Is Fish Considered Meat? The Fish and Meat Definition (2024)

There are all kinds of meat and fish consumers out there. Some eat a little of everything while others have other dietary restrictions. One of the biggest questions that people have when it comes to determining their dietary needs and opportunities is, "Is fish considered meat?" This is especially important when you sell wholesale seafood online.

It’s common for people to claim that bulk fish is a type of meat. In fact, there are a few different ways to classify meat. Some classifying factors include dietary restrictions, religious guidelines, as well as nutritional differences.

So, is fish considered meat? Let’s dive right in and determine that.

Meat and Fish Definition

As mentioned above, there can be different ways to classify wholesale meat. However, the scientific definition of meat specifies its primary components. These include protein, water, and fat. It can be edible raw but typically eaten once it’s cooked, seasoned, and processed. Structurally, meat commonly refers to skeletal muscle, tissues, fat, and innards.

Based on these definitions, there’s no doubt that fish is considered meat. However, some experts use meat to specifically describe the flesh of mammals. Fish have a totally different habitat from mammals and are cold-blooded animals. It’s common for people to define meat as only warm-blooded flesh.

Types of Meat Includes

Pescetarianism is a popular dietary choice these days. Due to this, it’s common for people to consider eating fish the same as eating meat. It’s crucial to define the different types of meat products out there. Here are some classifications:

• Red Meat: All livestock is considered to be red meat. This can include pork, beef, lamb, and goat.
• Poultry: Oftentimes this is referred to as white meat. This can include turkey and chicken.
• Seafood: Fish and crustaceans such as lobster, crab, and mollusks (oysters, mussels, scallops, and clams) fall under this category.

The term “meat” includes the following:

Pork

Pork is high in omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin B1. It’s only one of the most popular types of meat worldwide. Pork can be prepared in numerous ways including barbecued pork ribs, Italian sausage, bacon, and more. Its incredible flavor makes it perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.

Beef

Hot dogs, beef jerky, and even T-bone steak all come from beef. Ground beef can be used for burgers and more. It is best to enjoy beef sparingly, but it works for all kinds of meals.

Lamb

Lamb is a bit more expensive compared to other types of meat. It’s categorized to be meat from young sheep, typically under a year old. Lamb is known to be one of the healthiest types of meat out there due to its high levels of nutrients.

Goat

Goat is also a popular type of meat that is consumed by people on a regular basis. It has a tougher muscular composition compared to other meats, but it’s popular to use in stews and braises. This is because they tend to follow low and slow cooking techniques.

Chicken

If you’re looking for high protein and low fat, chicken meat is ideal. It has both white and dark meat to choose from. Boneless and skinless chicken breast meat is a fan favorite because it doesn’t contain saturated fat.

Turkey

Not only is turkey ideal for a holiday table, but it’s also perfect for any meal. Turkey consists of mild white meat which some people find tricky to prepare since it’s easy to dry out. However, when prepared properly, it can be the perfect protein option.

Duck

Duck meat typically refers to the legs and breast of the bird. However, duck liver is also enjoyed. Duck meat can be soaked with flavor due to the layer of fat they have between the outer skin and meat.

Rabbit

As a more nutrient-dense meat option, you can turn to rabbit meat. It is high in selenium and B12. Rabbit meat is also low in calories and high in protein.

Seafood

Seafood also falls into the meat category. This includes fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. A lot of seafood options have great nutritional value and protein, especially for a healthy diet.

History of Eating Meat and Do Vegans Eat Fish?

There are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the origins of eating meat. However, there are also many theories regarding when, how, and why humans started. Most of these theories involve the ancient climate shift.

More than 2.5 million years ago, there was a dramatic shift in the climate where the Earth got hotter and drier. Before this shift, our human ancestors (then known as hominids) were relying mainly on leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds, and more. With rising temperatures, the forests shrank and the grasslands thrived. This resulted in green plants becoming scarcer and humans had to find a new source of energy.

As the grasslands began to thrive, they started to support the grazing herbivores. Even though our human ancestors weren’t capable of hunting just yet, they likely collected meat from the fallen carcasses.

These days, companies sell wholesale meat to consumers through a meat subscription box. Food subscription boxes are one of those DIY business ideas that small and large companies take advantage of to increase profits for their niche market.

It's commonly known that vegans have a very limited diet due to the restrictions. Vegans don't eat fish or any animal or meat product.

The Food Pyramid

It’s likely that you’re already familiar with the food pyramid. However, you might need a bit of a refresher. The food pyramid can remind you of the food you should be consuming on a regular or occasional basis.

As you go higher up in the pyramid, the more you should moderate your food and drink intake. The bottom of the pyramid is where you have items that can be consumed without moderation. Below are the pyramid groups from largest to smallest.

Group 1

Water and similar drinks. These can include water, tea, herbal teas, lightly roasted or decaffeinated coffee from the best coffee roasters, fruit juice without added sugar, and vegetable juice.

Group 2

Fruits and vegetables. You should get 4 servings per day of these. Be mindful of the excessively sweet or fatty fruits and nuts out there.

Group 3

Legumes and starches. These can include beans, lentils, peas, soy, pasta, rice, potatoes, and semolina.

Group 4

Protein. This can include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, and soy products such as tofu. These items can be eaten regularly, but not in excess. Fish and white meats are preferred over red meats.

Group 5

Fats. You can choose to consume good fats such as olive, sunflower, corn, and nut oils. However, limit your intake of bad fats such as animal fats.

Group 6

Delicacies that can include fried foods, desserts, and more.

Religion and Meat

There are all kinds of religions out there and each one can have different dietary restrictions and/or food traditions. It’s likely that some of them can be more famous or popular than others. However, all should be respected and observed as close as possible.

Buddhism

Within Buddhism, there is no specific dietary restriction. However, there are principles that are followed when it comes to food consumption. These can include following various vegetarian dietary practices. It’s common for Buddhists to be lacto-vegetarians. This means they can consume dairy and animal products, but they are not allowed to eat meat. There are branches of Buddhism, like Theravada, that allow the consumption of chicken, pork, and fish. However, it's crucial for the animal to have not been slaughtered for consumption.

Christianity

There are different types of Christianity and some have religious dietary restrictions.

Catholicism

During holy days and periods, Catholics will fast. For instance, during Lent, it’s not allowed for Catholics to consume meat on Fridays.

Eastern Orthodox Christians

Weekly fasts that restrict the consumption of eggs, dairy, alcohol, fish, meat, and olive oil are common in Eastern Orthodox Christians.

Seventh-Day Adventists

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians are common in Seventh-Day Adventists. They avoid fish, poultry, other meats, and alcohol, but they can consume some animal products like eggs and dairy.

Hinduism

Hindus do not eat fish, poultry, meat, or eggs, but they do eat dairy. This is what makes them lacto-vegetarians. A class of Hinduism called Brahmins can also be limited to plant foods during certain fasting periods.

Islam

Halal is common in the Islam religion. This typically means that they eat kosher foods. This religion doesn’t permit the consumption of alcohol.

Jainism

The religion of Jainism has strict rules regarding the protection of all life. Due to this, they don’t consume fish, meat, poultry, or eggs. They also have to avoid many root vegetables, honey, and more.

Judaism

Practicing Jews eat kosher foods. These foods are labeled and prepared with strict guidelines from the very beginning. This includes the harvesting, slaughtering, preparation, and packaging process. Many practicing Jews also don’t eat pork or shellfish.

Mormonism

Dietary restrictions for Mormons include tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, as well as illegal drugs.

Rastafarianism

Clean eating diets are followed by most Rastafarians. Meat, as a whole, including pork and shellfish, is prohibited. Alcohol, coffee, milk, and salt are also not allowed. Most of their meals are vegetarian or vegan. It’s common for people to ask “do vegans eat fish?” in this case, and the answer is no.

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Summing Up Is Fish Considered Meat

The classification of meat can vary depending on whom you ask. The answer to the question of "Is fish considered meat?" will continue to be brought up. However, it’s common for people to refer to the edible portion of the fish or seafood as meat.