Americans are eating more meat than ever

The consumption of plant-based products is increasing. Most Americans under 50 have tried plant-based meat. Statistics like these give us hope that people are reducing meat consumption and adding more plant-based meals to their diets.

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But unfortunately, meat consumption in the U.S. has not declined and Americans are consuming more meat than ever.

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According to a 2020 study done by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the U.S. and Portugal are the highest overall meat consumers in the world. The average person in these countries consumes 327.8 lb of meat every year.

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Americans are eating more meat than ever

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In the 1970s, the average American consumed 20% more meat than the prescribed dietary guidelines recommended. By 2022, this increased to 40% more than the guidelines advised.

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A 2020 study shows that the average person in the U.S. consumes 82 pounds of beef every year. And this is not even the most consumed meat.

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In the 1990s, chicken overtook beef as the most consumed meat. In 2020, an average American was eating 127.2 pounds of poultry, well above the global average of 35.7 pounds.

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Chicken is less harmful than beef for the planet when we do a pound-for-pound comparison. But poultry still has a huge negative impact on the planet.

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For other meats like bacon, an average American consumes roughly double the global average.

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The only downward trend that we have seen is with lamb, which hit an all-time low in 2023, due to factors like consumer hesitancy and competition from beef and poultry producers.

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Is meat sustainable?

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Our food systems are responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions. Meat production is responsible for 60% of these emissions.

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Meat, especially beef emits 25 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kgCO₂eq) per 100 grams while bacon and chicken emit 6.5 kgCO₂eq and 4.3 kgCO₂eq respectively.

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While bacon and chicken may appear to be better choices than beef, they are still less environmentally friendly compared to plant-based protein sources like tofu (1.6 kgCO₂eq), beans (0.65 kgCO₂eq), and peas (0.36 kgCO₂eq).

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A survey of 210 global climate scientists and agrifood experts conducted in March 2024 suggests that the livestock sector’s emissions should peak in 2025 and come down by 61% by 2036 to meet our climate goals.

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To achieve that, we need to reduce our meat consumption and move to a more plant-based diet.

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To help you on this journey, here’s A Beginner's Guide to Plant-Based Diets.

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