Meat

Meat is animal tissue, mostly muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since ancient times. The Neolithic Revolution allowed people to domesticate vertebrates, including chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and cattle, starting around 11,000 years ago. Since then, selective breeding has helped farmers produce meat with the qualities people want.

Meat is mainly made of water, protein, and fat. Its quality depends on many things, like the genetics, health, and food of the animal. Without special treatment, meat can go bad quickly because of bacteria and fungi. People can eat meat raw, but it is usually cooked, like by stewing or roasting, or treated in other ways, such as by smoking or salting.

Eating certain types of meat, especially red and processed meat, can increase the chance of some health problems like cancer, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. Also, making meat can harm the environment by adding to global warming, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Some people, like vegetarians and vegans, choose not to eat meat for ethical, environmental, health, or religious reasons.

Etymology

The word meat comes from an old word called mete, which meant food in general. Today, when we say meat, we usually mean the muscle of animals, along with some fat and connective tissue. Sometimes it also includes other edible parts of animals, like the liver or kidney. The word meat can also specifically refer to the flesh of mammals, such as pigs, cattle, and sheep, that are raised and prepared for eating, and it does not include fish, seafood, insects, poultry, or other animals.

History

Further information: History of agriculture

Domestication

Further information: Domestication

Paleontological evidence shows that early humans ate a lot of meat. They were skilled at hunting large animals like bison and deer. Later, animals were domesticated during the Neolithic period, which allowed people to raise animals for meat and improve their breeding for better meat quality.

Intensive animal farming

Further information: Intensive animal farming

After World War II, governments helped farmers by giving them guaranteed prices to produce more animal production. This led to factories where animals were raised in large numbers, but it also used more food and medicine for the animals and caused pollution. By 1990, about 30% of the world's meat came from these factories, and by 2005, it was 40%.

Selective breeding

Modern farming uses special methods like progeny testing to choose the best animals for breeding, making meat healthier and better. For example, in the 1980s, people worried about fat in meat, so farmers bred animals to have less fat. New science, like genetic engineering, might help animals produce even better meat.

Today, people want meat in different shapes, so farmers raise bigger animals. Even animals like antelope, zebra, water buffalo, camel, crocodile, emu, and ostrich are now farmed for meat. Organic farming is also growing in popularity.

A shoulder of [lamb](/wiki/Lamb_and_mutton)

A [Hereford](/wiki/Hereford_\(cattle\)) bull, a breed of beef cattle

Supermarket meat, North America

Animal growth and development

Several factors influence how animals grow and develop when raised for meat.

Some traits in meat animals can be passed down through generations, allowing farmers to choose animals with better qualities. For example, some animals may grow more muscle, which can be helpful for producing more meat. Scientists also study ways to improve breeding using special methods to identify helpful genes.

The environment, such as temperature and food, also affects animal growth. Animals need the right nutrients to grow well. Farmers must make sure animals get balanced diets to stay healthy. Sometimes, special treatments help animals make the most of their food.

Composition

Meat has different amounts of water, protein, fat, and other important parts depending on the animal it comes from and how the animal was raised. For example, adult mammals' muscle is mostly water (about 75%), with protein making up about 19% and fat about 2.5%.

Meat is a great source of protein and contains important nutrients like vitamin B₁₂, selenium, niacin, vitamin B₆, and iron. It has very little carbohydrates and no fiber. The amount of fat in meat can change a lot based on the animal, how it was raised, and which part of the animal it comes from. Some people choose leaner meats, like venison, to lower the fat they eat.

Production

Biomass of mammals on Earth

1. Livestock, mostly cattle and pigs (60.0%)
2. Humans (36.0%)
3. Wild mammals (4.00%)

Animals raised for meat are moved to special places when they are old enough. This move can be hard on the animals and might make the meat taste different.

When it’s time, animals are carefully treated to make sure they are comfortable before their meat is prepared. After this, their blood is drained to help make the meat look better and stay fresh.

After the blood is drained, the animal’s body is cleaned and cut into pieces that can be used for food. This process used to be done by hand but is now often done by machines.

Meat can stay fresh for a few weeks if it’s kept in the right conditions. During this time, the meat changes a little, which can make it taste better and become softer. These changes help the meat stay tasty and easy to cook.

Additives

When meat is made for stores, special ingredients are sometimes added. These help the meat taste better, stay fresh longer, or keep its color and texture just right.

Consumption

Historical

Studies of early medieval England show that most people did not eat a lot of meat. It was not just rich people who ate meat, and men and women ate about the same amount.

In the 1800s, Britain ate more meat than any other place in Europe. By the 1830s, people there ate about 34 kilograms of meat each year. This went up to 59 kilograms by 1912. Even regular workers ate a lot of meat, while very rich people ate much more.

Trends

Today, most people around the world include meat in their diets. Chicken is the most common type of meat eaten, followed by pig and cattle meat. The way people eat meat changes depending on where they live and how much money they have.

Methods of preparation

Meat can be cooked in many ways, such as frying, grilling, and roasting. It can also be preserved by smoking, salting, or drying. Some dishes use raw meat, like steak tartare, which is made from minced raw beef. Pâtés are made from ground meat and fat, often including liver.

Spit-roasting a lamb and a suckling pig

Geese being smoked in a smokehouse

Stewing mutton with vegetables

Frying pork sausages in a pan

Raw beef: steak tartare

Duck liver pâté

Red vs white meat

Red meat comes from mammals, such as beef, pork, lamb, mutton, veal, venison, and goat. Even though pork can look white or pink, it is still considered red meat.

White meat usually means poultry, like chicken and turkey. In cooking, white meat often refers to the breast and wings of a chicken, while the legs and thighs are called dark meat. Some sources also call fish white meat, while others do not.

Health effects

Further information: Red meat § Health effects

Eating meat, especially red and processed meat, can affect health in different ways. Health guidelines suggest eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy while reducing the amount of meat, poultry, and eggs people eat.

Meat can sometimes have harmful substances in it, like heavy metals or chemicals from processing. These can be dangerous when eaten over time. Also, cooking meat at high temperatures can create chemicals that might increase the chance of getting certain illnesses.

Some studies show that eating a lot of red or processed meat may raise the risk of serious health problems, including certain types of illness and heart-related conditions. It’s important to think about how much and what kind of meat we eat to stay healthy.

Environmental impact

Further information: Environmental impacts of animal agriculture

Raising animals for meat has big effects on the Earth. It uses lots of land, water, and energy, and creates pollution that harms the environment. For example, animals raised for food create greenhouse gases that warm the planet and use lots of water, which can pollute rivers and lakes. Some scientists say eating fewer animal foods and more plants might help protect the Earth.

Meat production uses a lot of land for grazing animals and growing food for them. This can damage forests and other natural areas, which takes away homes for wild animals and can make climate change worse. Some scientists say that eating less meat, especially in places where people eat a lot of it, could help reduce these problems and protect the planet. They suggest eating more foods from plants, like beans and mushrooms, instead of meat.

Cultural aspects

Meat is eaten in many cultures and often has special meanings and roles in social events. Some people choose not to eat meat. This choice, called vegetarianism or veganism, can be because of concerns about treating animals fairly, health, the environment, or religious rules.

Different beliefs and traditions affect how people view eating meat. Some religions and philosophies have different ideas about whether it is right to eat animals. For example, some Indian religions discourage eating meat, while Jewish and Islamic traditions have specific rules about which meats are allowed. Throughout history, thinkers have had varied opinions on eating meat, reflecting changes in how people see animals and food.