What Is the Difference Between Meat and Poultry?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 07, 2023

The term “meat” encompasses all types of animal flesh that are consumable, while “poultry” is specifically used to describe meat that is derived from birds, such as chickens, pigeons, geese, turkeys and ducks. In other words, all poultry is meat, but not all meat is poultry.

Beef and lamb is typically classified as “red meat,” while poultry and pork are usually considered “white meat” – even though there are two types of meat found on poultry. The breast area is known as “white meat,” and the drumsticks, thighs and wings are known as “dark meat.” The difference between the two is that the breast-meat area gets its fuel from glycogen while the dark-meat areas break down and convert fat into energy.