Is Pork A White or Red Meat?

[Crocus]

Years ago OH suffered quite a bit with kidney stones. After tests etc. our local GP at the time suggested he shouldn't eat green beans, tomatoes, potatoes and very little red meat, which eventually helped quite a lot. The question of pork came about and according to a dietitian and our GP, pork was classified as a white meat.

Lately he eats quite a lot of tomatoes, potatoes, beans which we love but not a lot of red meat. Rather chicken, fish and also pork, although not very regularly. Perhaps once in two weeks. I'm still not sure whether pork is classified as a red or white meat and on the internet there are different views on this as well.

So, is pork a white or a red meat?

[Gentian]

It's classed as a red meat here, Crocus.
This link might help
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_pork_red_meat_or_white_meat

[Crocus]

Thanks Gen, I'll have a look. x

[souter girl]

I too would instinctively have said red meat

[dragonfly]

I've always known it as white meat.

[Crocus]

It's quite confusing actually, because I've also known it as a white meat. So perhaps one can see it as something inbetween?:D

[Rustic Pumpkin]

yes to the above, it is confusing, but it is red meat . . but then what is white meat? is that only things like turkey and chicken? I can't think of anything with four legs classed as white?

[Crocus]

Yes I think white meat is only chicken and turkey - but what about duck?

[Rustic Pumpkin]

Yes I think white meat is only chicken and turkey - but what about duck?

well, hmmmm, good question Crocus . . maybe it depends on which sauce you use . . orange or cherry . . . :D

goose would come under the same big question mark too . . and then there is the whole gamut of game birds too . . .

[Gentian]

Some veal is white meat.

[Crocus]

Orange sauce RP, yummy orange sauce. But of course, duck is something we don't have any other time in the year except at Christmas. I did though prepare duck when my sister was here during February - and one of the boys' friends asked me whether I can prepare duck because he never had it before. So we had Christmas in February as well!

We had pork tonight and it looks very white to me......:D

I wonder about something else, is it the colour, literally, which makes the difference whether pork is a white or red meat or is it what the different kinds of meat contain?

[cindy]

It's something to do with the chemicals in the meat. Pork has less of it than beef or lamb but more than chicken. So therefore pork is a red meat so the article stated. I get fed up with all this preaching about what you should or should not eat.

[souter girl]

My OH's late grandfather who was born in the 1880's and lived to 83 used to claim he followed the Marie Lloyd diet "A little of what you fancy does you good"

[dragonfly]

Whatever colour it is classed as, it tastes lovely with gravy or stuffing.

[souter girl]

AND stuffing please!

[dragonfly]

Yes SG.

[Ivy]

with kidney stones you shouldn't eat pork .It contains a lot of uric acid which is responsible for the build up of stones and the development of gout. Also Herring and green peas should be avoided.

[Crocus]

Hi Ivy, yes it's exactly what our GP said all those years ago why OH should not have pork for 3 months. He did suffer from kidney stones quite a lot, but not anymore. We don't have, or had for that matter, a lot of pork, perhaps twice a month, although we quite like pork.

[Ivy]

I think nobody could object to pork twice a month (except Jews or Muslims of course) but here in Germany a lot of sausage is eaten and almost all are based on pork so cutting down on that could cause some trouble if you were a sausage lover.

[Crocus]

Oh loves pork sausages but we don't have it very often, very rarely actually. x

[Ivy]

Just read an article in the newspaper. They referred to pork as red meat and said that the risk of growing a tumour or getting Diabetes type II is higher for those who regularly eat red meat such as beef, pork or lamb. I hate the expression "regularly" though because once a week is also following a rule and surely not too much. Also the question "Do you drink on a regular basis" has me up the wall in no time. Yes, I do! On New Year's Eve to celebrate the new year I have a sip of champagne and on oh's birthday I also have a sip , but he has to finish off my glass because I hate the taste of alcohol.

[Crocus]

Hi Ivy, thanks for the info about pork - I've also read articles about red meat being the culprit in certain health issues. We try to have red meat only once a week, not more than twice a week. Having pork tonight .......

[Katelb]

I am having pork today too .xx

[cindy]

I just get fed up with all this advise about what to eat. First one food is evil then the so called scientists declare that is safe and another one is bad for you eg. eggs, salt, red wine. Soon it will be stated that there is an increase of anaemia due to the lack of red meat in our diet !I firmly believe that if you eat a balanced un processed diet you cannot go wrong.

[Ivy]

Absolutely right Cindy. And yes i have been anaemic due to lack of red ( or any other) meat and started eating meat again as my doctor ordered me to do so! But it is the too much that makes us ( not you and me but the western people in general) obese and ill.
A sensible mix of everything is still the best strategy and if you need you bag of crisps on a saturday outing to the pub that surely won't kill you either.