Large Selection of Delicious Meatless Burgers Gives Filipinos Reason to Celebrate
Manila — If you've made a New Year's resolution to adopt a healthier diet, you're in luck. More and more restaurants are offering meals that are lower in fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber and other nutrients—and vegetarian foods are fitting that bill. The Boca Burger at Healthy Kitchen wins PETA's prize for the country's best-tasting veggie burger—but there are plenty of other tempting veggie burgers to be found in the Philippines. Rounding out the top five are the following:
· The Vegan Tofu Walnut Burger at Corner Tree Café, Jupiter, Makati—also named Healthiest
· The Streamliner at Johnny Rockets (can be made vegan by asking for a wheat bun and no butter or cheese), Eastwood, Quezon City—also named Meatiest
· The GWDC Vegeburger at Green Wok Deli & Café (with soy mayo!), Quezon City—also named Best Value for Money
· The Veggie Salsa Mex at Good Burgers (can be made vegan by asking for no mayo or cheese), C5 and Greenhills—also named Best Burger-on-the-Run
Receiving honorable mention are veggie burgers from the Hard Rock Café; Murray & D'Vine; Baguio's Bliss Café; M2M at the Renaissance Hotel; Jeepney Café at the Intercontinental Hotel; Ima's Gulay Bar in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; the Fort Serendra's Arama; Makati's Herbal Nook and Greens in Quezon City. All the veggie burgers at these locations can be made vegan—just ask for no cheese, butter, or mayo.
Why are vegan burgers growing in popularity in the Philippines? Consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. On today's factory farms, cows are routinely branded, dehorned, and castrated without any painkillers. Pigs are castrated, and their tails and teeth are cut or broken off—also without painkillers. Chickens are drugged and bred to grow so rapidly that they become crippled from supporting the weight of their own massive upper bodies. Birds' throats are cut while they are still conscious, and many are scalded to death in defeathering tanks.
"There are as many fast and delicious veggie burger options as there are reasons to choose a veggie option," says PETA Director Jason Baker, who is also the group's resident food critic. "Making it meatless—and better yet, vegan—is good for your health, the environment, and especially animals."
