Beef Myths & FactsMeat consumption is wastefulAnti-meat activists would have us believe that we all could not only survive but thrive on vegan diets, and that meat consumption is just wrong. Eating vegetables exclusively does not necessarily mean good health. The American Council on Science and Health 1997 publication on vegetarianism says: “Well-planned vegetarian diets can be healthful, but we cannot attribute any unique benefits to a meatless diet. Lifestyle choices and dietary factors other than avoidance of meat are more relevant to good health.” In addition, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology dismisses any notion that people in third world countries are healthier because they do not eat much meat. In fact, the high availability of iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and riboflavin in meat led the Human Nutritional Collaborative Research Support Program ( U.S. Agency for International Development) in 1992 to recommend that meat be increased in the diets of children living in regions with low availability of animal products to improve their growth, cognitive development and health.
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Most Americans eat 50-100% more protein than their bodies can use, and could get all the protein they need without meat consumption. (read more)
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Meat is commonly though to have more protein than any other food — but comprised of 20%-25% protein by weight, meat is actually a “middle of the road” source of protein. (read more)
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Most Americans eat 50-100% more protein than their bodies can use, and could get all the protein they need without meat consumption.
Americans are not over-consuming protein and some sub-populations actually are not getting enough. According to the study, “Pyramid Servings Intake 99-02,” on average, Americans consume only 5.3 ounces of foods from the meat and beans group per day while USDA’s MyPyramid recommends between 5 ounces and 7 ounces. NHI noted that 56 percent of the total population less than 2 years is not meeting the minimum required ounces from the meat group. Studies show that 63 percent of adult females (less than 20 years old) and 38 percent of adult males are not getting the minimum number of servings from the meat group, and therefore may not be getting the nutrients they need. In addition, 76 percent of girls ages 6-11, 72 percent of girls 12-19 and 70 percent of boys ages 6-11 are consuming less than the minimum recommended meat servings each day.
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Meat is commonly thought to have more protein than any other food – but comprised of 20%-25% protein by weight, meat is actually a “middle of the road” source of protein.
Getting sufficient protein without eating meat is possible but it takes dedication and a large stomach. According to the FDA Food Labeling Guide, the Daily Value for protein based on a 2,000-calorie diet is 50 grams. The USDA’s nutrient database shows that eating just six ounces of beef provides the 50-gram daily requirement for protein, making it an excellent source of protein. According to the USDA data, to get that amount of protein from non-meat sources would require consuming: 1.38 pounds of white bread; 1.14 pounds of wheat bread; 1.6 pounds of tofu; 1.25 pounds of black beans; or 3.36 pounds of corn.
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