Poll of the Day > Supposedly men eat more meat than women.

(+) Yeah! (+)

One reason given is that meat is seen as a more "masculine" food. Meat is also linked to people who value social dominance or power and do not value social equity and have less empathy.

Do you agree with these explanations for why men eat more meat?

In my own experience, I would be inclined to disagree based on first glance. I am male and I eat meat because it just tastes good compared to other food groups such as vegetables (yes, I know veggies are healthier). No overt thoughts about masculinity or power when I eat food - all that matters is the taste.

However, I am aware there could be a subconscious element to my eating habits as well. I have associated concepts like the barbecue with more masculine traits on occasion. I also think my empathy is a bit impaired (I could probably afford to be more caring for both humans and non-human animals - I try to be but I find it hard to care sometimes.)

Yes. Men have more mass. So they need more calories. So men eat more.

papercup posted...

Yes. Men have more mass. So they need more calories. So men eat more.

Yes, I agree with the explanation you provided. I was talking about the explanation in my post, but if it is not appropriate to talk about, I understand.

I'm a man and I like little meats. I want a cute little 2oz steak on a mashed potato and buried in chives.

Men are generally larger and therefore eat more in general.

Men are more likely to be concerned about building muscle mass, and while meat is not essential for doing so, its a good source of protein.

And yes, some men see enjoying meat and being seen as enjoying meat as a demonstration of their masculinity.

I never cared if eating meat made me more "masculine" or not, I just like the taste of a thick, juicy steak.

My wife swallows plenty of meat, just as @Sarcasthma

I imagine part of it goes back to hunter gatherer days when men needed more meat to stay strong enough to hunt woolly mammoths and fight off saber tooth Tigers with spears.

Assuming you're not an insect, at least.

Colonel_Lingus posted...

My wife swallows plenty of meat, just as @Sarcasthma

wtf I chew my food like a good boy

in my experience it's generally men who think a lunch or dinner meal isn't complete without meat, and that's silly. Of course some women might think the same, but not as frequently

That's because they want their pudding!

I'd imagine historically it was because men required more meat for their societal rolls and biological attributes. More currently, it's probably societal influence carried over from those historical times, whether subconsciously or otherwise. But let's be honest, those influences have been pretty overt.

Id believe that.