Meat

Meat is animal <a href="/facts/Tissue_(biology)/H7CpML7A">tissue</a>, often <a href="/facts/Muscle/dmxrL8pH">muscle</a>, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The <a href="/facts/Neolithic_Revolution/P5tLdcgU">Neolithic Revolution</a> allowed the <a href="/facts/Domestication_of_vertebrates/CFTfnHWg">domestication of vertebrates</a>, including <a href="/facts/Chicken/RD2eTd83">chickens</a>, <a href="/facts/Sheep/cjkJyI4f">sheep</a>, <a href="/facts/Goat/BrsPJmdX">goats</a>, <a href="/facts/Pig/b5wxwdDY">pigs</a>, <a href="/facts/Horse/uQ3FA0Ak">horses</a>, and <a href="/facts/Cattle/44qV9B6S">cattle</a>, starting around 11,000 years ago. Since then, <a href="/facts/Selective_breeding/CAkkM2UG">selective breeding</a> has enabled farmers to produce meat with the qualities desired by producers and consumers.
Meat is mainly composed of water, protein, and fat. Its quality is affected by many factors, including the genetics, health, and nutritional status of the animal involved. Without preservation, bacteria and fungi decompose and <a href="/facts/Meat_spoilage/3mQw58p7">spoil unprocessed meat</a> within hours or days. Meat is <a href="/facts/Raw_meat/1zHWGHAG">edible raw</a>, but it is mostly eaten cooked, such as by <a href="/facts/Stewing/egswh6LU">stewing</a> or <a href="/facts/Roasting/2WoUX3sA">roasting</a>, or <a href="/facts/Processed_meat/LvyBpwac">processed</a>, such as by <a href="/facts/Smoking_(cooking)/S9UuKMSg">smoking</a> or <a href="/facts/Salting_(food)/m6LonSP2">salting</a>. 
The consumption of meat (especially <a href="/facts/Red_meat/LemELNcF">red</a> and processed meat, as opposed to <a href="/facts/Fish_as_food/PEaSCDz3">fish</a> and <a href="/facts/Poultry/u8hUQ64j">poultry</a>) increases the risk of certain negative health outcomes including cancer, <a href="/facts/Coronary_heart_disease/szCt0nVx">coronary heart disease</a>, and <a href="/facts/Diabetes/2xeHXbsI">diabetes</a>. Meat production is a major contributor to <a href="/facts/Environmental_impact_of_meat_production/quFfEtn4">environmental issues</a> including <a href="/facts/Global_warming/rEN4BDE7">global warming</a>, pollution, and <a href="/facts/Biodiversity_loss/p7xI1P0G">biodiversity loss</a>, at local and global scales, but meat is important to economies and cultures around the world. Some people (<a href="/facts/Vegetarianism/ryP05yWa">vegetarians</a> and <a href="/facts/Vegans/ENrKFBzz">vegans</a>) choose not to eat meat for <a href="/facts/Ethics_of_eating_meat/WISmqCM0">ethical</a>, environmental, health or religious reasons.

Meat open-in-new

Meat