Meat is the New Tobacco

[GoSox05]

Just wait till they start putting meat in tobacco.

 

 

Bacon flavored Marlboro Light.

[FlaSoxxJim]

They are projecting that 50% of this country is going to be obese in 20 years.

 

50% by weight??

[StrangeSox]

I can subsist on twinkies too. I fail to see how that is relevant to the discussion.

 

That wouldn't be a healthy diet providing you with most if not all nutrients needed! Potatoes + milk do !

 

I was just reading 1493 on the plane yesterday and he goes over the impact on the world of spreading potatoes from the Andes.

 

the level of meat consumption is not "abnormal". Historically, humans had diets ranging from fully vegetarian all the way to fully carnivorous and usually various levels between, based on what their environment could readily provide. There is no "normal" or "abnormal" on the scale of how much meat vs vegetable matter people consume.

 

Well since the dawn of agriculture anyway, most people consume very little meat-it's just too expensive. Most of europe subsisted on grains and some dairy and later on potatoes. Meat was very, very rare.

 

But that is a result of many different factors and you are correct to note that there isn't necessarily a correct level of meat consumption. Since we aren't obligate carnivores, we don't have to consume any. Historically, that was closer to the norm than the daily meat consumption now.

[NorthSideSox72]

It's worth noting Tex that the government has many options here. It isn't limited to making it illegal to eat meat...it could, instead, end the massive subsidies that it gives to encourage overproduction of meat products, and perhaps even regulate/tax the enormous amounts of pollution and greenhouse gases given off by those facilities...thus effectively allowing people to make a fair determination as to what fraction of their caloric intake should be meat based on market prices.

I'd be fine with that. I'm all for internalizing externalities, and giving people a truer picture of the costs of their choices.

 

[Texsox]

I'd be fine with that. I'm all for internalizing externalities, and giving people a truer picture of the costs of their choices.

 

Damn, I'm not certain what you just wrote, but dem sho was pertty words.

[Steve9347]

It's worth noting Tex that the government has many options here. It isn't limited to making it illegal to eat meat...it could, instead, end the massive subsidies that it gives to encourage overproduction of meat products, and perhaps even regulate/tax the enormous amounts of pollution and greenhouse gases given off by those facilities...thus effectively allowing people to make a fair determination as to what fraction of their caloric intake should be meat based on market prices.

Hell, they could even simply extend animal cruelty laws to include those are farm animals (almost mind-blowing they they don't), which would inherently make it much more difficult for those facilities to exist in the way they do.

 

But that will never happen, obviously, as the meat industry is in the government's back pocket.

[Balta1701]

as the meat industry is in the government's back pocket.

I think you have those 2 backwards

[Steve9347]

I think you have those 2 backwards

Yeah, I apparently was typing to quickly.

[Quin]

The nanny-staters always have to have a boogyman. Can't mind their own business, got to get all up in everyone else's. F*ck off, I will eat a steak if I want to, and enjoy it. My buffalo burger for lunch Friday was awesome. And a bone to the vegheads, I had bacon-wrapped asparagas over the weekend. Mmmmmmm, bacon.

 

Roar.

 

Also, buffalo is healthier and tastier than beef. WHY DID WE HAVE TO KILL THEM.

[farmteam]

Now I want a Buffalo burger. So tasty, and so much better for you than beef. Mmm.

 

Is buffalo supposed to be "better" for one than chicken?

[LittleHurt05]

[Milkman delivers]

 

Awesome.

[Reddy]

at the end of the day, moderation moderation moderation. we've always known that, and it will always be true.

[Y2HH]

at the end of the day, moderation moderation moderation. we've always known that, and it will always be true.

 

This.

 

...and then there's this, too.

 

-----

 

Article quoted from The Daily Meal, link: (http://www.thedailymeal.com/iceman-suffered-clogged-arteries)

 

"Scientists have been working on analyzing a 5,300-year-old mummy, found in 1991 in Italy’s Ötztal Alps, and surprise surprise, they've discovered that the iceman had clogged arteries.

 

The mummy, known as Ötzi, was apparently lactose intolerant, dealt with parasites and cavities, and was at risk for arteriosclerosis (although a head injury killed him).

 

While the lactose intolerance isn't surprising (humans were just beginning to domesticate animals and eat dairy products when he was alive), the fact that Ötzi had clogged arteries means the Paleo diet might be useless when facing heart disease.

 

"[Arterioscelrosis] is typically thought to be a modern, so-called 'civilization disease,'" project leader Albert Zink wrote. "With Ötzi we now know that the mutations already occurred more than 5,000 years ago."

 

Since coronary heart disease seems to predate potato chips and couch potatoes, heart health may be based more on genetics than diet, making heart disease more difficult to prevent. Bad news all around, we fear."

 

-----

 

I eat meat, but I only do so in moderation. I don't even eat it every day. I don't push my lifestyle down your throats, I expect demand the same in return. I'm not about to get into the politics of how the animals are treated, I wish everything were perfect in that regard, but it's not. This is part of our culture growing and refining itself. I'm positive they're treated better and better in this country, especially when compared to the past, or other countries.

[StrangeSox]

This.

 

...and then there's this, too.

 

-----

 

Article quoted from The Daily Meal, link: (http://www.thedailymeal.com/iceman-suffered-clogged-arteries)

 

"Scientists have been working on analyzing a 5,300-year-old mummy, found in 1991 in Italy’s Ötztal Alps, and surprise surprise, they've discovered that the iceman had clogged arteries.

 

The mummy, known as Ötzi, was apparently lactose intolerant, dealt with parasites and cavities, and was at risk for arteriosclerosis (although a head injury killed him).

 

While the lactose intolerance isn't surprising (humans were just beginning to domesticate animals and eat dairy products when he was alive), the fact that Ötzi had clogged arteries means the Paleo diet might be useless when facing heart disease.

 

"[Arterioscelrosis] is typically thought to be a modern, so-called 'civilization disease,'" project leader Albert Zink wrote. "With Ötzi we now know that the mutations already occurred more than 5,000 years ago."

 

Since coronary heart disease seems to predate potato chips and couch potatoes, heart health may be based more on genetics than diet, making heart disease more difficult to prevent. Bad news all around, we fear."

 

-----

 

I eat meat, but I only do so in moderation. I don't even eat it every day. I don't push my lifestyle down your throats, I expect demand the same in return. I'm not about to get into the politics of how the animals are treated, I wish everything were perfect in that regard, but it's not. This is part of our culture growing and refining itself. I'm positive they're treated better and better in this country, especially when compared to the past, or other countries.

 

Compared to a couple of decades ago, maybe. Compared to before massive industrialization in the mid 20th century, no.

 

[Y2HH]

Compared to a couple of decades ago, maybe. Compared to before massive industrialization in the mid 20th century, no.

 

You can't compare pre-industrilized versus post-industrialized in any fair way...the sheer population difference would invalidate any methods they used back then to raise cattle/animals from working now...or even coming close to working now.

[Reddy]

You can't compare pre-industrilized versus post-industrialized in any fair way...the sheer population difference would invalidate any methods they used back then to raise cattle/animals from working now...or even coming close to working now.

to be fair, though, that's hardly the only issue at play. new technologies that allow food to be produced CHEAPER are primarily to blame for the poor quality the average american has access to. end of the day, it's all about that bottom line - whether we die at 50 or not.

[Y2HH]

to be fair, though, that's hardly the only issue at play. new technologies that allow food to be produced CHEAPER are primarily to blame for the poor quality the average american has access to. end of the day, it's all about that bottom line - whether we die at 50 or not.

 

You aren't going to get an argument from me on this.

[Reddy]

You aren't going to get an argument from me on this.

see, we can agree every once in a blue moon.

[Y2HH]

see, we can agree every once in a blue moon.

 

Forget it, I decided you are wrong.

 

They don't care if we die at 51...you said 50...making you wrong.

[Steve9347]

I wonder if there are people out there who would consider this moderation.

 

One daily serving of unprocessed red meat (about the size of a deck of cards) was associated with a 13 percent increased risk of mortality, and one daily serving of processed red meat (one hot dog or two slices of bacon) was associated with a 20 percent increased risk.

 

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012...ises-red-flags/

[Jenksismyhero]

I wonder if there are people out there who would consider this moderation.

 

 

 

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012...ises-red-flags/

 

Considering studies come out every year with completely different results (red meat is bad, no red meat is good!) I put little stock in these studies. Especially when you consider other factors - diet, activity, genes - play a much larger role.

[BigSqwert]

Considering studies come out every year with completely different results (red meat is bad, no red meat is good!) I put little stock in these studies. Especially when you consider other factors - diet, activity, genes - play a much larger role.

Which study are you referring to?

[Jenksismyhero]

Which study are you referring to?

 

I don't know of one specifically off the top of my head, just seems like there are studies on red meat all the time.

[BigSqwert]

I don't know of one specifically off the top of my head, just seems like there are studies on red meat all the time.

Well that settles it. I guess I'll start eating red meat again.