here. I’ve had incredibly tasty vegan burgers, sausages, mince, nuggets, steaks, deli slices - you name it. And the most amazing part is: we are still in the very early stages of vegan invention. There is so much more to come ✨
👏👏👏Hope these test results can reach more people
Stiftung Warentest is a highly respected and widely recognized institution in Germany with a large reach. This story has also been covered by numerous German media outlets, so the message will likely reach a broad audience within the country.
Our role is to help share these groundbreaking test results internationally. Feel free to pass this article along wherever you think it can make an impact. Thank you for stopping by, Lynne 💚
Wow, wonderful news, Pala! Thanks so much for posting this. ❤️
Glad you're as stoked about it as I am! 😊
The "vegan food is worse" argument simply doesn't hold up anymore. Pass it on ❤️
I’ve never had a vegan burger but I do like veggie burgers like Dr Pragers.
Time to give the vegan ones a try ;)
Hope you‘re having a good weekend.
This is inevitable and will continue.
💯
'A controlled, evidence-based comparison': Does this mean the burger-raters chose strictly on taste, without knowing which burgers were vegan and which were meat?
Taste was the most important category, but ratings go beyond taste. There were other criteria, too, as indicated in my above article.
But yes, to evaluate "appearance, smell, taste, and mouthfeel", Stiftung Warentest used an anonymized blind tasting. So the trained assessors evaluated the patties without knowing which were vegan and which were beef. The products were prepared under identical conditions.
Am i misreading the website?
It seems to show only 40% of the score is from sensory evaluation. Or "appearance, smell, taste, and mouthfeel".
https://www-test-de.translate.goog/burger-patty-test-5740508-0/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Sensory evaluation: 40%
Nutritional quality: 15%
Contaminants: 5% (meat patties), 15% (vegan patties)
Meat quality: 10% (meat patties)
Microbiological quality: 10%
Ease of use of the packaging: 5%
Declaration: 15%
No, you're not misreading the website – that's absolutely correct.
I had read Crow Mo' Sapien's comment a bit too quickly and assumed the question was only about whether the taste evaluation itself was conducted blind/anonymized. I've now corrected my response accordingly.
Thanks for the sharp eye and for pointing that out, Christopher.
Thanks for this clarification, Pala, and for this great piece.
PS re-reading this piece I see that you did state that it was 'conducted through an anonymised blind tasting, with trained assessors reviewing the patties without knowing which were vegan and which were beef.' It was me that read too quickly... I also glanced at the original study and this wasn't clear to me from the AI translation! I appreciate you clarifying.
Haha, no you didn’t read too quickly. I actually added that clarification after you asked, and your question helped me realise it was missing. So thank you for that, it was really helpful feedback. Really appreciate you being so attentive. Hope you’re having a good weekend, friend :)
Keep on pushing for fairness to all.
I will, Carlos ✊
The animal exploitation industries can lie as much as they want. They have no chance to survive. As I say in the article: the question of whether this industry will collapse under the weight of the fast-advancing plant-based competition is no longer if. It’s when.
No they didn't
Yes, they did.
Here's the original headline from Stiftung Warentest, translated to English: https://www-test-de.translate.goog/burger-patty-test-5740508-0/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
And who can forget the McVeggie Burger? The Wendy’s Custom Veggie? Harvey’s Veggie Burger? KFC’s Veggie Tenders? Some so full of massively processed beans, nuts, peas, corn starch, artificial flavor and color, any real connection with actual nutritious food is purely coincidental. Rather than chasing after fake meat and cheese on a bun, just have a salad already.
I'll never eat beyond burger again. It did taste good but it's lab processed with other things added and belongs to a corporation bent on feeding us slop. But that's my own opinion. You do you.
Hey Debby, your concerns are unfounded – especially when compared to animal products.
I tried to break down the most important points in this recent piece: https://veganhorizon.substack.com/p/the-irony-of-calling-vegan-meat-unhealthy