These warning signs can help you know if a burger contains ingredients instead of pure beef.
Do you eat burgers that aren’t actually real beef? Chances are your patties won’t be 100% beef. Fortunately, there are ways to figure it out. We asked Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, certified sports dietitian and co-author of Flat stomach recipe book for dummieson tips and tricks for identifying burgers that aren’t all beef. Here are 7 signs your burger isn’t made from 100% real beef.
They are not labeled “100% beef”
The first sign is pretty self-explanatory: If the menu or website doesn’t say “100% beef,” it probably isn’t. “Restaurants are proud to advertise it when it’s true,” Collingwood says. Be wary of “vague wording like “beef patty,” “grilled patty,” or “seasoned beef.” This usually means additives, binders or mixed meats,” she says.
There is a long list of ingredients
Another red flag? There is a long list of ingredients. “Real beef patties should have beef and maybe some salt/pepper,” she says. Red flag ingredients include:
Soy protein, textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Modified food starch
Maltodextrin
Carrageenan
Sodium phosphates
“Natural flavors”
The hamburger has a uniform, rubbery or spongy texture
If your burger has a uniform, rubbery or spongy texture, that’s a sign that it contains something other than beef. “Real ground beef has visible grain and fat variations,” says Collingwood. “The fillers create a soft, bouncy, almost hot dog-like bite. If it seems springy instead of crumbly, that’s a clue.”
There is excessive shrinkage or loss of water
Excessive shrinkage or loss of water is another sign. “Patty either shrinks significantly or releases a lot of fluid,” says Collingwood. “Beef and binders often contain added water. Real beef shrinks primarily from fat rendering, not flooding.”
Gray or oddly consistent interior
A gray or oddly cohesive interior is another sign. “Real beef cooks with variations in color,” Collingwood points out. “Heavily processed patties can appear: uniform gray, mushy, too smooth inside,” she says.
There is a weak beef flavor or high saltiness
The sixth sign? “Low beef flavor, high saltiness,” says Collingwood. “Real beef tastes like meat, not just salty. The fillers dilute the beef’s natural flavor and the sodium makes up for it.”
An unusually persistent aftertaste
The final sign is an “abnormally lingering aftertaste,” says Collingwood. “This can come from flavor enhancers, phosphates or hydrolyzed proteins.”
Lea Groth
Leah Groth is an experienced editor and reporter for Best Life and Eat This, Not That! bringing readers the best new finds, trends and deals every week. Learn more about Léa
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