Eating Meat At Meals

Today I was sitting at my desk eating lunch when a co-worker poked his head in to chat.  He obviously had something to say, but stopped three words into his sentence to comment on my lunch.  It consisted of a bowl of pinto beans, a piece of corn bread, and a cup of mixed fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, and strawberries if you’re interested).  He informed me that real men eat meat, and went on to describe himself as “too carnivorous” to have a meal like the one I was enjoying.

Why Do Real Men Eat Meat?

The conversation stuck with me, as I believe that in our culture (men particularly) have become obsessed with meat in their diets.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I enjoy a good steak as much as the next person, and generally think of myself as a meat and potatoes kind of guy.  But I don’t look at my plate and weigh the ratio of meat to veggies, either.  I know any number of men who don’t feel as if they’ve had a meal unless there was a serving of meat.  Preferably a large serving.

According to the USDA, a single serving of meat should be 3 ounces.  That’s about the size of a deck of cards.  When is the last time anyone went into a restaurant and ordered a 3 ounce steak?  If you can find a petite sirloin on a menu, it is likely no smaller than 7 ounces.  If you study the trends cited by the USDA, the daily consumption of meat by a U.S. citizen has risen dramatically since the 1950’s.  Based on their estimates, American citizens today consume nearly 8.5 ounces of meat per day, versus almost 2.5 ounces of meat per day in 1950.  At the same time, the consumption of whole grains has fallen dramatically.  One can’t help but wonder if this trend is related to the rising rates of obesity U.S.

This wasn’t the first time I’ve caught some grief on this subject.  That’s OK I guess.  These days I try to make certain there’s more green on my plate than there once was.  Don’t expect me to give up meat anytime soon though.

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