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The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

outsideonline.com

41–50 of 253 posts

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#41
I had a Beyond Meat burger recently. It was pretty good, about as good as a below-average to average burger, but more tender. Overall, if this is all they served at the cafeteria, it would be okay.

That said, it wasn't nearly good enough for me to buy instead of meat. Maybe the day will come where it will be, but definitely not yet.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#42
post #5

I just learned this bit on the radio the other day and was quite surprised: out of 1.9 billion acres in the US, the #1 and #3 ranked uses are cattle and crops (respectively) [1]. Out of the crops, much of it is used for livestock. [1] https://www.npr.org/2019/07/26/745731823/the-u-s-has-nearly-...

And why is that land used for livestock? Much of this is land in the west, and there's not much else you can do with it. You can't grow crops on it - not enough water. You can't even grow trees on it - not much land got cleared of trees to make room for grazing. All you can do is run some cows or sheep on it. And, behold, it becomes part of this huge acreage used for cattle.

Considerably more water is used to raise cattle than plants. And then the plants that they feed on also need water.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#43
I keep seeing articles like this, but saying something over and over again does not make it true. I feel this could be proven by demand. While I'm sure people who were already put off by meat are loving the availability of meatless options, I do not see any meat eaters (in my life) who are lured to the plant-based alternatives.

These alternative meats taste good with all the stuff you also associate with hamburgers (bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, sauce), but on their own, they do not come close to beef.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#44

I'm starting to think more and more that people promoting plant based burgers have either never tasted beef or never tasted a plant based burger. If the main concern is environment I get it and go for it. But if you are claiming that plant based burgers are healthier or tastier you are borderline delusional. Last time I cooked a Beyond Meat burger I noticed it was 30% canola oil. 30% CANOLA OIL, might as well just in…

Canola oil (and all plant products) have no cholesterol; red meat is high in cholesterol.

While true, cholesterol is slowly being exonerated as a villain. My primary care physician no longer orders cholesterol tests, for example.

Sugar, not fat, is the real problem. And those researches that took bribes in the 60's to turn us all against fat.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/well/eat/how-the-sugar-in...

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#45

I'm starting to think more and more that people promoting plant based burgers have either never tasted beef or never tasted a plant based burger. If the main concern is environment I get it and go for it. But if you are claiming that plant based burgers are healthier or tastier you are borderline delusional. Last time I cooked a Beyond Meat burger I noticed it was 30% canola oil. 30% CANOLA OIL, might as well just in…

> Last time I cooked a Beyond Meat burger I noticed it was 30% canola oil. 30% CANOLA OIL, might as well just inject cholesterol and fast forward a heart attack.

Yes, the Beyond Meat burger does have a substantial amount of canola oil. But what's this about cholesterol and heart attack risk? Canola oil is one of the healthier oils - it's low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fats which are shown to actually help fight heart disease. The amount of cholesterol in a Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger is 0.

Let's compare that to even a lean burger (85/15): whose 4oz patty contains 102mg of cholesterol and a blend of saturated fats, trans fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. It's terribly unhealthy, and the risks associated with the consumption of red meat are well known.

The Mediterranean diet you promote also includes high amounts of monounsaturated fats (Olive oil). If I've overlooked some other deep seated risk associated to canola oil, let me know.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#46
I keep on reading that as the standard of living increases around the world the amount of beef consumed increases. It's too early to call peak beef but it's bound to happen if only because the amount of available resources to produce it will decrease. But I suspect that it won't happen during any of our lifetimes.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And why is that land used for livestock? Much of this is land in the west, and there's not much else you can do with it. You can't grow crops on it - not enough water. You can't even grow trees on it - not much land got cleared of trees to make room for grazing. All you can do is run some cows or sheep on it. And, behold, it becomes part of this huge acreage used for cattle.

Considerably more water is used to raise cattle than plants. And then the plants that they feed on also need water.

Efficiency isn't really an argument that is going to get people to change their preferences. Case in point, Electron apps. Even if beef becomes the Electron of the food world, you know a ton of people are still going to consume it.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#48

I don’t think most people will have a problem switching to plant based burgers as long as they taste good, but I think that’s still the sticking point at the moment. I’ve had an Impossible burger a few times and could always taste a strong difference (I even did a few blind taste tests). I don’t think it’s close to actual meat yet. Supposedly the second version of the burger has improved; I haven’t tried it yet. Chea…

Even with Wagyu and Kobe, the whole cow isn't getting turned into premium cuts of meat. Burger and sausage are going to be a byproduct of the parts that aren't high margin proportional to the demand for the rest of it. Kind of like how eggs are so cheap because they are a natural byproduct of the chicken meat industry and the insatiable American lust for all white meat breast. I wouldn't be surprised to see an effect…

"Kind of like how eggs are so cheap because they are a natural byproduct of the chicken meat industry [...]"

That has nothing to do with why eggs are cheap. Completely separate breeds are raised for eggs vs meat. The birds used for meat are killed at only 6-7 weeks typically. They never rarely if ever lay a single egg. Eggs are cheap because layer hens have been bred to produce several times their natural number off eggs combined with other practices like forced molting that increase production. And those hens are killed after a couple of years to be used for cheap meat. You have the subsidizing relationship backwards.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#49
post #5

I just learned this bit on the radio the other day and was quite surprised: out of 1.9 billion acres in the US, the #1 and #3 ranked uses are cattle and crops (respectively) [1]. Out of the crops, much of it is used for livestock. [1] https://www.npr.org/2019/07/26/745731823/the-u-s-has-nearly-...

And why is that land used for livestock? Much of this is land in the west, and there's not much else you can do with it. You can't grow crops on it - not enough water. You can't even grow trees on it - not much land got cleared of trees to make room for grazing. All you can do is run some cows or sheep on it. And, behold, it becomes part of this huge acreage used for cattle.

Just to add a bit, a lot of cattle grazing area is just vast swaths of federal land ranchers release cattle on. Historically the cowboys would sort the cattle by their brands and then to the slaughter houses. The land has no other use and are extremely vast and remote areas.

On the show Alaska the Last Frontier, they use federal land to let their cows graze during the summer.

Re: The Beginning of the End of the Beef Industry?

#50
After five years on a ketogenic diet (low carb, higher fat) I now eat mostly fatty meat and eggs, and little else. I have never felt better or been in better health.

This is anecdote, but a growing number of people are discovering the same thing. Beef is great food. It will not go away.

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