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My husband and I recently found ourselves in a surprisingly passionate debate over a simple question: Is pork white meat or red meat?
At first, the answer seemed obvious. After all, pork often looks light-colored when cooked, much like chicken or turkey. For decades, many people have referred to pork as “the other white meat.” But is that actually true?
As it turns out, the answer is more interesting than either of us expected.
For years, consumers have been confused about how pork should be classified. Some insist it is white meat because of its appearance after cooking. Others argue it must be red meat because it comes from livestock similar to beef and lamb. So who is right?
The short answer is that, scientifically speaking, pork is classified as red meat.
That answer surprises many people because the color of cooked pork often appears pale and light. However, the official classification of meat is not based solely on how it looks on your dinner plate.
Instead, scientists classify meat according to a protein called myoglobin.
Myoglobin is a protein found in muscle tissue that stores oxygen. The amount of myoglobin present in an animal’s muscles determines whether the meat is considered red or white.
Animals with higher levels of myoglobin generally produce darker-colored meat. Beef, lamb, and venison contain significant amounts of this protein, which is why they are clearly recognized as red meats.
Pork contains less myoglobin than beef but considerably more than poultry such as chicken and turkey.
Because of this, food scientists and nutrition experts classify pork as red meat.
The confusion largely comes from a highly successful advertising campaign.
In the late twentieth century, the pork industry launched a marketing slogan describing pork as “The Other White Meat.” The campaign aimed to position pork as a leaner alternative to beef and to encourage consumers to view it similarly to chicken.
The slogan became incredibly popular.
Millions of people grew up hearing pork described as white meat, and many still believe that classification today.
From a marketing perspective, the campaign was a tremendous success.
From a scientific perspective, however, pork remained red meat.
This distinction highlights an interesting difference between culinary language and scientific terminology.
In the kitchen, people often categorize foods based on appearance, texture, flavor, and cooking methods.
For example, pork chops, pork loin, and tenderloin frequently resemble poultry once cooked. Their mild flavor and lighter color contribute to the perception that they belong in the white-meat category.
Scientists, on the other hand, focus on biological characteristics.
When nutritionists, researchers, and health organizations discuss red meat, they typically include:
- Beef
- Pork
- Lamb
- Veal
- Goat