# Is red meat the same thing as dark meat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [January 17, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314 "2003-01-17T21:29:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/1 "2003-01-17T21:29:53Z")
I’ve been trying to find this question out. [USDA.gov](http://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: [Are manatees white meat or dark meat? (05-Jul-2000) by SDSTAFF Jill](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmanatee.html) [Why is white meat white and dark meat dark? (04-Dec-1998) by Cecil Adams](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a981204b.html) Also, the first article there seems to link to the second one, but it’s a bad URL (404). I had a heck of a time finding the real Cecil article. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/2 "2003-01-22T11:45:31Z")
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. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/3 "2003-01-22T11:54:30Z")
My impression is that “dark meat” refers to the leg or thigh of a fowl. “Red Meat” is beef. “White meat” is din-din. Oops!:o Just a bit of regression there… ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/4 "2003-01-22T14:49:33Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/5 "2003-01-23T08:33:13Z")
I also think that ham and bacon are red meat, but don’t quote me on that. (They look red to me.) ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/6 "2003-01-23T09:00:44Z")
BUt woudn’t ham, bacon and pork be considered all the same type of meat (white)? CHicken has light and dark meat becasue they don’t use their flight muscles: ? > [@](#): > > The dark color comes from a chemical compound in the muscle called myoglobin, which plays a key role in oxygen transport. White muscle, in contrast, is suitable only for short, ineffectual bursts of activity such as, for chickens, flying. but i was not aware of anything similar in pigs. So I must assume they use all their muscle equaly. So much like ducks: > [@](#): > > Other birds more capable in the flight department, such as ducks and geese, have red muscle (and dark meat) throughout. pigs would have one uniform “type of meat” But that stell begs the question, why is it “white meat” in the first place. ANd whats with the worms? 😕 😕 😕 Can we get someone from the USDA here to help out here? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/7 "2003-01-23T11:05:12Z")
Wait a minute. Is pork actually white meat? I was told that slogan was a joke, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/8 "2003-01-23T19:40:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/9 "2003-01-24T01:43:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > As I understand it: Red meat is mammals. White meat is poultry and fish. Is that a strict distinction or a general one? Are [ratites](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/ratites.htm) and “the rare mammals that are known as White Meat” mentioned in the letter to Jill the only exceptions? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-red-meat-the-same-thing-as-dark-meat/149314/10 "2003-01-24T01:56:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Although ratites are poultry, the pH of their flesh is similar to beef. Therefore, they are classified as “red” meat. The raw meat is a very dark cherry red. After cooking, the meat looks like beef and the flavor is similar but a little sweeter. Also this makes me wonder where does Tuna fall For those non-sushi lovers out there, raw tuna is similar is color to beef, a deep dark red.