Meat
Photo: Traveler100, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Meat is a delicacy in most parts of the world. However, many people do not eat meat, for ethical, environmental or religious reasons.
Different cultures have different ideas of what counts as meat. It usually includes muscle and other tissues from land animals, such as mammals and occasionally reptiles or amphibians; the term may or may not include birds (poultry) or seafood. Meat from aquatic mammals such as seal or whale can count as both. For the purpose of Catholic dietary law that separates animals into "meat" and "fish", a lot of animals used to be considered "fish" just because they live close to water. Examples include beaver, turtles and even some aquatic birds.
Species and their meatsThe pig is the most eaten mammal worldwide. While pork is taboo in Islam, Judaism and some sects of Christianity, it is ubiquitous in most cuisines of Europe and East Asia.
Stay healthyMeat is a high-risk foodstuff, when it comes to parasites and bacteria. Raw meat is always suspect, as heat from cooking resolves most issues. Rare or lightly-cooked meats require caution as well.
RespectRaising animals for food is seen as problematic for a number of reasons, as is hunting. Traditionally meat has served a much smaller role than today in most cuisines – valued, but too expensive to be everyday food.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Meat" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Traveler100, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons