In Part 1 of our Spotlight Seminar on cardiovascular care, endocrinologist Dr. Schafer Boeder explained the ABCDs of heart smarts, and offered guidance on how you can protect your heart in each of the following areas:
- A = Aspirin and A1c
- B = Blood Pressure
- C = Cholesterol
- D = Diabetes Drugs
In Part 2, Dietitian Jennifer Troupe described the benefits of various types of nutritional therapies to prevent and treat heart disease, and she shared healthy meal ideas and resources for additional recipes. We wrapped up the evening with an extensive Q&A. A pdf of the questions and answers can be found here: Heart Smart Spotlight Q&A 9-16-20. If you have additional questions, please leave them in the comments below!
Any thoughts on Impossible burger. Takes pretty good but does have fat.Dr. Boeder is always interesting.
Yes, it has 14 grams of fat. Here’s a link to the nutritional info on their website:
https://impossiblefoods.com/burger/
The jury is still out regarding the Impossible Burger. It does claim to be vegetarian with many health and environmental benefits, however when looking at fast foods such as the Whopper, it is not vegan if that is what a consumer is looking for, mainly due to cross contamination in a kitchen that prepares many types of meat items. Ingredients such as mayonnaise are included with the Whopper, and one of the main ingredients in mayonnaise is eggs. There is a 30-calorie difference between the Whopper and Impossible Whopper; 6-gram difference in total fat, but saturated fat (the type of fat that is recommended to limit) is basically the same. The Impossible Whopper is higher in sodium and carbohydrate, which may not fit with a heart-healthy, diabetes-friendly meal plan. The fiber content is slightly higher in the impossible Whopper by 3 grams. If you add a regular soda and fries to either burger, you will exceed 1000 calories.
Remember the American Diabetes Association Nutrition Guidelines recommend limiting processed foods, sodium, and saturated fat. Overall, the cost of the Impossible Burger is $12 per pound, and ground beef is $3 per pound per a Washington Post article in October of 2019. I do know the Impossible Foods company is working to eventually undercut beef prices, but that is in the future and under speculation. People living with diabetes incur significantly higher medical expenses than those without diabetes and have specific nutrition guidelines recommended to control their diabetes and prevent complications. Unless you have a moral reason to eliminate meat and/or are vegetarian or vegan, I would not recommend the Impossible Burger as a meat substitute. Currently, the nutrition profile is not superior, specifically in the realm of heart disease prevention or management to ground beef. If you really crave a Whopper, then have one and adjust your day with extra exercise, adjusting medications per your doctor or diabetes educator, and enjoy it. But remember, moderation is key!