I’ve been trying to find this question out. USDA.gov makes explicit use of the phrases “red meat” and “white meat”, but never defines them, and I’m having trouble finding a listing of what’s considered what. These two articles seem to suggest that it is the same thing, but never come out and say it:
I was confused by this, too. Especially with those “Pork: the other white meat” commercials running. But having read the articles, I think the answer is yes.
As for the link, at some point the old columns were renumbered. For a while there were duplicate copies, one at each column number system. It appears they finally finished converting to the newer system. However, links in old threads (and apparently columns) are not updated. They might get updated as they are encountered. Try asking a moderator nicely.
Okay, I think I’m getting a better handle on it; thanks for the responses. I guess that nutritionally speaking, the “dark meat” of poultry is in the same category of the “red meat” of beef, but you don’t call it that. I know beef is red meat, and some of a chicken is white meat, but I wonder if there’s a more general way of determining it. It’s not just mammal vs. bird, because ostriches are red meat, and manatees are… well… I guess I didn’t quite get an answer out of that column, so nevermind.
As I understand it: Red meat is mammals. White meat is poultry and fish. Pork: The Other White Meat is an advertising campaign to convince people that pork is as healthy as poultry or fish (whether this is true, I know not). In some poultry, different parts are light meat or dark meat, but this is a distinction independent of red meat vs. white meat.
Is that a strict distinction or a general one? Are ratites and “the rare mammals that are known as White Meat” mentioned in the letter to Jill the only exceptions?
