The Insidious Impossible Whopper
You have probably heard by now that Burger King has come out with a new burger they are calling the Impossible Whopper and everyone should be concerned. I am not just talking about the unhealthy repercussions that fast food can have on the human body. What Burger King is doing with their new Impossible Whopper could be far more insidious than that.
Healthy Alternative?
The Impossible Whopper is a plant-based burger that has no meat. The meatless burger is made up of soy-derived from soybeans, which contain high levels of phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogen though weaker than estrogen functions similarly to estrogen in the human body, according to Harvard’s School of Public Health Nutrition Source.
If you google Impossible Whopper, you may come across websites citing James Stangle’s article on Tri-State Livestock News, which suggests the Impossible Whopper can cause men to develop breasts. Stangle reported the Impossible Whopper to contain 18 million times more phytoestrogen than actual estrogen inside of a standard whopper. Eating the Impossible Whopper may not cause men to transition into women, but if you are a man with a high sensitivity to phytoestrogen ingesting large amounts of phytoestrogen could have unwanted side effects.
Burger King touts the Impossible Whopper as being a healthier option as opposed to the standard meat-based whopper, but this meatless burger isn’t all that healthy. At first glance, the 25grams of protein found in the Impossible Whopper may seem appealing but is not comparable to the animal protein found in animal products. If you compare the Impossible Whopper to the standard Whopper on Fast Food Nutrition, the Impossible Whopper has 630 calories while the regular Whopper contains 660, which is only 5% fewer calories. Also worth mentioning, in order for the plant-based Impossible Whopper to have that meat-like presentation, it must go through a process of genetic engineering. So, is it really a healthy alternative?
Doctors and nutritionists have differing opinions on whether the Impossible Whopper contains enough phytoestrogen, when consumed in high amounts would cause males to grow breasts. The common argument is that high amounts of estrogen or phytoestrogen would not be likely to cause men to develop breasts is based on the comparison of males in other countries that consume high amounts of soy, yet do not develop feminized features.
Asian males who regularly consume high amounts of soy in their daily diet have not developed breast tissue. However, I believe that the high amount of soy consumption in Asian men is not exactly the same for American men who rarely consume high amounts of estrogen. If Asian men have always consumed high amounts of soy, I presume their bodies become use to it. American males who do not usually ingest high amounts of soy in their diets would not be unaffected to it, therefore, provoking the body to react differently than men who have consistently consumed high amounts of soy during their lifetime. What one individual frequently consumes, may not disturb them in the same way it would an individual who rarely ingests that same product.
In all fairness, a person would have to consume an insanely high amount of Impossible Whoppers in order to cause effects that could destabilize the hormonal balance of their bodies. Eating high amounts of any fast foods would be catastrophic whether it was plant-based or meat-based. The reason I am doing a post on the Impossible Whopper is to bring attention to the fact that companies like Burger King can put whatever they want into a product, call it a healthy alternative and most people take it at face value. With that being said, it’s important for us to be aware of the ingredients put in our foods and the process in which they are produced, like genetic engineering. Because genetic engineering is a modern process, we have yet to know the negative effects it will have on the human body.
Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal balance plays a critical role in both male and female bodies. Proper hormonal balance allows the human body to function at its best. Each hormone has its own role in the operation of our body, and a hormonal imbalance can negatively affect how our body operates. Hormone imbalance affects range from mental, emotional and physical problems like fatigue, depression, weight gain/weight loss, diabetes, and hypothyroidism. The concerns of the Impossible Whopper causing men to grow breasts is obviously an over-exaggerated concern. Nonetheless, when we strip away the exaggerations and look at the root issue it is a valid one.
Any food or drink we ingest that contains high levels of any hormone can cause a hormonal imbalance. For instance, some people cannot consume dairy because of its high levels of certain hormones that cause acne in these individuals. The Iranian Journal of Public Health reported that even in low amounts, there can be significant biological effects of consuming too much of a specific hormone. Whether from the Impossible Whopper, dairy products, soy or sugar, ingesting anything with high levels of hormones can wreak havoc on your body’s hormonal balance.
Anytime big-name companies put out a product that has the ability to throw off your hormonal balance you should make a note of it. I cannot say what their exact motives are but I am sure they are equally insidious. If something is unhealthy for you yet you consume it regularly the slew of health problems, it can cause means more money BigPharma makes off of your illnesses. I personally believe that there is an agenda to not only keep us sick but to popularize effeminate men in our culture through behavior, appearance and possibly biological means.
Conclusion
Regardless if you side with the group that believes products like the Impossible Whopper is an attempt to alter our biological chemistry or the ones who believe no company would ever do such a thing. Being aware of what we eat or drink and its ability to affect our bodies negatively should always be the primary focus. Just because they advertise something as being safe or healthy doesn’t always mean it’s true. Marketing and advertising loopholes are aplenty and this allows companies to make claims that are often untrue. So before jumping on the bandwagon of mainstream media do your own research and educate yourself, because if you don’t do it no one else will do it for you.
References
- Stangle, James. “Stangle: Impossible Burgers Are Made of What?” TSLN.com, TSLN.com, 8 Jan. 2020, www.tsln.com/news/stangle-impossible-burgers-are-made-of-what/.
- “Straight Talk About Soy.” The Nutrition Source, 28 Oct. 2019, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/soy/.
- “Burger King Impossible Whopper Nutrition Facts.” FastFoodNutrition.org, fastfoodnutrition.org/burger-king/impossible-whopper.
- Malekinejad, H., & Rezabakhsh, A. (2015). Hormones in Dairy Foods and Their Impact on Public Health – A Narrative Review Article. Iranian journal of public health, 44(6), 742–758.
