Every country has certain foods they can call uniquely theirs, and the United States is no exception. Most meals in the U.S. are centered around what piece of meat is being served but not without costing its consumers and the planet. Well-known American foods are things like barbecue, hamburgers, hot dogs, apple pie, chicken wings and more. 

Meat has important nutritional value and is high in things like protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12 among other things, but meat is not the only food these nutrients can come from. 

Not all meat can be created equal. While the consumption of poultry has risen, red meat is consumed more, and about a quarter of the meat eaten in the U.S. is processed. Compared to the rest of the world, an average American consumes about three times the global average, and rates of meat consumption are only rising. 

Many worry if they lower their meat consumption, they will not be getting enough protein. While this is a valid concern, considering the importance of protein, the majority of U.S. residents eat 1.5 times the daily recommended amount of protein. 

Just because meat is high in protein does not mean it comes risk-free. Meat is also high in saturated fats and cholesterol. These are two components that have a large role in overall health but specifically heart health. As the rate of meat consumption lowers so does the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and many cancers. 

While lessening the amount of meat eaten in daily diet has direct benefits, that does not mean it is automatically healthier; it depends on what meat is replaced with. There are many meat replacements that are highly processed. 

Plant protein is still protein and can come from many different sources. All fruits and vegetables contain protein along with beans, peas, tofu, quinoa and other high-protein foods. There is also an abundance of protein bars, powders and shakes that can be used as a supplement if protein intake is a concern.

Along with the health benefits of less meat and more veggies diet, your bank account can also benefit. The amount individuals spend on food widely varies. Food budgets can be different based on location, how many people are being fed, eating out or at home, who all is eating the food and other factors. 

With all this in mind, those who eat a plant-based diet don’t spend more than those who eat meat but often spend less on food. Eating less meat can improve both physical and budgetary health; if these two factors don’t provide enough incentive to eat less meat, another major benefit is one for Mother Earth. 

The meat production industry is one of the leading causes of global warming. The livestock industry is responsible for approximately 12%-18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The livestock industry does not just lead to greenhouse gas emissions but also water pollution and water scarcity. Mass meat production is destructive on many levels. 

The land clear-cut for agriculture for both pastures and feed fields is covered in fertilizers and pesticides that run off during rainfall and contaminate water tables to be fed to livestock. Livestock production uses 50% of all global land that is used for agriculture and that is 20% of all global land. 

There is no way everyone is going to stop eating meat because it does have an important place in nutrition, but there is hope for maybe everyone not eating so much of it. Many people are familiar with the vegan and vegetarian diet but there is a new option that is becoming more popular, flexitarian. 

The point of the flexitarian diet is to lessen overall meat consumption but not cut it out like veganism and vegetarianism. The flexitarian focuses on vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and whole grains while occasionally having meat. A positive aspect of the flexitarian diet is it is flexible and can be tailored for different people and situations. 

The positives the livestock industry has are minimal. Meat can cause issues for both the human body and the environment and limiting meat consumption can have a positive impact on your wallet. To help decrease meat consumption and its negative effects does not always mean cutting out the food group completely, it can be just eating two meals a day without meat or having meatless days two to three times a week. 

In this day and age, there is no reason to eat meat every day, and lessening your meat consumption can only have a positive impact on you and Earth.