bokonon Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 so i sent this question off to three different libraries; Hello, I've had a question plague me for years; are humans red meat or white? What is really the difference? I'm not going to eat anyone, in fact I'm vegan, I've just always wondered. Thanks, lex neziol these are the libraries i've sent it to: British Columbia Ministry of Health Library The Canadian Agricultural Library The Library of Congress (that's the most amazing library in north america) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWB Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 that depends on what state they're from. texans is all red meat baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 Re: red meat or white? Bokonon -- I can guarantee that at least some of our organs (placenta, liver, spleen) are red meat. But I don't know what our "muscle-flesh" would be, once cooked up. I'm also a strict veg, so I'm amazed I can actually discuss this without feeling queasy. I think having a couple warped Python sketches going through my head helps.... AT THE UNDERTAKERS: "Well there's 3 fings we can do wif yer mum: burn 'er, bury 'er or eat 'er. Not raw, not raw. No we'd cook her up a bit first, a bit o' broccoli and stuffing. She'd be delicious.....and if you feel a bit guilty afterwards, we can dig a pit and you can throw up into it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazlo Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 Human flesh is red meat. I've seen alot of 3rd degree burns up close and personal and it sure don't look like chicken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokonon Posted March 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 lazlo, you make a good point. i think we are red meat. now i just need to know what makes red meat red and white meat white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questcequecest? Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 i asked jeeves. he said, Why some meats — not just pork — are lighter or darker is a fairly complicated subject. In his very interesting but fairly scholarly book The Science of Cooking (Canada, UK), Peter Barham explains that several factors contribute to the color of meat. Haemoglobin, a molecule that carries oxygen around a body in its blood when it is alive, is absorbed in muscle, contributing a bit of red color. Muscles that are heavily used may not be able to get enough oxygen from the blood, and must resort to oxygen stored in myoglobin (protein) molecules. Both haemoglobin and myoglobin are red when carrying oxygen. Finally, there are two types of a protein called myosin found in a muscle. One, again depending on how much use the muscle sees, has more need of the oxygen stored in myoglobin, and will be darker as a result. Barham explains that turkeys, which stand around a lot but hardly ever fly, have dark leg meat but breasts that are white. Game animals, which tend to use all their muscles, are essentially all dark meat, while domesticated animals generally have a mix of both light and dark. In terms of cooking, dark meat generally has more flavor, but, because those muscles were more actively exercised, tends to be tougher. Lighter meats tend to be more tender but have less flavor. thank you jeeves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timouse Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 bokonon, check out the virtual human video i posted earlier. you'll see that cross-sectionally we look just like porkchops. people. the other white meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamilton Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 I thought it was green: "People! They make it out of people!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 Keep us posted bokonon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 are humans kosher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 i had heard we were like pork... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolarGarlic Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 200g of the Canadian Smoked please...oh, sliced thin too..thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheebs Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 this is the best thread I have ever seen on this site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzinfivefour Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 YES! We are red meat. Myoglobin carries oxygen to the muscle. The more presence of myoglobin the more red the meat. All live-stock is concidered red meat, including pork. That's all the info I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 http://www.newyorkish.com/newyorkish/2003/12/white_or_red.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairySari Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 are humans kosher Nope, primates aren't kosher. For an animal (other than birds and fish) to be kosher, it has to have split hooves and chew its cud. So you can eat an ibex, but not a gorilla. (fish have to have fins and scales to be kosher, and birds can't be scavengers or birds of prey) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 so no horse either then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokonon Posted March 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 fairy sari, it's actually cloven (split) hooved animals that are not kosher as they are thought to be unclean. as far as human meat goes, i guess it would depend on if it's blessed by a rabbi. in the army there are imp (individual meal packets) that are vegan/kosher/allergen free all rolled in to one. could you imagine having to cook like that?!?!?!?! what do you get? holy grass?!?!? oh wait, i'm allergic to grass, sh!t! :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokonon Posted March 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 response number 1 is from the library of congress and i found it in my email at 2:35pm wednesday march 2. i sent the message around 8pm tuesday march 1. that's quick! here it it: Librarian 1: Hi Lex, You may be interested in learning the difference between white and dark meat from the Everyday Mystery "Why do turkey's have white and dark meat?" < http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/turkeymeat.html > There is a list of Web sites towards the bottom of the page that help explain the difference between white and dark meat such as the Exploritorium's What gives meat its color? Human beings generally have 50% white meat (well-rested muscles or fast twitch muscle fibers) and 50% dark meat (active muscles or slow twitch muscle fibers). Athletes may have more dark meat (or active/ slow twitch muscle fibers) than the average person. A good explanation of the muscle makeup of humans can be found towards the bottom of the Exploratorium's Comparative Muscle page I hope this helps to answer your question. Please feel very welcome to get back in touch if you have more questions. Sincerely, Ms. Jennifer J. Harbster, MLIS Research Specialist Science, Technology, and Business Division Library of Congress LA 5219, Adams Building 101 Independence Ave. SE Washington, D.C. 20540 Tel: 202-707-4751 Fax: 202-707-1925 email: jehar@loc.gov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 you should email her back and ask if they have any good recipies too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 There's actually alengthy discussion about this subject on Egullet: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=62776 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairySari Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 whoops. you're right lex. oh well, people don't chew cud anyway, and the animal has to have both characteristics to be kosher. and it doesn;t have to blessed by a rabbi, so much as the facilities and animal killing process have to be inspected on a regular basis to make sure they're sticking to kashrut. or i could be wrong again. oh well, all plants are kosher, so yay for being vegetarian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 kudos for that "no question is a stupid question" librarian! compare her to the one in a fav Trailer Park Boys clip NOTE: i couldn't link directly; it's the second picture, called "horviculture" Can't miss the mean-looking librarian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guigsy Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 i asked jeeves. i broke out laughing. :: that's t-shirt material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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