Soy-based patties are popular for people who want the taste and feel of a burger without eating meat. But if your goal is to build muscle, it's best to stick with the real thing. Researchers at the University of Arkansas found you would have to eat twice as many soy-based meat alternative patties to equal the muscle-building potential of one ground beef burger.

The study was conducted with the aim of understanding how animal and plant-based proteins compare when assessing the muscle protein synthesis potential for repairing and rebuilding muscle fibers. Researches focused on the anabolic response of muscle building and published their results in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Scientists randomly divided 24 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 40 into one of three groups. The first was given a 4-ounce real ground beef patty with an 80-20 lean to fat profile. The second group was given one 4-ounce Impossible Beef patty and the third was given two Impossible Beef patties.

What they found is it took two of the soy-based patties to equal the muscle-building benefits of just one real beef patty. At the same time, the real beef patty had only 279 calories, while it took 462 calories to reach that level from the soy-based alternative.

"While both beef and soy are considered 'complete' proteins, the amino acids in beef are simply more available for the muscle to use efficiently," said professor Robert Wolfe. "This efficiency can be important since the body is in a constant state of protein turnover to rebuild and repair proteins for functional health, especially when combined with physical activity and as part of healthy development and aging."

Wolfe is a professor of geriatrics at Arkansas and focuses research on healthy aging. Muscle mass is important for people to maintain as they age as it is directly tied to maintaining strength and balance. That allows people to maintain their independence as they get older and enjoy an enhanced quality of life.

"Protein quality matters as much as quantity," Wolfe said. "This research underscores the fact that foods like nutrient-rich ground beef can offer more muscle-building benefits, and that's critical as people make dietary choices, especially when balancing calorie intake."

Click here to read more in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.