Could/would you eat only 14g of meat a day?

I read some articles today on how a “planetary health diet” is needed to ensure that Earth remains sustainable and healthy for habitation. A large part of the diet is to get people to eat a lot less meat and a lot more beans and vegetables.

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/16/new-plan…

Their guideline is each person should eat no more than 14g (fourteen grams) of meat a day.

Out of curiosity, is that something that you could or would do?

Edit: your responses have been interesting! I eat meat occasionally (once or twice a month) and stick to mostly whole food, plant based these days for health reasons. It’s been easier and tastier than expected.

Also a reminder to stay civil in the comments to each other; most of the comments are pretty funny but come on, it’s not that hard to be polite.

Poll Options

  • 288
    No, I would struggle to cut back because meat is too important to me
  • 146
    Yes, I eat more than that now but could/would cut back
  • 125
    Yes, I already eat 14g or less of meat a day
  • 55
    No, I really don’t care

Comments

    • +2

      I watched Turtle Odyssey 3D in December (preview special) at IMAX.

      The movie follows the story of a turtle named Bunjil from birth to laying eggs.

      Everything seems perfect until they showed a scene where a plastic bag, coming out of NOWHERE in the very very deep pacific ocean where there are sharks, and Russell Crowe (the narrator) said, "See, plastic bag is bad for environment".

      So, no I don't believe Vegans don't have an agenda just like these people claim they just want to show you the story of a turtle and nothing political.

      Each of the documentaries above are geared towards something and never show the other side of the argument.

      For example, as I said above, my mentee was so skinny she was advised by her doctor to eat meat. When she started eating meat, her health improved (of course within limits) and she confided to me, she was deceived by these anti meat campaign.

      The other side of the argument for red meat is that without it, you lack iron and lack of iron is dangerous for your health. They may argue eat supplement but supplement makes your body used to NOT produce something that it could do have done naturally. It is not healthy.

      We all know the concept of sustainability. It's a question of balance and we are all well aware of the finite resources. But much effort has been done on conservation and Australia has done best in my observation vs other countries I have been. We need plant, animals, etc. It's a cycle of life. Can you really ask a tiger not to eat a deer because it needs to consider the deer has families to feed and become an orphan if the tiger eats it?

      What these vegan want is submission to their life of choice. See PETA if you want to know what happen if we don't follow what they want.

      • +1
        1. The "agenda" is education. What you do with the knowledge is your informed decision.

        2. I know that it is likely entrenched that meat caused your friend's health to improve, however have you ever considered that it might have been the actual caloric content, rather than the product, that caused your friend's health to improve. Simply speaking, 200g of beef is approx 400 calories. An equivalent 200g of vegetables is 80 calories. And remember, a vegetarian/vegan diet is often mistaken as being solely vegetables, but is most definitely not.

        3. Simplistically, your bodily stores of iron reflect the iron you ingest, not make. Your statement about exogenous iron causing your body to not "make" iron is incorrect. You absorb iron either from meat, or vegetables, and this is stored in your body (ferritin). Iron deficiency may result from a vegetarian/vegan diet, and it is important to be mindful of eating foods high in iron if not consuming meat

        4. We are not expecting animals to reason their behaviour because they are unable to; they do not have the higher brain capacity that humans do. This is similar to babies and toddlers. They have underdeveloped brains. As adults, we are privileged enough to be able to reason, and see the consequences of our actions, and so the expectations for our behaviours differ.

        • +1
          1. If the agenda is education then present both sides such as plastic bags limit contamination.

          2. My mentee was a lifetime vegan before turning to meat at the age of 27. Surely she knew about all the stuff you said yet she is now in a much better place. Are we saying poor education here?

          3. We all know iron is derived from the food we intake. The point is people often take iron supplement to offset the deficiency and supplement makes your body lazy. I am not specifically talking about iron supplement I am talking other vitamins too.

          4. and as adults we can also be entrusted to make informed decisions too provided given both sides of story but we are often denied that but only choked with arguments such as yours.

          The truth is humans rule over animals just like animals rule over smaller animals and plants. It is a cycle of life.

          We use our intellect to make it sustainable but vegans want prohibition for the sake of power. This is what many of us against with.

          • @burningrage: Look, the truth is, people who eat meat are terrible people. Nearly as bad as the people having children and making more people.

            If none of the above happened, nature would be perfect. Got it?

            • +1

              @BhanuL:

              Look, the truth is, people who eat meat are terrible people. Nearly as bad as the people having children and making more people.

              Is this sarcasm?

              As far as I'm concerned, people should eat all the meat they want and have as many kids as they want(as long as they take care of them)

            • +1

              @BhanuL:

              the truth is

              Is this one of those "my truth vs your truth and truth is flexible" kind of truths? Like a vegan truth?

    • -2

      Your disappointment comes from flawed expectations and condescension. Left whingers have done disappointment to death. Please find a new faux reaction beyond disappointment and mock surprise.

      • Admit it, you know eating meat is wrong and because you cant admit it to yourself you have to complain about people who dont. Muhahaha.

        My Tuna and Avo Sushi tasted good with my home made devilled pork and salad.

        • +2

          For you to even use the word 'wrong' shows your slave morality programming.

        • He has made a new truth and has obviously won the argument based on new truths.

          He laughs triumphantly.

          Because truth.

    • They have absolutely nothing to gain from your choice not to eat meat.

      Didn't read the whole comment, but the more people who go without meat then the easier it is for those who don't.
      Meat free options are often sparse, so it matters if people are selective with meat free alternatives as it pushes for more availability.

      Aside from that, there are also other wide spread benefits like environmental impact, psychological effects (from acting on empathy) and lessening the social stigma of eating cruelty free.
      When a vegan meets another vegan or vegetarian there's an instant connection and respect. Please do not think being vegan (or vegetarian) is not appreciated.

      • So, you respect other vegans more than omnivores? Much of what you have described are the same social coercion techniques used by cults to recruit vulnerable and suggestible people.

    • Fork over knives is about health, rather than veganism as such (based on science vs values). Whole food plant based.

    • Vegans don’t have an agenda…

      Here are some documentaries that you can watch…

      hahah yes no sign of an agenda here

  • +3

    Enjoyed today at lest 20x serving of a steak. Was delicious.

  • +1

    I mean it would be hard at first but think of it this way.. I could eat cheese pizza, margherita pizza, veggie subway, hungry jack's veggie burgers, chips for a few days then have all my rationed meat once a week or month and I'll still enjoy some meat but also have a healthier diet.

    I am already accustomed to having nice vegetarian foods but yeah it would be hard.

    I would miss my pepperoni pizzas and pork rolls and meat hamburgers etc.

    But I do agree the planet needs to make some major changes or we will be paying for it in the not so far future.

    Society is used to living in the now but the planet doesn't work like that.. in fact very much the opposite.

  • -1

    The thing is, that most of the lefty hipsters who claim to be environmentalists are now adopting ketogenic diets (conservatives don't adopt dietary fads). High fat, high protein means high in animal products.

    I agree though that growing and eating crops is much more efficient that raising livestock for mat. However, as the number of middle-class people in the world increases, so does the demand for meat and other animal products. 3rd world humans have a relatively small environmental impact, but the problem is that they all desire to live like Americans do, high energy, high plastic and high meat lifestyles. The world cannot in the long term support 8 billion people living like this.

  • I just don't like the taste of meat and never have. Vegetarian since I was 6.
    Don't really care about the animals but I believe it's not healthy to eat as much meat as many people in Australia do.

  • -1

    It's healthier to eat less meat anyway. Key is you take your time, gradually reduce meats so your body doesn't feel a thing. Some people have this weird all or none mentality, I don't know why. Just less meats, for your own sake, not saying no meats at all.

    • What feats of health has it propelled you to? You should probably learn about vitamin B12. It's pretty useful.

      • Should probably learn that B12 is also found in eggs and milk (as well as being added to cereals). That is, not just meat. In fact, you're most likely to get the majority of your B12 from fortified foods, eggs or milk unless you eat a lot of organs or fish.
        I've never been deficient in any vitamin when I get checkups, as a vegetarian, and don't take any supplements or medicine.

        By the way, the person you are replying to didn't say eat no meat at all. Just as the OP says, less than 14 grams.

        • By the way, the person you are replying to didn't say eat no meat at all. Just as the OP says, less than 14 grams.

          14 grams of meat is nothing…

        • -1

          You must have missed the "It's healthier to eat less meat anyway." part.

  • +3

    Lol, as soon as I read the question i thought to myself, this has got to be some garbage from the guardian, scroll down and there it is. So predictable.

  • +2

    I think I could go vegetarian fairly easily, plenty of delicious Asian food is vegetarian and I could eat curries everyday without complaint. Veganism on the other hand just seems stupid to me and I don't get the appeal

  • Missing option?

    Yes, I really don’t care

  • 14 grams a day makes it sound ridiculous and pointless to even eat the meat when it's just one bite.

    It's meant to be 100grams a week, which is the same. And means you change your diet to 1 meat meal a week and the rest vegetables.
    Many people are doing it the opposite currently.

  • Piss off

  • fk it, everyone else can be vegan, I'll continue to have my yummy steak every day!

  • I wouldn't mind trying a vegetarian diet and in the past attempts, I felt generally better health wise. On the other hand, I can't stand the vegans.

  • +2

    I think we just need to thin the human population to 10%.

  • I don't know what you're getting at, I et 18 kg of raw racoons ass in just over a month, and I can still yodel like montegues corgi.

    We are herbivores and carnivores. We eat to live. Evolution is the decider. Eating your mother to survive is right. Uck-fay e-ray igion-ray.
    lie
    Fix the slavery heirarchy and you give us a chance. Earth is dying but the god lie flourishes.

  • +2

    Let me think about it while I bast my 1.8kilo ribs from the Meat Emporium

Login or Join to leave a comment