(NEW YORK) — Beyond Meat has pared down its ingredient list and upgraded the recipe to add more nutrient-dense plant-based ingredients — including heart-healthy avocado oil — for its latest innovation of the plant-based meat alternative.
The California-based company announced its new and improved Beyond Meat IV on Thursday as two new products, Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef, roll out with a fresh new look at grocery stores nationwide.
Thanks to the nutritional advancements in Beyond Meat’s new recipe, the company is the first to be recognized by the American Heart Association, as well as the American Diabetes Association for its Better Choices for Life program, which is reflected on the new packaging.
The fourth generation of Beyond Meat products is also the first in the category to be Clean Label Project Certified, from the nonprofit that works to provide transparency in food labeling on products that use as few ingredients as possible, ensuring those ingredients are wholesome.
What changed in the new Beyond Meat burgers and beef alternative?
The fourth generation of Beyond Meat boasts 21 grams of plant-based protein that comes from the addition of red lentils and faba beans, 20% less sodium and 60% less saturated fat than the previous version — after swapping out coconut and canola oils for avocado oil.
The new statistics are compared to beef with an 80/20 lean to fat ratio, which typically contains 70-80 mg of sodium for 4-ounces, which is the labeled serving size of Beyond Ground Beef and Beyond Beef Burger reflects.
Sodium in the new Beyond Beef is 310 mg, which was reduced from 390 mg in the previous version.
Registered dietitian, author, and nutrition advisor Joy Bauer, who was tapped to consult on the new product development, told ABC News’ Good Morning America that “the best news of all is a simplified ingredient list.”
“It’s easy to enhance nutrition labels, it’s a whole other challenge to have it taste just as yummy,” she said, adding that in blind tastings with existing Beyond Meat consumers, they preferred the new version over the old one.
The addition of avocado oil, which contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats according to the American Heart Association, also makes for a better sizzle and sear like traditional beef thanks to its higher smoke point.
Diana Stavaridis, Senior Culinary Manager for Beyond Meat who oversaw the development of the new recipe and tested the product in a variety of applications, said this version has a “beefier flavor and texture” that’s easy to prepare.
“They caramelize and brown beautifully when cooked, and offer the juicy, tender culinary experience of beef,” Stavaridis said of the beef alternative that’s naturally colored with pomegranate concentrate and beet juice.
In tandem with the product launch, Beyond Meat created a short documentary-style film, “Planting Change,” to give consumers an inside look at how the product is made. The film includes interviews with leading medical and nutrition experts, ecologists, and historians talking about plant-based diets and nutrition.
The company’s Chief Marketing Officer Akerho Oghoghomeh said in a statement, that Beyond Meat is proud to create a burger alternative “while offering health and environmental benefits to the consumer.”
“We know that health is a top driver for the plant-based meat category, and with the advancements in taste and nutrition of our new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef, we’re giving consumers a really compelling reason to make the switch,” he said.
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