Have you started swinging through the drive-thru more frequently since fast-food chains decided to hop on board with plant-based burger options? Sure, Burger King’s Impossible Whopper and Carl’s Jr.’s meatless Beyond Meat burger may seem like enticing options after a long day — heck, even Ikea is rumored to be working on a meatless version of its famous Swedish meatballs.
And of course, it’s an encouraging sign that a plant-based lifestyle is becoming more mainstream, especially when it’s accepted in restaurants known for their beefy offerings. But could racking up too many fast-food visits mean you’re sacrificing some of the positive health benefits associated with a plant-based diet for the sake of convenience?
“Meat alternatives are taking center stage because more and more people are recognizing that taking meat off our menus is an imperative if we are to preserve the planet’s life support systems for future generations,” says Brenda Davis, R.D., a world-renowned expert in plant-based nutrition and coauthor of Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families.