It Takes Roughly 1,800 Gallons of Water to Produce a Single Pound of Beef on Average
The h2o footprint of meat is a higher number than many people might realize. While many Americans expect to consume a sure amount of meat, and they might think, "Well, I don't eat that much," they might be surprised by but how much meat (and dairy) they actually swallow every day. This is an important consideration because the water footprint of meat and dairy tin be much higher than that of plant foods. With a lilliputian awareness and guidance from the USDA, information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to meet daily protein needs without consuming so much meat.
Americans eat a lot of meat and dairy
Here'south a quiz: How many pounds of meat does the average American swallow every yr? The respond might be a piffling shocking to some. According to USDA information, in 2021, Americans ate virtually 225 pounds of red meat and poultry, which works out to more than than half a pound a twenty-four hours. Many probably retrieve, "I don't consume that much meat," but if they kept rails, they might be surprised by just how much meat (and dairy, for that thing) they really consume.
The H2o Footprint Estimator (WFC) includes questions about diet, specifically about how much meat and dairy people swallow in a day. As many users have discovered, their diet can be the most significant component of their daily water footprint, especially if they consume a lot of meat and dairy. Merely what does that mean and why exercise people underestimate their consumption by then much? Merely how much is one portion of meat and dairy and how much should nosotros consume in a twenty-four hour period?
Daily Meat Consumption in the United states of america
As shown in Figure one, US per capita consumption of beef, pork, lamb and poultry has hovered effectually 200 pounds per year just has been steadily increasing since the 1970s. This is an important consideration when it comes to water conservation because meat and dairy production has a large water footprint. The actual number varies from animal to animal and depends on where the and how the animals were raised – whether they were grass-fed or grain-fed – and whether or not their feed came from irrigated crops.
Take beef, for instance. The water footprint of meat is contested by some in the livestock industry who disagree with how the water footprint is calculated. All the same, enquiry suggests that, on average, it takes about 1800 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, which translates to around 450 gallons for a quarter-pound hamburger.
Interestingly, since 1970, the data indicates that the trend is for Americans to swallow less beef and more pork and craven. In 1970, per capita disappearance of beef (USDA-speak for consumption) was 85 pounds, whereas in 2017 that number had dropped to 57 pounds.
Figure one. US per Capita Consumption of Beef, Pork, Lamb and Poultry
Meat and Dairy Portion Sizes
One reason why it's hard for people to discern portion sizes, co-ordinate to the National Institutes of Health, is that portion sizes in the United States accept doubled or even tripled over the final 20 years. Our sense of what constitutes a serving has become skewed. A McDonald'south hamburger patty (the original McDonald's Burger® ) has one.6 ounces of beef, while a Big Mac® has twice that amount at 3.2 ounces, a Quarter Pounder® has 4 ounces, and now there'due south even a Double Quarter Pounder® that features a total 8 ounces (a half a pound) of beef. People may exist getting improve economic value when they go bigger portions for a few pennies more than, but there is a high environmental toll associated with that value.
It'southward hard to judge what a USDA-recommended portion of beef, chicken or cheese looks like. Visual cues are helpful; for instance:
- A portion of meat varies from the size of a deck of cards to a checkbook (3 ounces)
- A portion of cheese is the size of three die (i ½ ounces)
- A portion of yogurt is the size of a baseball (1 cup)
Meat and Dairy Serving Recommendations
A much more complicated issue is determining how much meat and dairy people should consume on a daily basis. The USDA'southward MyPlate nutrition guidelines practice non make blanket recommendations about meat and dairy. Their guidance states instead that, "The corporeality of food from the Poly peptide [and Dairy] Foods Group you need to consume depends on age, sex activity and level of physical activeness." However, MyPlate generally recommends 5 to 6 ounces of "protein equivalents" per day for adults which includes beans, nuts and eggs in improver to meat. It also recommends 3 cups of "dairy equivalents" per 24-hour interval, which include cheese, yogurt and calcium-fortified soymilk.
Clearly, people in the US are exceeding this guidance each day. Remember, there is protein in tofu, beans, quinoa, leafy green vegetables and many other foods, so these foods can help reduce the amount of meat required to meet daily protein needs. The MyPlate guidelines are a useful starting point, of course, but ultimately people have to listen to their own bodies and do what feels best for them. And the water footprint of tofu is significantly less than the water footprint of meat and dairy.
Past beingness more than conscious of how much meat and dairy they really eat and trying some of the non-meat protein sources mentioned above, people tin can brand significant reductions in their daily h2o footprint. In this case, being "below average" is a good thing for the wellness of the planet. If people are making a conscious effort to reduce their h2o footprint, eating a footling less meat is a great way to do it.
Notice out the h2o footprint of over 100 food items with the Water Footprint of Food Guide.
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The nutrient people eat has an affect on their wellness, the surround and on the welfare of animals and workers. FoodPrint has many tools and resources to help people eat sustainably.
Source: https://www.watercalculator.org/footprint/meat-portions-900-gallons/#:~:text=Nevertheless%2C%20research%20suggests%20that%2C%20on,and%20more%20pork%20and%20chicken.
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