There’s nothing like the taste of a hot veggie burger fresh off the grill anytime of the year. Once you take that first bite and feel the flavor explosion hit your taste buds, it can almost feel like a food coma. In addition to great taste, there are many additional benefits to choosing vegan burgers over regular beef burgers. Here is a list of five of the great benefits you receive by choosing to sink your teeth into a veggie patty over a meat one.

Lower in Fat and Calories

Incorporating veggie burgers into your diet is a healthy and nutritious way to cut extra calories and fat. When you want to lose a few pounds or inches you don’t have to drastically change your eating habits, just incorporate smarter and healthier options into your everyday eating plan, such as veggie burgers. A lean beef hamburger patty has about 10 grams of fat in it, while the average veggie patty carries only about 3 grams of fat.

In addition to saving on fat, you can also save a bunch of calories by switching to the veggie burger. While an average beef burger can easily exceed 200 calories in one serving, a veggie patty may have as low as 70 calories per serving. It’s definitely a great start to a lower calorie and lower fat diet plan.

High in Fiber

Many people don’t get enough heart-healthy fiber in their diets, but by choosing to eat veggie burgers, you’re on the right track. Veggie burgers are loaded with fiber that is not only good for your heart, but is also beneficial to your colon. In fact, red meat may be linked to colon cancer so by choosing to eat veggie burgers you are preventing serious disease from entering your body.

Helps to Prevent Disease

Not only do veggie burgers help prevent colon cancer, but they can also prevent other serious heart diseases as well. Most veggie burgers and vegan burgers contain soy as an ingredient, which carries phytochemicals that can help lower your LDL, or bad, cholesterol. The LDL cholesterol has been shown to clog arteries and block blood flow to the heart, which can cause major heart diseases or even a heart attack. By choosing to ingest a veggie patty you are aiding your body in fighting serious disease.

When you eat a veggie burger with soy in it, you are also helping your body by allowing your bones to retain additional calcium. This calcium allows your body to fight against diseases like osteoporosis and other bone debilitating diseases.

Fewer Preservatives
Preservatives are common additives in processed food that extend their shelf life. Food manufacturers frequently use additives in their products to ensure they stay fresh until you eat it. While this is very common in our culture, it isn’t the best option for your health. In fact it may have some serious drawbacks related to it. The preservatives that are commonly found in meat patties can contain sodium nitrites, which have been linked to some serious diseases that are life-threatening, such as leukemia and brain cancer. Veggie burgers often contain fewer to no preservatives in their ingredients and can be the healthier option.

The Taste

If you have never tried a veggie patty before, then now is the time! Veggie burgers have drastically improved in texture, and more importantly, taste over the past several years. Since there are so many options of veggie burgers available on the market, you are sure to find something you love. For instance, if you choose a veggie patty that has more soy and less oil, it will produce a burger that has the texture of a hamburger. If your veggie patty has more grains and vegetables in it, then the taste and texture will be less like meat. Try a variety of options to determine which one you prefer.

In addition to all of the above named benefits of veggie burgers, they are also super convenient. You can cook one from completely frozen to steaming hot in just a minute or two, and you won’t have to worry about the risk of E.coli or other bacteria that can show up on undercooked meats. Whatever the reason is that you decide to savor a flavorful and satisfying veggie burger; eat up because your body is enjoying the health benefits as much as you are the taste. It’s easy to plan meals when you want vegan options with vegan meal prep delivery, too.