Whether or not bird counts as meat is a question that many people have, especially those following plant-based or vegetarian diets. There are arguments on both sides of this issue, with some people claiming that birds are a type of meat and others arguing that they do not qualify as such. In this article, we’ll explore the evidence and reasoning behind the different perspectives.
What is considered meat?
In order to answer whether bird counts as meat, we first need to define what constitutes meat. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, meat is “the flesh of animals eaten as food.” Merriam-Webster similarly defines meat as “animal tissue considered especially as food.” So based on these standard definitions, meat comes from the flesh or muscle tissue of animals.
Most people consider the flesh of mammals and birds to be types of meat. Common meats from mammals include beef, pork, lamb, and venison. Meanwhile, the most commonly consumed types of bird meats come from chicken, turkey, duck, and goose. So if we go by the broad definition of meat as animal flesh, then the muscle tissue of birds would qualify as meat.
Nutritional profile of birds
Looking at the nutritional makeup of poultry can provide more clues as to whether it should be classified as a meat. Below is a comparison of the basic nutritional values in a 100g serving of chicken breast versus beef sirloin steak:
Nutrient | Chicken Breast | Beef Sirloin |
---|---|---|
Calories | 165 | 271 |
Fat | 3.6g | 18g |
Protein | 31g | 25g |
Iron | 1mg | 2.9mg |
As you can see, chicken breast provides high amounts of protein and minimal fat, which is typical of most types of meat. In fact, some cuts of poultry like breast meat are even leaner than beef. The iron and calories in chicken are also comparable to beef per gram. So from a macronutrient and micronutrient profile standpoint, chicken meat aligns closely with red meats.
How poultry is cooked and eaten
Looking at how chicken and other birds are prepared can also shed light on whether they qualify as meat. In most cuisines worldwide, poultry is commonly:
- Roasted, grilled, or fried – cooking techniques typically used for meats
- Eaten as main dishes, in sandwiches, in salads – ways meats are commonly served
- Paired with sides like potatoes, rice, vegetables – standard side dishes paired with meats
- Used to make broths/stocks – one of the most common uses of animal meats
So chicken and other domesticated fowl are clearly treated as types of meat in culinary contexts. This provides more evidence that birds likely belong in the meat category.
Ethical arguments
In addition to nutritional and culinary points, the debate over whether birds qualify as meat also raises ethical considerations. Here are some perspectives on both sides:
Arguments for birds as meat:
- Chickens, turkeys, and other domesticated birds are specifically bred and raised to be eaten as meat.
- Poultry farming involves slaughtering birds en masse mainly for human consumption.
- Including birds as meat reinforces that eating them involves animal death and ethical issues around factory farming.
Arguments against birds as meat:
- Birds like chickens have distinct evolutionary lineages from mammals.
- Poultry are perceived differently than red meats for nutritional reasons.
- Separating birds linguistically may promote more compassionate practices.
So in summary, there are good ethical points on both sides. Overall the arguments seem to lean toward classifying domesticated birds as meat given the realities of large-scale poultry production primarily for human food.
Legal classification
Looking at how poultry is defined legally also gives insight into whether it counts as a meat. According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations:
- The FDA Food Code classifies chicken, turkey, duck, goose, and other birds as “poultry” rather than “meat.”
- However, USDA labeling guidelines require raw poultry to bear the term “chicken meat” or “turkey meat.”
- This suggests poultry is comprised of meat, though differentiated from mammalian red meats.
There are also some legal differences in how poultry versus other meats are processed and inspected. But overall the consensus seems to be that poultry contains meat, though it is regulated differently than beef, pork, etc.
Cultural and individual perspectives
With the nutritional, ethical, and legal arguments around classifying poultry as meat covered, cultural and individual perspectives also play a role. Here is some of the variation in how birds are viewed as meat:
- Poultry is considered a core meat group in most Western cuisines and in cultures where bird domestication is common.
- Hindu vegetarian traditions often avoid chicken and other domesticated birds while eating dairy products.
- Pescetarians abstain from meat but may eat fish and poultry depending on individual diet boundaries.
- Vegans abstain from all animal products, including all types of meat and poultry.
So whether poultry counts as meat is somewhat open to interpretation based on cultural identities and personal dietary choices. But the mainstream view in most cultures is that common domesticated birds qualify as a type of meat, especially where they are farmed and eaten in large quantities.
Nutritional substitutes
The view of poultry as meat influences how it is substituted in various diets, such as for vegetarians/vegans or those looking to reduce meat intake:
- Tofu, tempeh, seitan – used to replace chicken and other poultry’s texture and protein.
- Lentils, beans, soy crumbles – used as lower fat ground meat substitutes.
- Jackfruit – replicates the fibrous texture and absorbing flavors of pulled meat.
The fact that birds are typically substituted with plant proteins or meat analogues supports the categorization as a type of meat nutritionally.
Environmental impact
The debate over poultry and meat also raises environmental sustainability considerations:
- Poultry production emits lower greenhouse gases than red meat farming per pound.
- But the poultry industry still has a major environmental footprint.
- Replacing red meat with poultry provides smaller environmental benefits compared to pork or plant-based proteins.
So despite having lower environmental impacts compared to beef or lamb, poultry production still has many of the same ecological issues as other meats. This means the designation of poultry as meat is reasonable based on sustainability concerns as well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there are some arguable points on both sides, bird seems to qualify as a type of meat based on multiple factors:
- Nutritionally, poultry like chicken has a similar macronutrient and micronutrient profile to mammalian meats.
- Culinarily, poultry is prepared using conventional meat-based techniques.
- Ethically and legally, birds farmed for food are generally lumped under meat production systems.
- Environmentally, poultry has many similar resource intensity issues as red meats.
However, there are also some counterpoints based on evolutionary lineages, cultural traditions, and legal definitions that distinguish between poultry and other meats. So there is some flexibility around how individuals classify birds within their dietary frameworks.
Overall based on mainstream perspectives and common practices around eating domesticated fowl, birds like chicken and turkey do seem to fall under the broad definition of meat. But there are understandable grounds for arguing that point from some ethical and taxonomic angles.