Burger King garnered a lot of attention after running an ad showing a moldy, disgusting-looking Whopper to promote the fact that the company will eliminate artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from its signature sandwich, according to MSN.
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More than 400 outlets already have the additive-free burger, and the company expects all Whoppers to follow by the end of the year, according to the report, which poses the question, “Is it a good idea to promote this new practice with a picture of a burger gone bad?”
Maybe. Maybe not.
Most people have no idea how many fillers and additives are in the food they eat, particularly processed and fast food.
Phosphates, used to flavor and preserve foods and beverages in over 45% of grocery store items, are added to many foods. They have been found to reduce exercise capacity and skeletal muscle fatty acid metabolism; in essence, they make you lazy. Eating processed and fast foods, also high in phosphates, has been associated with a reduction in cognitive performance and depression.
But since phosphates have been deemed generally recognized as safe by the FDA, the amounts of phosphates in food products are not required to be listed on labels.
Phosphates are found in foods traditionally considered low in phosphorus, such as flavored water and iced teas, and may be found on food labels under 10 different names.
Emulsifiers, which are used in processed foods to create a shelf-stable product, are another problem.
Emulsifiers could wreak havoc on the microbes in your intestines, leading to metabolic problems and even affecting your brain. Because there’s a direct gut-brain connection, altering microbes in your gut can spike anxiety and some researchers have speculated that consuming emulsifiers may also influence mental health and behavior. That’s because emulsifiers trigger chronic, low-grade inflammation in your body to which depression is strongly linked.
There’s a simple solution for avoiding food additives, fillers and emulsifiers —avoid processed foods and eat real, whole foods instead.
Burger King’s Impossible Whopper bills itself as “100% Whopper, 0% beef.” Instead of a hamburger patty made with beef — which would actually be healthier if it were organic, grass fed beef — the faux burger is made mostly of soy protein, potato protein, coconut oil, sunflower oil and heme, derived from genetically engineered yeast.
Impossible Foods, which made headlines for its meatless burgers that "bleed" like real meat, is set to become a household name, courtesy of a partnership with Burger King and their Whopper sandwich.
In short, the Impossible Burger is a highly processed fake food, and is not the solution to a sustainable food system.
If you want to maintain good health and save the planet, skip the fake meat alternatives. “Have it Your Way,” and skip the bleeding, fake burgers and opt for natural, real food, instead.