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Americans are eating more beef than they have in a decade? That's really surprising; seems everyone I talk to - not just vegetarians - have started looking at b
by _bxg1 7y ago
Americans are eating more beef than they have in a decade? That's really surprising; seems everyone I talk to - not just vegetarians - have started looking at beef as something to be indulged in only on occasion. I assume the climate impact is the main reason.
- gtfratteus 7y agoCongratulations on living in a bubble.
- Pinckney 7y agohttps://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/about-the-industry/statistics/per-capita-consumption-of-poultry-and-livestock-1965-to-estimated-2012-in-pounds/ https://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/about-the-industry/st... So beef consumption is up slightly since 2015, but is still far below its peak in 1976
- jobigoud 7y agoThis is per capita. It would make more sense to get total numbers in this context.
- happytoexplain 7y agoI disagree, if we're saying that "this context" is the GP post's surprise.
- inimino 7y agoLeather and leather goods are easier to export than beef, so what really matters would be total world supply and demand, not so much local per capita consumption, no?
- mrep 7y agoTotal red meat and poultry shows 2020 and 2019 as the 2 highest estimates though and the rest of the data shows a pretty clear trend line going upwards. I'm guessing it has more to do with doctor recommendations to limit red meat for health concerns and so people are moving to other meats like poultry.
- diminoten 7y agoHuge swaths of America still see meat as an every meal thing ( myself included), and beef is a large part of that.
- PopeDotNinja 7y agoI would have a hard time without meat. There's so much food I don't like.
- southerndrift 7y agoWhat do you eat besides meat? Since meat has the lowest energy density, you most likely get your energy from other sources anyway. Even if you eat 500g / 1lb per day for a 2000kcal target, you would still get 1500kcal from other food.
- deftnerd 7y agoI think you have those reversed. Meat is incredibly packed with proteins and the calorie density is very high.
- radicalbyte 7y agoLean meat is has around 100 kcal per 100 grams. This is similar to most fruits and veg. More fatty meat sits at around 230 kcal per 100 grams. You'll find that carb sources are around 200-350 kcal per 100 gram and sweet process foods are around the top of this level. So when the OP says that the calorie density in meat is low, they are correct in the case of lean meat.
- antisthenes 7y agoSource for the 100kcal per 100 grams please. Even rabbit meat, the leanest possible game meat has 136 calories per 100 grams. https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/rabbit-meat?portionid=61327&portionamount=100.000 https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/rabbit-mea... Average red meats will have calorie ranges right around 180-240 kcal per 100 grams. Of course that's low compared to sugary processed foods if you're going just by calories. But it certainly isn't lowest when you consider the entire food pyramid. (most veggies and some fruits are lower)
- efiecho 7y agoThat's why one should not make assumptions based on limited personal experience. We have eaten meat for thousands of years and most people will not stop doing that, just bcause it's currently fashionable to say you do not eat meat or have reduced consumption.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- erikpukinskis 7y agoCalling something fashionable is just a cheap way to be dismissive. I’d respect you more if you stated openly which aspects of vegetarian efficiency, morality, pollution, health you think are nonsense. There are good arguments to be made there, but you’re hiding behind an empty insult.
- petrocrat 7y agoThe argument for omnivorianism that I find unassailable is that plowing which is required for annuals is actually worse for the environment than ruminant emissions. While utilizing perenials will require ruminants for a truly holistic agriculture that cycles all nutrients efficiently. So a Perennial plant base agriculture with ruminants to hlelp cycle nutrients is the best ag option available, so eating a few a of the ruminants as they age out of the cohort makes sense, and would be wasteful not to do so.
- erikpukinskis 7y agoThat seems plausible, although it rules out almost all commercial meat. Since the feed will have gone through the same tillage. I certainly wouldn’t argue against anyone who is buying meat from someone like Joel Salatin. I wonder if there’s a word for this... “either stop eating beef or start paying a lot for it” diet?
- MandieD 7y agoSelective omnivorism? I actively avoid meat in the company cafeteria and at most restaurants, but buy grass-fed beef or a free-range chicken most weekends to cook, or packaged free-range chicken legs if I’m feeling a bit lazy. The price per pound is ridiculous (“why did you spend 15 bucks on a little chicken that looks like a damn mockingbird?”) to my dad, who eats a good half pound of meat every day. In the end, I probably spend about as much on meat as a less-picky meat eater in Germany does. 1kg free-range chicken legs: 8-10 EUR, 1kg cheapest chicken legs: 2-3 EUR. Two free-range chicken legs weigh about the same as one cheap one.
- craftyguy 7y agoYour anecdata is obviously incorrect. It's amusing how folks on 'hacker' 'news' struggle with this concept.
- mwfunk 7y agoThat’s what the person you were responding to was saying- that they were surprised at the difference between their anecdata and the real data. And you responded by shitting on them for no good reason. Great job.
- tempsy 7y agoThe surge in interest in keto (and less so the "carnivore" diet) would probably have something to do with it. As far as meat goes, beef is preferred to poultry or pork on that diet due to fat content.
- 1123581321 7y agoI would bet money that some of the people you talk to have had a McDouble in the last month. :)
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- wolco 7y agoIt's just lot of signalling. If they are vegetarians they eat no meat, ever. No chicken, seafood or taco Tuesday.
- prawn 7y agoI don’t think it is. A lot of people have serious concerns and take steps because of that.
- wolco 7y agoA lot of people do but go back some because of health issues, others because there friend circle changed and others keep going forever. The parent poster mentioned everyone around him.. when the majority has accepted a viewpoint many will signal they are on board but eat meat with their other friends or parents. People want to fit in. It may seem like everyone but it may not be true.
- prawn 7y agoThe parent said: "seems everyone I talk to" and "have started looking at beef as something to be indulged in only on occasion". Not that people weren't still eating the same amount or that they didn't still eat red meat on social occasions to fit in (wait, more signalling!). My dispute is with the idea that people only take an action to signal and not because they personally care.
- AdrianB1 7y agoThe population is also growing, even assuming everyone keeps the same eating habits it results in increased total consumption.