We are Eating Less Meat. Why?

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/20 ... -meat-why/

Some interesting tidbits in addition to the why.

Americans eat more meat than any other population in the world; about one-sixth of the total, though we’re less than one-twentieth of the population.

Americans spend a smaller percentage of our money on food than any other country, and much of that goes toward the roughly half-pound of meat each of us eats, on average, every day.

I'm surprised that the article did not mention another fact that may be at work here...the aging of American society and longevity. I eat much less food I did 10 or 15 years ago and personally have found meat, and especially beef, increasingly troublesome for my digestive system in larger portions. But, I love the stuff and still indulge, just in smaller amounts. As an aside, I think this is also true for many of my contemporaries. When I was much younger I can remember thinking that the portions my Grandparents ate wouldn't keep a bird alive.

Now, my 2 cents on the topic. Over consumption of meat and dairy products has been and still is at the root of most US health problems. (I dare say much worse than tobacco)

I'm not vegetarian and don't believe that is necessary either. 8oz a day of meat is way more than necessary or needed, 8oz a week is more than enough based on everything I've read.

This would do America good (from link in article):

3. The Rise of the “Flexitarians.”
Following a trend towards better health, the Institute predicts that more Americans will adopt a flexitarian diet, significantly cutting meat out of their diet without becoming full vegetarians.

Now, my 2 cents on the topic. Over consumption of meat and dairy products has been and still is at the root of most US health problems. (I dare say much worse than tobacco)

I'm not vegetarian and don't believe that is necessary either. 8oz a day of meat is way more than necessary or needed, 8oz a week is more than enough based on everything I've read.

This would do America good (from link in article):

3. The Rise of the “Flexitarians.”
Following a trend towards better health, the Institute predicts that more Americans will adopt a flexitarian diet, significantly cutting meat out of their diet without becoming full vegetarians.

You can say it but it's not true - tobacco is THE major risk factor in cardiovascular disease and lung cancer (the leading cause of cancer death in men and women) not to mention bladder cancer, and on down the line.

As a people we eat too much meat - I agree on that point. Some animals eat only flesh and they seem ok. I think the health issues creep in on how it's prepared. ie fried salty food and lot's of butter and cheese aren't great for your heart. Some nitrates and smoked food may have some increase in cancer risks. Bottom line - you can eat pretty crappy but if you exercise you can mitigate much of the cardiovascular risk. Unfortunately thus far, you can't change your genes.

Good point Mark, I just watched a documentary called Forks over Knives. It was very informative and had a ton of studies back up the info. Why I bring it up here is the info pointed directly to the meat and dairy based diets being a huge factor in causing heart disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer. Great tidbit I took away from it, the amount of money it will take to perform all of the heart bypass surgeries this year in the US will be 10 times the US defense budget.

Exactly Joel. Mark, it's not my opinion it's well documented and researched but not well known. Read up on it and your opinion might change. The over consumption and acceptance of meat and dairy is widespread compared to tobacco.

Exactly Joel. Mark, it's not my opinion it's well documented and researched but not well known. Read up on it and your opinion might change. The over consumption and acceptance of meat and dairy is widespread compared to tobacco.

Link?

Cardiac disease risk factors #1 smoking, #2 family history #3 diabetes. I didn't say it wasn't a factor - but it doesn't ravage the human body that way cigarette smoking does. Cholesterol is a marked risk factor - however, cholesterol is, by and large, a product of one's genetics.

Or let's look at it this way - you can eat meat in moderation and be considered healthy - smoking in virtually any amount increases one's risk for serious disease markedly.

http://www.framinghamheartstudy.org/risk/coronary.html

The problem with these studies is that they really don't tell you much about your individual metabolism. There is a lot of genetic variation in how dairy, meat, and grains are tolerated and metabolized. So, it should be noted that saying one type of diet is best for everyone is not very good advice.

Another point often overlooked is that in evolutionary terms, grain and diary, are recent developments in human diets, with refined carbohydrates and hydrogenated oils being the most recent additions. These foods are so recently introduced into our diets, that there likely hasn't been enough time to completely adapt to them. Thus we should expect to find more genetic variation in how all these foods are tolerated across various populations. And no surprise, we do: lactose intolerance, Crohn's Disease, etc.

So, if I were looking at possible culinary culprits causing metabolic issues, I'd start with these foods, while noting that YMMV. In evolutionary terms, humans should be better adapted for consumption of meat (not grain fed!), fish, shell fish, forageable vegetables, etc. Folks should check out some of these Paleo food ideas.

IMHO, refined carbs, and sugar especially, rank with cigarette smoking in causing human disease, much more so than meat.

The problem with these studies is that they really don't tell you much about your individual metabolism. There is a lot of genetic variation in how dairy, meat, and grains are tolerated and metabolized. So, it should be noted that saying one type of diet is best for everyone is not very good advice.

Another point often overlooked is that in evolutionary terms, grain and diary, are recent developments in human diets, with refined carbohydrates and hydrogenated oils being the most recent additions. These foods are so recently introduced into our diets, that there likely hasn't been enough time to completely adapt to them. Thus we should expect to find more genetic variation in how all these foods are tolerated across various populations. And no surprise, we do: lactose intolerance, Crohn's Disease, etc.

So, if I were looking at possible culinary culprits causing metabolic issues, I'd start with these foods, while noting that YMMV. In evolutionary terms, humans should be better adapted for consumption of meat (not grain fed!), fish, shell fish, forageable vegetables, etc. Folks should check out some of these Paleo food ideas.

IMHO, refined carbs, and sugar especially, rank with cigarette smoking in causing human disease, much more so than meat.

I will say that while I'll stick to my guns regarding cigarettes based on my assessment of the literature and my own anecdotal observations - the whole paleo approach to food makes profound sense. Our metabolism developed through millions of years of natural selection but our food sources have been utterly turned upside down in about 3000 years.

On the other hand life is too short to eat crap you might get run over by a bus tomorrow.

On the other hand life is too short to eat crap you might get run over by a bus tomorrow.

The pub is my church, the gym my confessional.

Robin, I'm not sure why you'd edit (censor) a perfectly legitimate and non offending post. This isn't North Korea as far as I know.

I have to agree with Mark on this one from a personal and professional perspective...I myself am 52 obese by BMI standards but my cholesterol, the good the bad, all of it is in good ranges...I am a nonsmoker never have smoked never will, why because both my parents died in their early 60's due to lung cancers and I might add both died with healthy hearts. I am a retired nurse so I have seen a lot of different cases. I feel my luck with the cholesterol is my genes. On the other hand my husband is 53 had a quad bypass at 46 same nonsmoker eats the same food as me but his Dad had a bypass in his early 50's. We eat a considerable less amount of food in general than we did but the weight stays the same...we move slower...we try to exercise but it is hard with bad knees ankles etc.

I've cut back to once a week or less for red meat. Mostly for health reasons but also because it's expensive.

Still eating lots of birds though!

[Robin Garr]

Robin, I'm not sure why you'd edit (censor) a perfectly legitimate and non offending post. This isn't North Korea as far as I know.

Because your lead called for proctology, Brian. I found it offensive, and stupid, so since it was you, and you've earned yourself a place at the end of a very short rope, I took the liberty of deleting it.

It may have passed your notice that the thread you said was not interesting to people took off right AFTER I removed the snotty intro.

If you don't like it here, nobody is begging you to stay around.

If you don't like it here, nobody is begging you to stay around.

Whew, at least that gives me some proof you don't or can't read my PM's!

Not to mention, the many supportive messages I've received from prominent industry related professionals to my personal email that appreciate logical debate and a opposing view.

For some reason you don't like to be challenged or questioned in debate. There is never an accepted alternative view, only yours. I'm not trying to change that but I should be able to freely state my opinion.

If Hannity and Colmes were able to coexist, then surely we can.