A Definitive Breakdown of Impossible Foods Products –– Are They Healthy?

Impossible Foods — which was founded in 2011 and saw its debut product, the Impossible Burger, hit menus in 2016 — is at the forefront of the plant-based food revolution.

The line has expanded exponentially since then to include alternative meat versions of beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and more. That innovation has landed it in some of the most popular national chains, including Starbucks, Burger King, Ruby Tuesday, White Castle, and IHOP. 

With a mindset of continually improving its recipes and expanding the brand with intention, Impossible Beef Lite was launched this past spring. "We’re constantly working to compete with beef in all of the ways that matter to consumers, including nutrition," said Impossible Foods CEO and President Peter McGuinness.

“It is zero trans fat, zero cholesterol. So you’re eating zero-cholesterol beef,” McGuinness told Time magazine. “So cholesterol-free meat that tastes damn good?” 

“A lot of health-conscious fans and shoppers are looking for a plant-based beef option that’s high in protein and nutrients with even less fat, and Impossible Beef Lite is our solution to that. It’s got 21 grams of high-quality protein, a whopping 75% less saturated fat than lean ground beef from cows [1 gram vs 4.5 grams], and, of course, no cholesterol. It's a perfect plant-based way to customize all of the great recipes that call for lean animal ground beef."

Impossible Foods isn’t shy about sharing the benefits of going plant-based. 

McGuinness concluded the article by emphasizing that, "We’re making products that stand up against the animal products that taste great" and that are "better for the planet."

Here are some more details on Impossible Foods’ offerings. 

Impossible Beef

Impossible Foods started with its burgers and now has Indulgent Burger Patties, Ground Beef, and Beef Lite.

Impossible Beef offers 19 grams of protein and can be made into tacos, meatballs, sliders, and any recipe that calls for ground beef.

Impossible Sausage 

Starbucks has a hot seller in its Impossible Breakfast Sandwich, thanks to Impossible Sausage. At stores, Impossible Sausage comes in a variety of flavors and is available in patties, links, or ground. With 0 mg cholesterol and 45% less total fat compared to a leading brand of pork sausage, Impossible Sausage is delivering breakfast and dinner dishes that are better for the planet, too.

Impossible Chicken 

From tenders to nuggets to patties, Impossible Chicken is another tantalizing Impossible Foods option. Impossible Chicken Nuggets came out in 2021 and feature a golden, crispy breadcrumb coating and white meat texture while containing 40% less saturated fat and 25% less sodium than the animal version.

Children can even get in on the fun with Wild Nuggies, which are shaped like the adorable animals the company is aiming to preserve like whales, rhinos, and polar bears. Environmental benefits include creating 36% less greenhouse gas emissions, using 44% less water, and requiring 49% less land compared to chicken nuggets. Nutritionally, the nuggets contain 10 grams of protein per serving, 25% less total fat, and 40% less saturated fat than typical animal-based nuggets — and they’re driving customers wild in the right ways. 

Impossible Meatballs

Impossible Meatballs are rolling onto plates of pasta in Homestyle and Italian versions. Crafted from a custom mix of Impossible Beef and Impossible Sausage, the meatballs have 12 grams of protein per serving, are 0 mg of cholesterol, and contain 30% less sodium than the average animal-based meatball. 

Impossible Pork 

This delectable offering contains 8 grams of protein and 37% fewer calories, 59% less total fat, and 0mg of cholesterol compared to 70/30 ground pork. What makes Impossible Pork such a game changer? Pork is the most widely eaten meats in the world, so a plant-based version is a big deal for pigs and the planet alike. Impossible Pork won the food category of Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas awards. 

“The team really worked to make sure that it was performing in that exact same way as ground pork and can be steamed, or grilled, lots of different applications,” Laura Kliman, director of new product development at Impossible Foods, told Fast Company. “Chefs can use the ground pork in the same way that they use ground pork from pigs.”

Impossible Bowls

Frozen, quick-prep Impossible Bowls are available in eight flavors: Teriyaki Impossible Chicken, Sweet and Sour Impossible Pork, Chili Mac With Impossible Pork, BBQ Impossible Pork, Spicy Enchilada Bowl With Impossible Chicken, Spaghetti and Impossible Meatballs, Burrito Bowl With Impossible Beef, and Pasta Bolognese With Impossible Beef and Pork.

“Delicious Impossible Bowls [are] made with our chicken, beef and pork from plants. So many flavors to try, ready in minutes. This is a major milestone that we’re proud of and hope will push the category forward in a meaningful way,” McGuinness shared on LinkedIn when the bowls were released a year ago. 

“Convenience, accessibility, and variety are a huge part of this, and we’re excited to give people even more ways to try and buy Impossible products.”

Despite Impossible Foods’ growth as an enterprise, McGuinness says the company is just scratching the surface on getting the word out about its products.

“The category hasn’t even started,” Food Dive reported McGuinness said in June. “We haven’t even started. We’re in first gear.”

He also said that 85% of consumers aren’t aware of Impossible Foods, and 95% of consumers have yet to try something from the food purveyor. While Impossible Foods is already available at 30,000 retail locations, it’s something the brand hopes to grow in 2024. 

And once consumers get a taste, it’s a sure bet they’ll put Impossible Foods products into their meal plan rotation.

“What we’re seeing in the data and just from people we talk to at stores every week is that they want these products to taste good and be good for them,” McGuinness told AgFunder News.