Is Salmon a Meat? The Surprising Answer! 

Salmon is a common type of fish consumed in a variety of ways. The reason salmon is highly appreciated is that it is brimming with essential nutrients, including the ever-essential omega-3 fatty acids. You can enjoy this type of seafood baked, fried, roasted, or grilled. With its long list of potential health benefits, it’s no wonder salmon is chosen over most fish. Aside from the pleasing textures and flavors, we obtain when we eat this type of fish, have you ever wondered whether salmon is considered a type of meat? With its pinkish hue, can it not be classified as fish meat? Let’s find out the answer.

Table of Contents

• Is Fish Meat?
• Defining Meat
• Scientific Definition of Meat
• Salmon vs Red Meat
  • Classification
  • Appearance
  • Taste and Use
• Nutrition and Health Benefits of Salmon
• What is a Pescetarian Diet?
• Is Fish Considered Meat From a Religious Point of View?
  • Muslim
  • Jewish
  • Hindu
  • Christian
• Bottom Line
• FAQs

Is Fish Meat?

The question of whether fish is considered meat has been circulating with no affirmative answer for some time. Many like to separate meat and fish into different categories, since those following a vegetarian diet choose to consume fish, claiming that they aren’t in the same category as meat. Truthfully, fish is considered an animal, with fish fillets, and steaks made of animal protein when consumed. So is fish meat or not?

Defining Meat

This hot debate relies on how individuals define meat. The phrase that many automatically associate with thick juicy, tender animal flesh is used in certain types of foods, such as beef burgers, roast chicken, turkey, and more.

Scientific Definition of Meat

By definition, science categorizes meat through its primary components of water, protein, and fat. While it can be edible when raw, it’s only properly eaten after it has been cooked and well seasoned.

Meat refers to skeletal muscle, fat, tissues, and innards and since fish has all of these components, there’s no doubt that fish is meat.

However, many tend to use meat as a term to describe the flesh of warm-blooded mammals, and since fish are cold-blooded animals it’s also what separates them from other meat.

Salmon vs Red Meat

Salmon and red meats are some of the most popular meal choices in restaurants. Besides their distinctive tastes and texture, many differences effectively separate these from each other, perhaps we’ll be able to conclude whether salmon can be categorized as meat or not with further insight.

Classification

Salmon is considered white meat and is classified as a member of the oily fish species, containing oils and essential nutrients making it a great option for those following certain dietary preferences, as they can incorporate their oil and vitamins through this type of animal protein.

When it comes to red meats such as steak or beef, this usually refers to the meat found in the skeletal muscles of cows and bulls.

Appearance

Fish and red meat are completely different from each other, the most obvious difference being apparent in their appearance. Salmon carries a red or orange hue when raw, losing color as it’s cooked, becoming closer to pink or white.

Salmon also happens to have wavy white lines, spread along its flesh, and this is called marbling. These lines can vary from prominent to slightly visible, depending on whether the fish was farm raised or simply a wild salmon.

Meanwhile, red meat has a bright red color that only darkens when exposed to oxygen, but can also have some irregular lines of marbling, depending on what kind of meat it is.

Taste and Use

Eating fish like salmon is exceptional, because it’s high in good fats, tasting rich and oily when cooked with your favorite seasonings to suit your preference. On the other hand, red meat packs a tender and juicy flavor when singed and marinated with your choice of herbs and spices.

Both salmon and red meat can be used in similar ways when cooking with them, you can grill, broil, stir fry, and more.

Arguably many would agree that red meats such as beef are more versatile in a variety of recipes compared to salmon. Popular dishes from beef include beef steak, roast beef, burgers, casserole, shepherd’s pie, and more. Although you can make burgers using salmon, more often than not you’ll have fried, grilled, or broiled salmon consumed with a range of sauces and flavorings.

Nutrition and Health Benefits of Salmon

Research suggests that consuming fatty fish is a great and healthy alternative to other meats. In fact, eating fish can also aid faster weight loss, and improve heart health.

Typically, red meats such as beef, pork, and lamb contain more saturated fat as opposed to chicken, fish, and other plant-based proteins. Meats that contain saturated and trans fats can potentially raise blood cholesterol levels, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease, especially when consumed in large quantities.

On the other hand, salmon meat is loaded with healthy unsaturated fats, and these include omega-3 fatty, that aid high blood pressure, and other complications.

It’s true that both fish and red meat are rich sources of protein and vitamins, though you’d most likely clog your arteries with red meat than if you were to make the conscious decision of consuming fish in abundance, which is why you should aim to lower your red meat intake.

What is a Pescetarian Diet?

Vegans and vegetarians have many dietary restrictions concerning meat, and fish is no exception.

While vegetarians choose to avoid the consumption of animal flesh altogether, pescatarians are quite the opposite. Though they refrain from consuming most meats, they choose to eat fish, assuming that they have a less complex nervous system, making it ethical to kill them.

They argue that with their puny brain power, fish cannot possibly feel the pain when being slaughtered, which is why pescatarians prefer to gravitate towards seafood as opposed to other livestock.

Is Fish Considered Meat From a Religious Point of View?

Most religions tend to place fish and meat in very different categories, applying limitations when it comes to ingesting meat and fish. Here are some of the major religions’ views and dietary restrictions:

Muslim

Muslims follow strict dietary rules that outline what is deemed permissible for consumption, especially when it comes to meat. Moreover, they do not place meat and fish into diverging categories, however, there are some strict rules concerning the handling of meat for it to be considered halal. For fish, there is no specific ruling in terms of slaughtering. If a fish has scales it is automatically considered halal with no further special treatment required.

Jewish

Judaism however, does differentiate between meat and fish, through the prohibition of eating fish and meat at the same time. Fish must have both fins and tails to be considered permissible, therefore shellfish are completely prohibited.

Hindu

The rules against eating meat in Hinduism are universal, though many won’t say the same about fish, as some eat salmon fish, including other varieties of fish. Generally, Hindus refrain from violence against all life forms, choosing to follow a strict vegan diet.

Christian

Many Christians enjoy both meat and fish in abundance, with little to no differentiation outlined in the bible for both of them. As long as the meat is from an animal that has hooves and chews cud it is permissible to eat.

Bottom Line

How an individual would define meat can determine whether fish or salmon can be categorized as meat. While salmon contains flesh and bones like cattle, many will argue that fish is indeed meat, but what do you think?

FAQs