Sustainability and The Blend

From meatless meals to plant-centric plates, there are many ways to eat more sustainably without loss of flavor. Research has shown that blending finely chopped mushrooms with meat can be a cooking technique that’s sustainable, nutritious and delicious.

Meet the Blended Burger. A culinary trend that appeals to health professionals, and conservationists, alike. It’s both healthier on the plate and gentler on the planet. It combines mushrooms and meat and has everyone from “Iron Chef” Stephanie Izard to Sonic Drive-In singing its praises.

A study published in the Journal of Food Science, explored the flavor-enhancing properties of mushrooms and found that blending finely chopped mushrooms with ground meat enhances flavor and nutrition.

This provided the basis for how mushrooms and meat can combine for healthier alternatives to iconic American dishes, such as burgers. As the study1 showed, a traditional ground meat recipe prepared with 50 percent mushrooms and 50 percent meat (or even 80 percent mushrooms and 20 percent meat) can:

• Reduce calorie, fat and sodium intake, while adding nutrients like vitamin D, potassium (8-percent), B-vitamins and antioxidants.
• Enhance overall flavor, because of double the impact of umami.
• Maintain flavor while reducing sodium intake by 25 percent.