The typical American diet contains more meat — especially red meat and processed meat — than is healthy for us.

• Why it matters: Meat comes with plenty of health perks and key nutrients like iron and vitamin B12, but too much of it can drive up risk of heart disease, stroke and different types of cancer.

Between the lines: The problem is largely limited to half the population.

• As The Wall Street Journal's Andrea Petersen bluntly puts it: "American men have a meat problem."

🧮 By the numbers: U.S. men who are 20 or older eat roughly 40 ounces of meat, poultry and eggs each week.

• That's a good deal higher than the 28 to 33 ounces recommended by federal guidelines.

The difference between men and women is stark when zooming in on red and processed meats, like burgers, steaks, sausages and cold cuts.

• Men eat 23 ounces of these per week, while women eat 13.4 ounces, The Journal notes, citing federal data.

🔬 Zoom in: Several high-protein diets, like the carnivore diet or keto, are marketed to men as effective ways to build muscle.

• Plus studies show that many men link meat-eating to masculinity

The stakes: Processed meats contain preservatives and high levels of sodium, which can increase risks of different diseases. And steaks and hamburgers bring saturated fat and cholesterol.

• On top of that, there's a steep environmental toll of consuming red meat: A diet that includes beef has 10 times the climate impact of a plant-based diet, while a diet that includes chicken has just three times the impact.

The bottom line: There's room to enjoy everything in moderation, but it’s worth keeping an eye on how many of our meals include red or processed meat.

The pic du jour comes from reader Deborah Friedman, who snapped the Tucson sky after a thunderstorm.