The 5 types of meat, their properties and disadvantages

The meat has always been one of the main ingredients used in diets of a good part of human cultures and societies. Its consumption is as old as the origins of our species, and its nutritional characteristics, as well as the methods by which it has been obtained, have had a clear influence on the development of the story.

But this food is not something totally homogeneous and without variants, but rather there are different types of meat which is good to know. After all, the only thing these pieces of food have in common is that they are part of the muscle mass of a wide range of animal species, and many of them are nothing alike.

But knowing how to recognize the types of meat is not a matter of pure interest in theory; it also has very practical utilities. For example, you should know that abusing some of them can lead to important problems of health, so to maintain a balanced diet it is necessary to be clear about the characteristics that define.

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Red and white meats: a basic distinction

To start this classification, it is good to know the two main categories of types of meat. Se deals with red meat, on the one hand, and white meat on the other.

Red meat

Red meat, in general, is less healthy than white meat, and for this reason it is necessary to moderate its consumption more. One of the reasons for this is that it contains a greater amount of purines, substances that have once passed into the body proast to transform into uric acid, which is harmful if its amount reaches a certain level.

White meats

White meat does not meet the characteristic that we have seen that describes red meat, and they are also usually lighter. But that does not mean that they are healthy in any context. For example, they often contain a large amount of bad fats, although this is not always the case and depends, in part, on the area from which the cut comes: thigh, loin, etc.

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The types of meat

We have already seen what the main categories that describe the types of meat are like, but we can still go into a greater level of detail. For this, it is necessary to attend to the type of species or family of species from which this food comes.

Below you will find a summary about the types of meat that are usually most consumed in Western countries.

1. Beef

This type of meat is one of the most consumed. However, as it is red meat, it is preferable to include it in the menu at most once every two or three weeks, and no more, due to its concentration of purines and bad fats. Or, better yet, not consume it at all and opt for other sources of protein. However, it is also known to be very popular for its flavor.

2. Bird's

This is a type of white meat that is also highly consumed, usually turning to chicken. Furthermore, in most cases the fat concentration in this class of animals is low; This means that this food is used by people who are interested in developing their muscles without gaining fat. An exception is the case of duck meat, whose consumption is preferable to moderate.

3. Rabbit

It is another type of white meat, and one of the least fat (This being, in addition, mostly healthy, as it is unsaturated). On the other hand, it is also characterized by being a food rich in vitamin B.

3. Pork

As much as red meat is usually associated with large mammals, the truth is that most of the pig is made up of white meat. In addition, the fat it contains is usually relatively low.

Despite what we have seen about this food, you have to be careful when cooking it, since many times these elaboration processes go through deep frying, with which its fat and calorie content rises a lot.

4. Goat and sheep

Unlike rabbit meat, for example, the fat it contains is saturated, making it unhealthy. However, goat meat is rather low in fat, so can be consumed occasionally in diets intended to lose weight or not covering muscle.

5. Fish

Fish is usually high in Omega 3, a very healthy type of fat that we also find in dried fruits such as walnuts. Plus, it's generally low in fat, so it's a good source of protein.

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A balanced diet

To live a healthy life, we must take into account that our lifestyles lead us to consume, as a general rule, more meat than we need. It is true that protein is essential, but there are many more sources from which to extract these macronutrients: for example, tofu or seitan. Specifically, red meat has become the quintessential second dish. Replacing it with healthier options, instead of giving in to simple habit, can contribute a lot to our well-being.