This burger is made out of what?!

“You know, I know this steak doesn’t exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it’s juicy and delicious…after nine years you know what I’ve realized…ignorance is bliss.” Similar to the famous steak scene from the Matrix, the burger of tomorrow might alter your current opinion of reality.

It’s becoming common knowledge amongst scientist that farming of animals is taxing on the environment as well as unsustainable. With the demand going up for meat and  dairy  and the high price for feed (22lbs of feed for 2.2 lbs of beef), something’s gotta give. It’s also a well known fact that veggie burgers suck (well, for the most part). So how is a red blooded, heavy lifting, meat eating American suppose to go HAM? Impossible Foods has the answer.

These guys are using re-synthesized plant matter to create vegetarian cheeseburgers that will not only taste good but in a sustainable way that’s good for the environment. They separate specific proteins, fats, amino acids, and vitamins from vegetables, beans and grains and then reconfigure them based on the flavor and texture they give. The result is a meat-free product which tastes and feels just like an actual cheeseburger. They claim it will even sizzle and smell like meat when it fries…we’ll be the judge of that.

The idea is the brainchild of former Stanford Biologist Pat Brown. He along with a team of scientist, engineers, and chefs are aiming to shift our perceptions on what food is and how it’s created. Who’s their target audience? Well, us. The builders, the guy’s guys, the people who think a steak is a steak and there’s no other alternative. Since it’s molecularly similar to a “traditional” burger made from animal fat a double patty should get 20 grams of protein, the same as going down to Shake Shack, minus the line, hopefully.

“We are not trying to make a meat alternative, we are trying to make meat a better way.”  – Pat Brown

While you may think this is just a trend that will never catch, I wouldn’t go betting the house just yet. The idea has already attracted many investors such as Bill Gates and Google just to name a few. But for about those rich guys, what do you think? Would you try this burger or is there no substitute for grass fed goodness? Chime in below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.