are meat and chicken the same thing

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Is Chicken Considered a Meat?

Have you ever wondered if chicken counts as a meat? Poultry is often classified in a different way from other meats, and this may leave you puzzled about what category it falls into, and how you should treat it. You arent alone if you are feeling unsure!

Is chicken considered a meat? Chicken is considered a meat by almost every standard definition of the word. The term meat is used to mean a kind of food derived from the flesh of an animal, and chicken certainly counts for this.

However, some people do classify poultry differently from other meats, such as beef, lamb, and pork, and this may be what contributes to the confusion about chicken.

Why is Chicken a Meat?

Chicken is a meat because it is the flesh of an animal that has been killed for consumption, and this is the standard definition of meat. In general, when a person refers to meat, they are referring to any animal flesh.

There are a few good reasons for defining meat in this way. It is useful from the perspective of food preparation and food storage in particular. Meat needs to be handled differently from other foods, because it is more likely to harbor dangerous bacteria.

This means that it needs to be prepared in isolation from other foods, with a dedicated chopping board and utensils. Areas need to be cleaned thoroughly after raw meat has been handled in them, and all equipment needs to be washed well.

Meat must also be stored with more care than vegetable products. It should be kept at the bottom of the fridge to prevent any dripping of meat juices, and it needs to be chilled or frozen at all times. Meat that has been improperly stored is far more likely to cause food poisoning, and therefore careful handling is required.

These things all mean that it makes sense to classify chicken as a meat, because the stipulations apply to chicken as well as to things like beef. If you do not store your chicken correctly or if you fail to follow good preparation practices, you are at a high risk of contracting food poisoning.

By classifying all meats together and offering guidelines for their overall handling, food safety bodies have managed to reduce food poisoning cases. For this reason, you should classify chicken as a meat and ensure that you handle it with as much care as other meats.

Why is Chicken Sometimes Not Classed as a Meat?

Chicken is occasionally separated from other meats because it is not the flesh of a mammal, and some distinction is drawn between the mammal-based meats (pork, lamb, beef) and the other meat products, such as chicken and fish. This may be partly because poultry is not red meat.

Poultry tends to be made up of white meat and dark meat, but it is never red meat, whereas most meat from mammals is. This makes it quite a different food, and therefore some people do distinguish between poultry and other meat. Poultry is often seen as a lighter, healthier option.

Many people turn to poultry as a means of reducing their other meat intake and improving their diets. Chicken salad, for example, is a popular diet meal, because the meat is high in protein (and therefore filling), but low in fat.

In some situations, chicken can be healthier, but this does depend on the individuals dietary requirements. Eating too much red meat can indeed be unhealthy, and lean meats like chicken can be better alternatives, but you shouldnt determine that all red meats are bad, and all white meats are good. Moderation is always important.

White meat generally refers to duck, chicken, and turkey, but the category also includes pork. White meat does not exclusively refer to poultry.

Do Vegetarians Eat Chicken?

No, vegetarians do not eat chicken, because it is the flesh of an animal, and a true vegetarian eats no animal flesh. However, some people will eat chicken or fish and still use the term vegetarian to describe themselves. This goes against the standard definition of this term.

It isnt entirely clear why some people do this. The consumption of fish is more commonly argued because fish is separated from other meats by religious traditions, but this isnt true of poultry.

Its possible that some of these people feel uncomfortable with the idea of eating meat from another mammal, but do not mind eating meat from a bird. However, it should be stressed that this isnt actually vegetarianism. Vegetarianism does not permit the consumption of any meat, and that means that all kinds of poultry are forbidden.

Are Other Kinds of Poultry Meat?

You may be wondering about turkey, pheasant, and duck, which are the other main kinds of poultry that we eat. All of these count as meat because they come from a living animal.

Again, they are not red meat and they do not contain as much fat, but they do still count as meat by most standard definitions.

Do Restaurants Count Chicken as Meat?

Yes, almost all restaurants will count chicken as a kind of meat and will not show it among their vegetarian or vegan options. This is because it is commonly accepted that poultry is meat, and vegetarians will not want to choose this option.

It is also because restaurants recognize that chicken must be prepared using the same rigorous safety guidelines as other meats, and they must therefore treat it like other meats. There is no reason for a restaurant to classify poultry as anything except a kind of meat, and it would be unusual to find a restaurant that did.

You will never see chicken listed on the vegetarian or vegan part of the menu.

Final Thoughts

Chicken is generally considered a meat because it comes from the flesh of an animal. It is grouped with other meats for the purposes of dietary preferences (e.g. vegetarianism) and food prep and food storage, and there is no reason not to classify it as a meat.

However, chicken is distinct from red meat, and some people treat it as a sub-category of meat.

Is chicken considered a meat?

Definition of Meat

For example, Websters Dictionary defines meat as the flesh of an animal (especially a mammal) as food (Merriam-Webster, 2017). The American Meat Science Association defines meat as red meat (beef, pork, and lamb), poultry, fish/seafood, and meat from other managed species (AMSA, 2017).

Is chicken an animal or meat?

Chicken Meat from this bird is also called chicken. Turkey The meat of this bird is also called turkey. Pigeon Meat from this bird is called squab. Fishes and other seafood Most of the fishes and other seafood have the same name for the animal and its meat.

Why is chicken not considered meat?

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, abstinence laws say meat is considered something that comes only from animals that live on land, like chicken, cows, sheep or pigs. Fish are considered a different category of animal.

Are chickens meat eaters?

Like us, chickens are omnivores. That means they can eat plant and animal foods. The energy part of chicken feed comes from grains like corn, wheat and barley.

Can Vegans eat chicken?

Vegans cant eat any foods made from animals, including: Beef, pork, lamb, and other red meat. Chicken, duck, and other poultry.

What are the 7 kinds of meat?

Different types of meat (Vocabulary)

Red Meat Beef, Goat, Lamb.
Poultry Chicken and Turkey.
Pork Pigs meat.
Seafood Fish, Crab, Lobster.

Why do Catholics not fish meat?

It simply meant abstaining from eating the flesh of warm-blooded animalssince the thinking goes, Jesus was a warm-blooded animal. Fish, though, which are cold blooded were considered okay to eat on fasting days. Hence, Fish on Fridays and Fish Friday (among many other religious holidays) was born.

Do Vegans eat meat?

Both vegetarians and vegans choose not to eat meat and fish. However, veganism is a stricter form of vegetarianism that prohibits the consumption or use of any products that come from animals, including dairy, eggs, honey, leather goods, wool, and silk.

Are eggs considered meat?

The bottom line: Eggs are not meat, but they do have a similar level of protein.

Are chickens vegetarians?

The reality is chickens are omnivores. They eat plants, insects, and animals. Talk to any farmer or chicken owner and theyll tell you about these animals desire to eat everything under the sun. Theyve been known to dine on everything from worms, bugs, and frogs to mice and snakestheyre natural foragers, after all!

Is chicken a veg or Nonveg?

in Chickens, Despite popular belief, chicken are omnivores, meaning that they eat both plant and animal food sources. From the Merriam-Webster dictionary: omnivore/mnvr/ noun An animal or person that eats both plants and animals as their main food.

Are hens fed meat?

They also get occasional meat scraps and fat bits, which they definitely enjoy. (However, I dont feed them chicken meatonly beef, pork, or fish.) If you cant have your own chickens, theres a good chance you have a friend who does keep a flock of happy hens.

Do vegans drink alcohol?

Vegans can still drink alcohol! Your ethics need not stop you from partying! There are many accidentally vegan alcoholic drinks, as well as a whole range of vegan beers, vegan wines and vegan liquors. There are, however, some alcoholic beverages that are not vegan.

What percentage of vegans go back to eating meat?

The study, which analyzed a representative sample of 11,000 U.S. participants 17 and older, found that 84 percent of people who have adopted vegetarianism or veganism at some point in their lives have gone back to eating meat. A bit less than one in five vegans and vegetarians maintain their diet.

Can vegans eat pizza?

The first, and most important, is that yes, indeed vegans can enjoy pizza every bit as tasty and satisfying as a non-vegan pizza. However, not all styles of pizza can be made in a satisfactory matter.

Are rabbits red meat?

Generally, meat from mammals such as cows and calves, sheep, lamb and pigs is considered red, while chicken, turkey and rabbit meat is considered white.

What is rabbit meat called?

Unlike other animals like cows (beef) and pigs (pork) where there are other names to call them, rabbit meat is simply called rabbit meat all over the world. This is due to the fact that rabbit meat is uncommon and somewhat rare to be eaten, so there are no culinary terms for it.

Is pig a pork?

Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; curing extends the shelf life of pork products.

Is shrimp considered a meat?

Is shrimp considered a meat? Meat is usually defined as animal flesh, and using this definition, shrimp does count as a meat. However, for culinary purposes, it is often categorized as shellfish instead. True vegetarians do not eat shrimp, but pescetarians (who eat fish but no other meat) may do.

Why do Catholics believe in purgatory?

The Catholic Church holds that all who die in Gods grace and friendship but still imperfectly purified undergo the process of purification which the Church calls purgatory, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

Can Catholics eat pork?

So, the answer is yes Christians can eat pork.

What do you call a vegan who eats fish?

The benefits of being a pescatarian might get you hooked. Pescatarians have a lot in common with vegetarians. They eat fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, eggs, and dairy, and stay away from meat and poultry. But theres one way they part company from vegetarians: Pescatarians eat fish and other seafood.

Is peanut butter vegan?

Most peanut butter is a simple mixture of ground peanuts and salt. Others might also contain oil or added sugar. Once in a blue moon, you may find a kind that contains honey, but nearly all peanut butter is 100 percent vegan.

Do vegans fish?

Vegans dont eat fish

As one of the main types of vegetarian diets, a vegan diet involves abstaining from eating any meat or animal products. This includes meat and poultry, as well as fish and shellfish. Vegans also avoid other foods derived from animals, including honey, dairy products, and gelatin.

Do vegetarians live longer?

A team of researchers at Loma Linda University in the United States has shown vegetarian men live for an average of 10 years longer than non-vegetarian men 83 years compared to 73 years. For women, being vegetarian added an extra 6 years to their lives, helping them reach 85 years on average.

Are fish considered meat?

Fish is the flesh of an animal used for food, and by that definition, its meat. However, many religions dont consider it meat. There are also several important distinctions between fish and other types of meat, especially in terms of their nutritional profiles and potential health benefits.

Are vegans?

Veganism is defined as a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, whether for food, clothing or any other purpose. For these reasons, the vegan diet is devoid of all animal products, including meat, eggs and dairy. People choose to follow a vegan diet for various reasons.

Is chicken an omnivore?

Yet for the chickens, who are natural omnivores that readily devour bugs and small animals when theyre available, the forced vegetarianism can be a disaster. Chickens on an unsupplemented vegetarian diet typically fall short of an essential protein-based amino acid known as methionine, and without it, they fall ill.

Are chickens naturally carnivores?

Chickens, however, are not herbivores. Chickens eat both plants and animals routinely in their diet making them omnivores. Removing animal protein from chicken diets is a step against better health for the chickens. Animal protein is an essential part of a chickens diet.

Why are vegetarians fed chicken?

Vegetarian fed is pretty important in industrial operations its popular because vegetarian fed reduces the risk of animal products in poultry feed. Animal disease is an issue in poultry feed today because of the horrendous conditions that animals are raised these conditions make them very susceptible to disease.

Is egg a veg or Nonveg?

Since they are not technically animal flesh, eggs are usually thought of as vegetarian. Eggs that have been fertilized and therefore have the potential to become an animal may not be considered vegetarian. Healthier eating shouldnt be a hassle.

Who came first egg or hen?

Eggs certainly came before chickens, but chicken eggs did notyou cant have one without the other. However, if we absolutely had to pick a side, based on the evolutionary evidence, were on Team Egg.

Is unfertilized egg vegetarian?

Unfertilized Eggs

In the commercial egg farming industry, egg-laying hens are kept separate from roosters at all times. This almost completely eliminates the possibility that the roosters will impregnate the hens. As such, almost all commercial eggs are unfertilized and purely vegetarian.

Is there pork in chicken feed?

Fat: In chicken feed, fats or oils are added. Common sources are rendered pig or beef fat or linseed, soy, sunflower or palm oil. Fats and oils are important because they help chickens absorb some vitamins and offer energy. Theyre also a source of essential fatty acids, which are needed for overall health.

Do they feed chickens blood?

Blood can be collected during the slaughter of various livestock species (cattle, pigs, chickens, etc.) under a wide range of conditions. It is usually dried and made into blood meal so that it can be handled and incorporated into rations more easily.