Is Pork Considered Red Meat? Here's What To Know

Pork is enjoyed around the world in all kinds of tasty and versatile ways, from barbecued pork belly to traditional smoked ribs to honey glazed ham for holiday dinners. It's a global staple that is eaten more than any other meat around the world, but one question still often confuses a lot of people: Is pork red meat or white?

Pork is actually considered red meat, even though it's pink when raw and usually turns white when cooked. Meat is designated as red or white based on its amount of myoglobin. This is a pigmented protein that stores oxygen in muscles, forming a supply that is accessed to create energy when said muscles are moved. Meats with higher levels of myoglobin are redder in color, thus they're called red meat. Poultry and fish, which have less, are classified as white meat. Additionally, the USDA classifies all "livestock" (i.e. not poultry or seafood) as red meat, and puts beef, pork, lamb, and veal in that category.

Why do livestock animals have more myoglobin? They are larger with more weight to support and move, so their muscles need more oxygen and energy. Another factor is that myoglobin levels increase with age. Pork is pink when raw because pigs are both smaller than cows and usually slaughtered younger, so they have less red pigment in their muscles than beef. Poultry's much smaller size accounts for its lower levels, though the legs and thighs are usually darker in color because they are always working to hold up the bird. Fish don't have to carry their own weight in water, so their meat is mostly white.

Advertising is why many people think pork is white meat

Pork's lighter color is one reason for the mistaken belief that it's white meat. But in the United States, a lot of this uncertainty can be attributed to a wildly successful (yet somewhat deceiving) advertising campaign. Americans began eating less pork and more lean, white meat like chicken starting in the 1970s, which set off alarm bells at the National Pork Producers Council. To make pork more appealing to the masses again, the organization hired an advertising agency in 1987 that came up with the slogan, "Pork. The Other White Meat." 

The two parties launched an advertising blitz, complete with Super Bowl commercials and endorsements from pro chefs. Within four years, pork sales had jumped back up by 20%. The pork industry also took more action in response to what consumers wanted, making changes to how farmers bred pigs and what the animals ate. These measures helped to produce leaner meat. 

As a result, the pork most Americans eat today is less fatty than it used to be. In fact, pork tenderloin — which is popular for everything from Sunday roasts to pork satay with peanut dipping sauce – has roughly the same amount of fat as chicken breast. Pork is otherwise nutritionally comparable to other red meats. That includes being a good source of protein, iron (though not as much as beef and lamb), and vitamins and minerals like zinc and vitamin B12.