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What’s The Healthiest Fast Food Burger Chain?

If you’re careful about what you eat, you probably don’t frequent chains like McDonald’s or Burger King, but where do you go when you want a burger? There are several higher-end and “farm-to-table” burger chains popping up, advertising their “all natural”, “organic” and “grass-fed” burgers. So I had to find out, are they really legit? Are they serving GMO ingredients? Do they really serve grass-fed burgers? Or, is their meat really just from a filthy factory farm with a slick marketing campaign?

We reached out to over a dozen burger chains on a quest to find a better burger… and were shocked by our findings.

 

After investigating how food is produced and raised in this country, one of the first commitments I made was to stop eating “factory farmed” meat. That’s why I usually opt for veggie burgers and vegan dishes when eating at restaurants, where almost all the meat is “conventionally” grown on a factory farm. Whether I’m eating at home, a friend’s house, or at a restaurant – I try my best not to eat meat unless I know it wasn’t grown in some dirty feedlot in horrible conditions.

Why to avoid burgers made with “conventional” beef…

Most cattle in this country live crammed together in inhumane living conditions (aka “factory farm”), subsisting on a diet of chemical-laden GMO grains (instead of grass) which makes them bulk up fast for mass production and an early slaughter. They are further fattened up with added hormones (linked to cancer), growth stimulating drugs, and antibiotics – a system fraught with numerous environmental and health problems.

When you eat conventional meat, you’re probably eating hormones, antibiotics, resistant bacteria, steroids, and chemicals created by the fear and stress suffered by the animal during slaughter.

This is NOT how we should be raising animals for food. These animals are not healthy. And when we eat animals that are not healthy – we become unhealthy. If you want to change the food industry, your body, and get healthy, you have to make the commitment to stop eating conventional (factory farmed) meat.

If you eat beef – only choose 100% grass-fed. Here’s why…

Raising cattle on grass takes too long for the typical factory farm. When cows are raised on grass, they aren’t eating “Roundup Ready” GMO corn and candy like Skittles to fatten them up insanely fast.

Cows’ digestive systems are not designed to easily process starchy foods like corn and candy, and these can make conventional cows sick. That’s one reason why grass-fed cows are rarely given antibiotics. They are less likely to get sick, spending more time outdoors and not in a crowded and filthy feedlot. Sustainably raised grass-fed beef is also less likely to harbor deadly bacteria, such as E. coli and S. aureus (a bacteria that produces a toxin that is not easily destroyed by cooking). 

100% grass-fed cows are fed grass and forage that grows on the pasture during the growing season, and during the winter they’re fed hay and compacted grass. This has a major effect on the nutrient composition of their meat. These cows produce meat with significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and almost twice as much CLA (a fatty acid that is good for you and associated with fat loss). It’s also packed with more vitamins A and E than conventional beef.

That being said… some grass-fed beef is a fraud.

Sometimes “grass-fed cows” are moved off the pasture and into a feedlot where they’re fed GMOs and live in the same horrible conditions as conventional cows before slaughter. Meat from these cows can still be called “grass fed” because this term is not properly defined by the USDA. That’s why ultimately you want to look for meat that is certified 100% grass-fed and finished.

Unfortunately most restaurants do not serve 100% grass-fed burgers and there is a lot of greenwashing going on – so you’ve really got to do your homework and search them out.

There are some options that sound better than the typical burger place…

You’ve got Shake Shack’s “100% all-natural Angus beef”… Five Guys “handcrafted” burgers… Red Robin’s “gourmet” burgers… Smashburger’s “fresh, never frozen beef”… 

That all sounds nice, but be aware that terms like 100% pure beef, all-natural, Angus, gourmet, free range, and handcrafted really don’t tell ya a whole lot.

These terms DO NOT mean…

  • That it is grass-fed.
  • That it is organic.
  • That it is non-GMO.
  • That it was humanely raised.
  • That it was raised without antibiotics.
  • That it was raised without growth promoting drugs.
  • That it was raised without added hormones.
  • That it has never seen the inside of a factory farm.

Sometimes a burger is labeled as “Natural” and actually does mean some of those things.. but often that’s not the case.

According to USDA regulations, you can call your meat “Natural” if it’s minimally processed and has no artificial ingredients in the meat itself. This applies to most fresh meat, so that’s why the natural label doesn’t mean much.

As for “Certified Angus”, this is just a breed of cattle that has met some quality requirements, none specifying how the cows were raised. When a hamburger has “100% pure beef” that simply means that no other meats were added to the burger patty – it’s just beef.

In all these instances, this beef could be (and likely is) conventional. Don’t fall for these marketing terms! Instead, look for burgers made with organic ingredients and 100% grass fed and finished beef.

Here’s what we uncovered about these “healthier” burger chains… 

Shake Shack – They admitted to us, “our beef is produced within the conventional farming industry and is not GMO free”. Although they never use hormones or antibiotics, it is still grain-finished. They refused to provide complete ingredient lists for their food, but confirmed the ShackSauce contains canola oil (high risk GMO ingredient) which is “not listed as “non-GMO.” Something to note: I always refuse to eat at any establishment that hides their ingredients from consumers.

Smashburger – The beef at Smashburger is “pasture-fed corn finished”. That means it is not 100% grass-fed. And, it may have been raised with hormones and antibiotics. They told us, “There may be hormones used in the growth of the beef cattle. We do not specify or source hormone free beef. Antibiotics may be used in both our ground beef and chicken as a precautionary step to prevent illness. They are not used as part of a regular or routine process. We do not specify that either product be antibiotic free.” What they are sprinkling on top of those burgers is not very good either. Smashburger’s burger seasoning is packed hidden MSG additives like hydrolyzed proteins and yeast extract, which cause you to eat more than you should and are linked to health issues. They sent us the ingredients in their food (oddly listed in alphabetical order), but you can see their burgers are PACKED with controversial additives… (and see what’s in their fries here)…

{This pic sent in by a member of the Food Babe Army}

Five Guys The beef is grain-fed. They told us via email their beef comes from cattle “mainly raised on corn” and “a diet… that includes vitamins, corn, and etc”, who “will be administered Anabolic Steroids only if the animal gets sick and needs to be nursed back to health”. When pressed for more information on antibiotics, Five Guys said animals may receive antibiotics if sick and not “without good reason”. They only provided a partial ingredient list for their buns, claiming their bread is “proprietary”, but admit it’s “not GMO free” and contains soy.

Carl’s Jr. – Contacting Carl’s Jr. was like talking to a brick wall. They did not respond (at all) to multiple undercover emails and phone calls. They apparently do not want to discuss their meat which makes me want to run far away from this place and never look back. We were told when we called that they’re in the process of discontinuing their “All-Natural Burger” (which was made with grass-fed beef without hormones, steroids, or antibiotics) – so now you’ll only be able to buy their burgers made with conventional beef. No thanks. Just look at all those nasty additives and high fructose corn syrup in their burgers…

Red Robin – According to Red Robin’s website, “Our Gourmet Burgers are made with all-natural, domestic, Government-inspected beef.” In other words – it’s conventional. They told us, “We do not mandate our suppliers to use GMO free food. We also do allow our suppliers to treat sick animals with antibiotics.” The Red Robin sesame seed buns are filled with high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil. 

The Habit Bar & Grill The beef is “corn fed”, not grass fed and not organic. They refused to provide ingredients in their burger, but we were able to confirm that the seeded bun contains soybean and cottonseed oils (both high risk GMO ingredients).

In-N-Out Burger – The meat comes from one of the largest factory farms. I posted a video of what it looks like on Instagram – check it out here. Critics call it “cowschwitz” because thousands of cows can be seen crowded and walking in their own excrement. After our investigation and working together with consumer advocacy groups, In-N-Out told the media that they’re phasing out routine antibiotics – but there is no timeline. They still do not publish their ingredients online and hide the ingredients in their burgers.

Culver’s – I recently asked on Facebook where you like to get burgers, and this spot was the winner. I’m really sorry to say that Culver’s burgers come from cows that live in a feedlot during the last few months of their lives, where they are given hormones and eat corn/grain diets. They also may be administered antibiotics if deemed necessary. Culver’s buns are also made with high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, and additives like DATEM and artificial flavors.

Umami Burger – The beef is grass fed, but grain-finished. Umami said that although they have “antibiotic free” meats available from their supplier, they don’t request those and “most of them use antibiotics”. Although they don’t use MSG additives in their food, they wouldn’t provide us with a list of ingredients. 

These chains serve better burgers, but you might want to BYOB “Bring Your Own Bun”…

Elevation Burger – They are doing the right thing as far as their meat goes in sourcing 100% organic grass-fed beef and organic chicken… but I hate to tell ya that the rest of their burger ingredients are pretty horrible. I was incredibly disappointed to find that only their meat is organic, and their buns and toppings are full of additives. Elevation’s buns and sauces are not verified Non-GMO, so they may contain GMOs. They really could do better by cleaning up the ingredients, stopping the use of soybean oil in practically everything, getting those artificial colors out of their sauce, and serving organic buns. Elevation Burger’s “Veggie Patty” isn’t a good option either because it’s not organic and spiked with “autolyzed yeast extract” a hidden form of MSG. A better option is their organic “Vegan Patty”, but ultimately if I ate at Elevation burger, I would stick with their Elevation Salad (sans their dressing) instead of a burger. You could top that with organic grilled chicken tenders or an organic burger without the bun and toppings. Another option would be a lettuce wrapped burger, without the Elevation Sauce.

BareBurger – The meat is completely grass-fed and finished and not given antibiotics or hormones. But, where I really get hung up is on their buns. Corporate offices didn’t respond to several emails asking for the ingredients in their bun, whether it is organic, and if they use any GMO ingredients. One restaurant told us the buns are NOT organic. Another restaurant told us the brioche buns contain sugar, margarine, soy oil, and canola oil which are all high risk GMO ingredients. I’d say the healthiest option is to wrap your burger in a nutrient packed organic collard leaf (they have this option) and skip the bun. Beware that they serve the “Impossible Burger” as a vegan option which is made with SLH (soy leghemoglobin), a new protein made in a lab with GMO yeast. This protein has never been in our food before and even the FDA has questioned its safety

B.Good – They are transparent about their suppliers and use (partially) grass-fed beef without antibiotics or hormones. That being said, sadly they are not organic and their beef is grain-finished. Their buns are also not organic and contain GMO sugar. B.Good is doing some good things and are far better than most chains, but I would love to see them go organic and 100% grass fed. I personally love their salads and bowls.

BurgerFi – The meat is grass-fed and grain finished, and they never use antibiotics or growth hormones. We have contacted them for ingredients and will update when we hear back from them.

Questionable veggie burger ingredients…

Next Level Burger – This vegetarian burger place uses organic buns and toppings, but beware that not everything is organic. Their “house-made” burger patties are organic, but the “meaty patty” is not. I want to love this place, but they said their ingredients are “confidential and proprietary”, so we have no clue what additives may be lurking in there. (We are still trying to obtain ingredients (we contacted the owner), and will update this post if they disclose).

Amy’s Drive-Thru – This vegetarian 100% organic fast food place is pretty great (but with reservations). They provide ingredient lists at the register, so you can see exactly what you’re ordering. They are good in a pinch, but beware their burgers contain some unhealthy ingredients like hydrolyzed soy protein and soybean oil. 

When I get a burger, this is where I go…

Farm Burger – The beef is 100% grass fed and finished and never fed antibiotics or growth hormones. Their buns are not organic, but they are baked locally without additives. They also have amazing chicken burgers! I hope you’re lucky enough to have one of these in your area, I love this place.

True Food Kitchen –  For their beef burgers, they use sustainably-raised 100% grass-fed beef and an exclusive Dave’s Killer Bread bun. They did tell us though that the bun is not organic and that they follow the Dirty Dozen for their produce. When I’m traveling I love to eat here. I personally prefer to eat their turkey burger.

Usually, the best burgers are not found at chains!

Seek out local farm-to-table restaurants in your area. If that isn’t an option, your best bet is to buy some grass-fed beef from local farmers or Butcher Box (my partner) and make burgers at home. Butcher Box is offering an exclusive $10 off + 2 lbs grass-fed ground beef free (for a limited time to new customers). 

Questions to ask your local burger place…

  • Is your beef 100% grass fed and finished?

If the answer is NO, it likely was raised on some grains or GMO feed. You can also ask:

  • What is your policy on antibiotics in the raising of your meat?
  • Is your beef raised with growth hormones?
  • Can I see the complete ingredient list for your burger?

Consider eating less meat and choose veggie burgers…

Our demand for beef is escalating out of control and the only way that we can transition to more sustainable farming methods is for all of us to eat less meat. 

Do you know someone who loves burgers? (I know you do!) Share this post with them and encourage them to seek out a better burger next time they go out.

Let’s all stop eating factory farmed burgers together, okay?

Xo, 

Vani

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158 responses to “What’s The Healthiest Fast Food Burger Chain?

  1. I see lots of products listed as non-GMO and that is start for consumers. But, if the products aren’t Organic then you may be consuming pesticides, herbicides and insecticides! Is that right Vani? So I suggest only buying 100% Organic everything if you want to truly be healthy. I know that is extremely hard to do and expensive especially when traveling! I live the 80 to 20 rule. I eat Organics 80% of the time and 20% of the tiime is saved for those times when I do eat out and or must travel because it’s impossible to find restaurants that are 100% organic in our country! Which is very sad to me! I’m in my seventies and have zero health issues!

    1. To Sharon,
      Well said! I always say “I do the best that I can”. Is very hard when traveling or just simply going out to eat! I do organic the best I can when shopping in the small town that I live in. I am on the East coast and we have a wonderful chain grocery store here called ‘ALDI’S. They carry tons of organic items including produce and some organic meats. Their 100% organic grass feed, grass finished hamburger Is only about 5.29 per pound. Omg, u cannot beat that price, and their hamburger is fantastic. To all those out there, if you didn’t know about Aldi’s, you do now, and if you go there, you will love it. (Bag your own groceries) helps keep costs down for the customer. 🙂

      1. Years ago I went to ALDIs and got some foul frozen fish fillets and never went back and may give another try as have many family members who I was shocked shop there and now this revelation from you has given me cause to reevaluate for myself.

    2. in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, we have Nic’s Organic Fast Food (coming also in May 2018 to Woodfied Mall, Schaumburg)

      Have you researched their ingredients in the beef, white buns, etc?

    3. No mention of flavor?!? Also cows are grain fed and fattened for marbling (fat is flavor) not speed. Most cattle operations aren’t stressed about speed. Grass fed beef is gaming and not good flavor. So if they want to sell delicious burgers they should do the opposite of the food babe’s article. If you want grass fed beef then you want gross meat and what is the point?!?

      1. You sound brained washed. Meat is flavored by seasoning. The stuff listed in this article is bad for you. Why when you buy a burger, grass-fed, the ingredient is beef. Since the animal eats grass there is no corn. Which is bad for you.

  2. Vani, I am so much healthier after following your advise on what’s best to eat and so so grateful for all the effort you put in to getting the word out to us and helping us to understand what’s in our food supply. Thanks to you I can shop wisely. I will now look for grass fed and finished beef and eat less of it. Thank you, Thank you!

  3. My absolute favorite burger when I’m traveling is Steak N Shake. They’ve got a killer original mustard relish and tasty shoestring fries too. Mostly Midwest locations.

  4. What do you know about Braum’s? They seem to have a bit higher standards though short of organic. Their stores are all within 300 miles of their own dairy farms. I’m not sure where they get their meat.

    1. Mel, I’ll bet if you wrote to Braums headquarters in Oklahoma, they’d respond. They probably don’t have the customer base that demands grass fed, antibiotic free though.

      1. My friend, who is from Oklahoma where Braums is based, said their cows are well treated. They play music for them – and employees have been fired for being mean to the cows. I love their burgers, and would love for Vani to check them out.

    2. Sorry, just seeing this article today (27 April 2020–during the pandemic) while looking for stuff about meat processors other than the megacorps like Tyson and Smithfield. I wanted to look more into a company in my part of the world: Tuttle, OK-based Braum’s, which runs a chain of ice cream/burger joints in OK and surrounding states, many with their own grocery stores on-site.

      Braum’s raises its own cattle for the production of both dairy products and beef … heifers are returned to the herd, bulls are raised for beef, and — I assume — processed on-site. Braum’s also grows the grain that feeds the dairy and beef-producing herds.

      This article was published at the website of Dairy Herd Management on the occasion of Braum’s 50th anniversary in business, and that’s where this info comes from (I question some math in the article and am unsure if typo or mistranscription):
      https://www.dairyherd.com/article/farm-fork-braums-ice-cream-and-dairy-stores-celebrates-50-years

      Braum’s own website is braums.com

  5. Food Babe,
    You’re the Ralph Nadar of the food industry.

    Thank you for your service to humanity.

  6. Great undercover work, and very informative. You have reinforced my resolve not to eat in any restaurant. 🙂 I stopped eating out years ago, as I have no idea what is in the food, how it’s been handled, or where it’s from.

    Thanks for your hard work Vani, and for educating us, and changing the food industry.

  7. Good article. I feel the same about eating out. It’s almost impossible. I have a nice supermarket too called Moms organic in Cherry Hill,Nj. Thanks for all the info. I also do the 80-20 rule during week and feel great after all Vani’s amazing books and posts!

  8. Vani, I GREATLY APPRECIATE what you do! I read this because I wanted to see if you covered Carl’s and you did, I sometimes eat there. I talked to someone there as soon as the ALL-NATURAL BURGER came out. I couldn’t believe I actually got answers. I would say that there are ALOT of people calling there probably because of this burger and now they don’t want to expose themselves, so they’re discontinuing it; it seems self-defeating, I don’t understand it. I switched from their burgers to the BREAKFAST BURGER, and I make a “special order” all the time when I get one, namely, NO tater-tots (blech!), I sub the American cheese to pepper jack, and double egg, and keep the bacon. Now I don’t know where to get a good burger for lunch. I guess I have to have steak instead.

  9. I’d recommend going veg and don’t contribute tyo the nightmare beef industry at all, if you can. I have a friend who had a calf named Sara that I met and watched grow up. When she was an adult cow, I could show up, whistle for her, and she’d run over like a dog, lick my hand, and is pet her, which she enjoyed. Burger stopped looking like food after that…

    1. Kevin,
      I completely agree with you. Eating meat is so unappealing when you see the beautiful cows that have to die for it. Vegan or even vegetarian is so so so much better for us and the innocent animals.

      1. You should watch What The Health or Forks Over Knives. Truly opens things up.

      2. i was raised vegetarian and started to eat meat because of health purposes. i think that if you put into perspective that they were going to die anyway, and your decision doesn’t change that, then there wasnt really anything you could do. it’s perfectly fine to eat animals and love them as well. it isn’t either/or to me personally. besides, countless animals are killed for pet food, for example, yet it’s what they have to eat to be healthy. that’s just like us in a way!

  10. My wife and I try to eat organic whenever we can, but it is so hard to do when you dine out. Too many lies and distrustful people.

    1. Then it is best not to eat out. I could never eat out because I have food allergies but can’t ever trust if they clean everything or any of that even if they claim to. Same with ingredients. Do you really think someone is going to flat out say it has HFCS or is full of GMO’s in a restaurant? Most people don’t.

  11. I would prefer eating veggie burgers but they usually have ingredients (like peppers) that I cannot eat.
    Do you know of any which are pretty simple and good?
    Thanks much!

  12. ANYONE who has read the books “Deadly Feasts”or “Mad Cowboy” knows without a doubt that there are NO safe or healthy burgers out there – unless they’re vegan.

    1. “Only six cows with BSE (mad cow disease) have been found in the U.S. The first case was reported in 2003 and the most recent case was found in August 2018.”

      Out of millions each year. No humans in the United States have ever been infected.

    1. The “Impossible Burger” is not organic, so that right there is an issue. If you can’t eat wheat then you won’t be able to eat it. It uses oil and oil is inflammatory to the body, and it also contains soy and soy protein isolate along with natural flavors, as the product is organic there is a high chance the soy is GMO even if they claim it isn’t, and who knows what they have in the “natural flavors” part on the label. Another thing to note just in one “Impossible Burger” it packs 10g of artery clogging saturated fat which is 50% of saturated fat.

      People wonder why people are getting sicker and sicker, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, other heart issues, non alcoholic fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, and other issues. It’s all related to diet so you have to go much further into true clean eating if you don’t want organic foods to cause these issues. In an organic food saturated fat is still saturated fat, sugar is still sugar, cholesterol is still cholesterol, including oils, all things that effect the body. Only difference is they don’t contain GMO’s.

      You are better off without that “Impossible Burger.”

  13. Thanks for what you do! Your anti-meat stance seems a little dated. However I hope you research guides you toward sustainable, rotated grazing cattle who self-fertilize and mostly eat the very vegetarian diet you recommend. Pointing out that all is crappy with commercial beef is like pointing out that all is crappy with commercial produce. The entire food supply is threatened by pollution with GMO’s.in the vegetables. Should we stop eating vegetables? While I Love the idealism and believe we could evolve over many generations to be healthy vegetarians we have way to many years of evolution towards meat.to simply stop eating it. .A few years of deep study and 10 years as a strict vegetarian led me to certainty that vegetarianism was unhealthy for me. .Now at 65, with the last 30 years as a meat eater, I look at my peers who never stopped ‘healthy’ vegetarianism and, in general, they are not well and look prematurely old.. Why not advocate birth control? It seems very acceptable to have 3 or 4 children.

    1. Well what were those vegetarians and vegans eating? There still can be unhealthy vegetarians and vegans. Go for Daiya, go for Oreos, go for those sugary cereals, go for all those processed vegetarian/vegan meats in stores, go for that vegan cheese that is still high in fat, go for ultra packaged foods and that is the problems.

      Research does a lot of issues. Look how many places say organic is the way to go but then you have places funded to say that GMO’s are safe. The same goes for diets heavy in animal products. It simply is not healthy. The high amount of cholesterol, saturated fat, high blood pressure raising and how animals are treated and what is exactly done is what should make you want to turn away from it. Diseases like heart disease is still the number one top killer, along with other issues such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, other heart conditions, high blood pressure, non alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome and many others. Much of this is related to a diet in animal product foods AND.OR a diet high in processed foods, even if it is vegetarian, vegan or organic.

  14. I just make my burgers at home and usually buy my burger buns at whole foods or farmers markets. Also buy my meat from farmers market co-op, I know the farmer and have been so lucky to have visited the farm as well were my meat is grown! I think it’s so important for the kids to understand were there food is coming from, how its grown, that i have taken my time to find the best places for us.

  15. Fast Food places are all frauds with their burger claims. Grass-fed burgers from a local butcher are always the best, but it is nice to pig out on fast food from time to time.

    1. Not really. If only you knew what that fast food does to your body. Even that every once in awhile time should make you want to avoid it.

  16. What about just not eating burgers? You really don’t need them in your diet. Have a craving? Well, the fact of the matter is it is unhealthy. So is added sugar, another thing your body does not need.

  17. Good read. Ultimately, the best choice is to avoid eating anything that comes out of a box or a window. Sometimes circumstances dictate things, but for the most part making real food at home out of real ingredients is the best. Sometimes junk food is what there is.

  18. I live in Southern Oregon. Just over the Cali border, so nancy travelers stop off in Medford to eat. We now have IN & Out Burgers, 5 Guys is under construction, Red Robin is the most popular place in town! Applebees is here, as is a new place called Rams! We also have all the Fast food regulars!! Taco Bell, McDonalds, Carl Jr’s, Jack in Box. Del Taco, Sonic, Panda Express, Cracker Barrel, and IHOP are under construction!!
    We DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THE GREAT PLACES YOU MENTIONED!!
    Which is the best restaurant or Fast Food place to go that is somewhat OK to eat?? We are the Homebase for Harry and David mail order fruits and foods!
    Where to go for REAL FOOD???? When we don’t want to cook!!

  19. This is very frustrating because basically there are no good options near me which leaves me no options if I wish to go out for a burger or for anything really. I love cooking but sometimes its nice to be able to go out and socialize with friends. Even at nicer restaurants we have no idea what we are actually eating. I live in a decent sized city but in the middle of the Mid-west so I feel like we have way less options that many other big cities.

  20. Yeah I definitely am not going to stop eating burgers or beef. In fact I’m having a T-bone steak tonight Yum!

  21. I found a place near (not close to)me that I frequent when I can. It is called Nic’s Organic Fast Food. I really enjoy their food and organic soft drinks. I wonder how they rate. They are pricy but I reluctantly purchased one burger, and immediately upon finishing, ordered a second one for the road. Was the best burger I ever had from a chain (if it is a chain).

  22. Hi. I loved this article! However, what do you think about McDonalds? It’s the cheapest of all of them I think, so I’d like to know since I eat there very often.

  23. Thanks for the informative article. It seems like you did a ton of research about things I didn’t know. Thanks again

  24. Great article- thank you! Have you done research into super duper in California? I’d love to know more about them…

  25. WOW!!!thank you for all your research!!! What a lot of work you saved us.
    I refuse to eat any red meat (especially hamburger) out. But if a place opens up that serves organic , or better yet BIODYNAMIC beef, I’m THERE!
    Thanks again!!

  26. Veggie patties as an alternative are mentioned a few times in this article. So while the writer provides an informative and thorough analysis on beef, that same analysis needs to be done on veggie patties and veggie burgers.

    Most veggie patties contain ingredients that are very unhealthy (e.g. Morning Star). Most are highly processed.

    Veggie burgers (Impossible, Beyond) are extremely high in sodium along with higher levels of other unhealthy ingredients. Just think about what they must have to do to: 1. Mimic the flavor. 2. Mimic the coloring. 3. Mimic the texture. Still trust them? I’ll pass.

    If you opt for a veggie patty, choose an organic brand with the fewest ingredients (mostly real vegetables) from health food stores. Most mainstream grocery brands now carry at least one of the healthier organic brands as well.

    A veggie patty isn’t supposed to taste like meat.

    Simply suggesting veggie burgers as a replacement for beef helps reduce your contributing to the factory farm, but it doesn’t necessarily mean eating them is healthier for you.

    Want a really healthy veggie sandwich? How about building one with: organic sprouted bread, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, avocados, onions, pickles, organic condiments, etc.

  27. This article bothers me. People like Adventists who don’t eat meat, live many years longer. Colon disease in Africa is still about 50 times less common than in the United States, due to lower consumption of meat, in favor of fiber containing grains and vegetables (nutritionfacts.org). A study of 61,00 people showed 7.6% of non-vegetarians vs. 2.9% of vegans getting diabetes (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466941/#s2title). Vegans had the lowest percentage of people who were obese — just 9.4 percent — while meat-eaters had the highest percentage of people who were obese — 33.3 percent (ttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/vegetarians-slimmer-meat-eaters-weight_n_4039441?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADgI4Ak6cR17-6RToVoXvgRaryGCHL4z13EgyCWb6jCoZXCSUpggYzYOZ5vl3R1Gt0zGHjYXuiqfAoBWuxtN2Rl93bnl7AAsyJNEsp6_hEPCLssUW-xxekOR61u-YW7mVPsGpuNqzRjkbAxNZuN_or32rclpcwo8wLQIO3Xom2wE). This seems opportunistic to suggest a food like beef. Food Babe has done a lot of good, but she needs to learn a lot more.

  28. I hope you have since learned that its not the saturated fats that cause diabetes t2, metabolic syndrome. Many scientific articles have debunked old science and shown it is the strongest least oxidizing type of fat chains. Oxidization leads to inflammation, inflammation causes disease. The polyunsaturated fats, however, have weak bonds that oxidize easily. These are no good and like the article states, avoid soybean oil and canola. The definition of cholesterol has always been falsely represented by mainstream. Whats damaging bout ldl cholesterol is when theyre oxidized..see a pattern? T
    We see patterns shown in the literature: high sugar diet, high insulin=high triglycerides and small oxidized ldl. Low insulin from low sugar= large ldl without oxidation. Its no surprise why i eat primarily saturated fat, but avoid the bun entirely and am picky about any sauce or toppings. I’d suggest searching for Nina Teicholz cato institute on YT for a good overview. Cheers

  29. I would like to be more educated on what is so bad about animals being grain-fed? I looked into more information about grain-fed vs grass-fed and there doesn’t seem to be anything bad about it, except that grain-fed means more fat on the meat while grass-fed is leaner. But grain-fed doesn’t indicate bad farming practices (i.e, torture, whether or not they are is small spaces, dirty, injected with steriods/antibiotics, etc.). Grain-fed is only based on what they are fed. And if that’s the case, I don’t care whether the animals were grain-fed or grass-fed. I care about other bad farming practices, but I don’t think grain-fed is a big deal. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think it just comes down to preference.

  30. I also respect your opinions, but the criticism of Shake Shack is a bit harsh in my opinion. They offer 100% Angus beef and chicken free of antibiotics and hormones. The bun is from Martin’s potato brand (which we can see the ingredients as it’s accessible at supermarkets). They also have gluten free buns. The shack sauce may have GMO, but it’s an optional choice on the burger – you don’t have to get it. So if you get a beef/chicken on gluten free bun with lettuce/tomatoes ONLY, it should be ok. Again correct me if I’m wrong.

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