Americans eat a lot of meat. In 2018, the average meat consumption was 200 pounds per person, which is significantly up from 184 pounds per person in 2012. This high meat intake is being fueled by the low-carbohydrate, high protein weight loss diets.
The recommended protein intake for healthy adults is 46 grams/day for women and 56 grams/day for men. Most Americans eat an average of 100 grams/day, which is almost twice the recommended amount. Additionally, about 60% of Americans report they are actively trying to increase their protein intake.
Chicken is the number one choice of meat. Americans eat about 89 pounds of chicken/year per person, compared 54 pounds of beef and 50 pounds for pork. We snack a lot on protein bars and shakes, but we also love to snack on meat. You can find jerky treats in the backpack of college students and at the bottom of women’s designer handbags.
The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluated more than 800 studies to assess the association between cancer and eating red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) or processed meat (bacon, ham, sausage, hot dogs, etc.). The IARC concluded that processed meats were a “definite” cause of cancer. This means that it is a class 1 carcinogen (i.e. cancer producing) similar to tobacco and alcohol.
While the IARC did not make any specific dietary recommendations, it did state that eating 50 grams processed meat daily increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. That’s high. This may also increase the risk for other cancers such as prostate cancer.
To decrease our risk for cancer, Keep It Tight Sisters is participating in the Meatless Monday Challenge! On Mondays, we will abstain from all types of meat and focus on eating a plant-based diet. Don’t worry, there are still lots of delicious ways to get your protein. We are not asking you to go vegan (no meat or animal products). You can choose to eat eggs and dairy products. However, if you eat a vegan diet on Mondays day, you can still easily get 60 to 80 grams of protein by eating foods like nuts, beans, and legumes.
So, please join us for Meatless Mondays. Please share your experience in the comment section of this blog. Or you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Group.
Keep It Tight Sisters
Eat. Move. Breathe.
