McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu • Hacker News Board

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#341

Post by grumple » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 1:54 AM UTC

markdown wrote: post #141

elif wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The price of animal agriculture products is artificially lowered by direct subsidy, price controls, and indirectly lowered by the unaccounted ecological costs. It is largely a matter of policy rather than a reflection of market forces. On a level playing field, the cost competitiveness is there. For instance, in New Zealand, one of the largest dairy export markets, I can buy a vegan pizza for the same price. In fact,…

What is the appeal of a vegan pizza? Is it even pizza without cheese?

The appeal is that it tastes like pizza but without the animal involved.

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#342

Post by NewOrderNow » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 1:55 AM UTC

crooked-v wrote: post #328

sukilot wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Vegans" aren't who really want burgers. Newbie vegans who have been indoctrinated by a lifetime burger culture. Burgers aren't a huge deal in Asia, for example.

Some vegans don't want burgers, but some vegans just want an animal-free version of food experiences already familiar to them.

Why? What you claim is familiar is "bad" right?

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#343

Post by mensetmanusman » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 1:58 AM UTC

Anyone know how the amino acid profile and selenium content differ in plant vs. meat burgers?

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#344

Post by thotsBgone » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 1:59 AM UTC

grecy wrote: post #332

iknowstuff wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can we decouple the idea of "healthy" from calories? Calorie density doesn't make a meal unhealthy.

> Calorie density doesn't make a meal unhealthy Can you list a five things that are calorie dense that are healthy, and five things that are not calorie dense that are unhealthy?

1. Olive oil, red meat, avocado, beans, nuts.

2. There are no unhealthy foods, only unhealthy diets. Even a bowl of ice cream isn't unhealthy if you're getting all your nutrients and not eating too many calories.

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#345

Post by thotsBgone » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 2:00 AM UTC

fullshark wrote: post #33

belltaco wrote: post #2

>somewhat unsurprisingly, will be called "McPlant." Is it just me that didn't find the name obvious, and perhaps not a good one? Many people have an aversion to something if it's called plant, healthy or natural. I think Impossible Foods was right in marketing their products for meateaters rather than vegans.

Mc something it had to be. The question is what is the something. McVeggie doesn't work, because veggie burgers became synonymous with the last generation of plant based burgers. McPlant does sound awkward right now but with the full backing of mcdonalds marketing / their resturant footprint it will roll of the tongue within a few months of launch.

McReal Burger

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#346

Post by jjeaff » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 2:02 AM UTC

wmichelin wrote: post #334

It's a start, but I still won't be able to eat a "meal" there due to their usage of beef fat in their french fries.

They haven't used beef fat for their french fries in 30 years.

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#347

Post by howlgarnish » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 2:07 AM UTC

mike_d wrote: post #312

howlgarnish wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's due to poverty, not vegetarianism. If anything, being vegetarian in India is (loosely) associated with wealth and the higher priestly castes.

Poverty is obviously a factor. I was simply pointing out that India is not a good example of vegetarianism and plant based foods being cheaper. You also seem to discredit the comment I was replying to.

Vegetarian food is indeed both cheaper and higher status.

Here's an easily digestible story on NPR on the topic: https://www.npr.org/2020/10/13/923170360/what-does-caste-pri...

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#348

Post by AlgorithmicTime » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 2:08 AM UTC

dandare wrote: post #214

markdown wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the appeal of a vegan pizza? Is it even pizza without cheese?

The appeal of vegan pizza is that no animals were industrially farmed to make it. If you think your cheese is suffering free you are lying to yourself.

I don't believe animals can truly suffer. They're not people.

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#349

Post by fomine3 » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 2:10 AM UTC

donw wrote: post #317

sukilot wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Vegans" aren't who really want burgers. Newbie vegans who have been indoctrinated by a lifetime burger culture. Burgers aren't a huge deal in Asia, for example.

I strongly suspect you have never been to Japan. Massive burger culture here.

There's a humburger culture but people isn't very depended so I think vegans would easily give up hamburgers.

Re: McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu

#350

Post by danepowell » Tue, Nov 10, 2020, 2:11 AM UTC

Can someone help me to understand all of the pessimism surrounding plant-based meat?

Of all of the morally-dubious technologies in the world today, this seems like a force of unequivocal good, and yet the criticism is endless: "it's not healthier", "the name sucks", "it'll give you cancer".

All of these just seem to be missing the point that it's _no worse than meat_ in most respects, and _way better_ in others (i.e. ethical and environmental impact).