How I Came to Like The Impossible Whopper

I like meat. That statement should be first and foremost here. But when I travel for work on business, I tend to spend a lot of time in hotels, and food options are what they are.

Pretty much fast food.

Not only do I like meat, but I am a bit of a meat, potatoes, and vegetables kind of guy. And of course, the older I get, fiber can be pretty important. As one other older guy said to me once, "The older you get, the harder it is for the body to grind up certain things."

He's talking, of course, about getting his bowels all bound up. No one likes that.

Fast food does not typically offer a whole lot in terms of fiber. I mean, you can get a salad of course. But none of it is healthy. Not even the salad is, once you put all the goodies in it.

And let's face it. When it comes to fast food I want all the bad stuff. Give me the cholesterol and the grease, baby. Bring it on. That's what fast food is all about.

Luckily I don't eat much of the stuff normally. So, it's a bit of a work travel necessity and also a bit of a treat of sorts. If I have to eat it, I want to enjoy it. Let's just be honest and forthcoming here, shall we?

That being said, when Burger King came out with their Impossible Whopper, I thought "what's the point? What a stupid, dumb idea."

Until I actually broke down and tried one.

I have to hand it to the inventor of this thing. It tastes like meat. It has the right flavor, and it has the right texture.

Now, granted. If you were to put the real thing in front of me next to the Impossible Whopper, I could definitely tell you which is which. It's not a dead ringer. But it is pretty damn close.

Beyond that, it is actually good. At least in my opinion, for whatever that is worth. It's actually good.

From all I can gather, the Impossible Whopper was introduced sometime around 2019, and so far the "burger" has become a pretty popular item on their menu. Its sales have not overtaken traditional beef burgers by any measure. But it has done well enough that in 2021 it is still on the menu and selling quite well for the company.

So, what the hell is this concoction made of? According to Impossible Foods, the maker of the "meat," it is a simple combination of soy protein concentrate, and several oils including coconut and sunflower.

The thing is, is the Impossible Whopper healthier compared to other menu offerings at Burger King? No. Not really. It has more salt than a traditional hamburger and its saturated fat is about the same.

But it was never marketed as a "healthier alternative." It was always marketed as an "option" for vegans and vegetarians. It contains no animal products.

I am not a vegan nor a vegetarian. But, here's the thing. The fiber in an Impossible Whopper is twice that of a traditional Whopper. And so, if I have one while I am traveling, it helps to make up just a little bit for the lack of veggies I intake on my trip.

A traditional Whopper has 2 grams of fiber, while an Impossible Whopper has 4.

If it tastes good, and helps me to have a better "go," I guess I am all for it. Plus, it makes me at least feel like I am eating something healthier to boot, even if I know that I am not.

Interestingly enough, I have become so fond of the "burger," that most often, if I order a Whopper anymore at Burger King, the one I choose is the Impossible one. Go figure.

Either I am trying to support it and keep it on the menu, or I really like it. I have not quite decided on that yet. But either way, it works for me, so why not?

Lead image from source Burger King will cut menu items to speed up its drive-thru lanes as part of U.S. turnaround - wwcstore