| Before I became vegetarian I read as many papers as I could about why meat is good or bad for you. Unfortunately a lot of papers don't provide very good data regarding what kind of meat is being eaten. At least, not in what I've read; I'd love to see something better. Some very specifically included processed meats which, to me, invalidates the study as a study about meat. Processed meats are a completely different beast. On those grounds a significant number of studies I've read are hard to take seriously. This could be a reason people are calling it bullshit. I'd love to see a study involving conscientious meat eating habits in which people eat mostly vegetables, some whole meats, and otherwise avoid processed foods. This is how I'd want to eat if I ate meat, but it's rare to see balanced studies. This does, however, make some sense: most people eat processed foods where these studies are done, so they're relevant to a broader part of the population. They should not be used to condemn meat, though. |