While there’s nothing wrong with eating meat in small amounts, there’s no denying that relying on mostly plant-based foods is better for our health and the planet. However, don’t tell that to men – a recent survey discovered that nearly three-quarters of them would rather die early than give up animal protein.
- The survey only included 1,000 people. To be fair here, only 1,000 people were involved with the study, which was commissioned by No Meat May in Australia. However, of those 1,000 men, 73% said they’d chop 10 years off their life expectancy happily so long as they could keep chowing down on burgers and steaks.
- Eating meat is pretty masculine. Not exactly new information but just as baffling still: 47% of participants both male and female said that meat-eating is a “masculine undertaking.” Say what? How do they work that one out?
- Most men simply don’t see the point of going meat-free. As No Meat May’s co-founder Ryan Alexander explained, the fact that most men don’t think that giving up meat would have any health benefits goes a long way in their unwillingness to give it up. “Significant research over many years has shown that eating meat and other animal products increases the risk of developing certain cancers, heart disease, obesity and having a reduced life expectancy, not to mention being one of the biggest contributors to global warming and the destruction of our environment,” he explained. “Yet our survey alarmingly shows that Australian men are either not aware of any of these facts, don’t believe them, or simply don’t care.”
- You don’t need to give up meat completely to see a difference. Even simply having a day or a couple of meals per week that don’t include meat could improve health and the environment. And perhaps more importantly, it won’t threaten your manhood either. Worth a try, no?
