According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world (36%) followed by poultry (33%), beef (24%), and goats/sheep (5%).
1. Pork. Pork, the meat from hogs, or domestic swine, is the most consumed animal in the world at 36% (Source: UN-FAO). Pork is commonly thought of as white meat, but it is actually classified as red meat by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Indeed, we can see pork as the most consumed meat in many European countries with local histories of pork foods, as well as in a few countries in Africa including Burkina Faso and one Southeast Asian country, Timor-Leste.
Which countries eat the most meat? According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization data reported by website Our World in data, the United States and Australia are the top of the global meat-eating league with more than 120 kg consumed per capita in 2020.
The colours of the meat and the fat of pork are regarded as more appetizing, while the taste and smell are described as sweeter and cleaner. It is also considered easier to digest.
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Why Muslims don t eat pork?
The pig is considered an unclean animal as food in Judaism and Islam, and parts of Christianity. Although Christianity is also an Abrahamic religion, most of its adherents do not follow these aspects of Mosaic law and do consume its meat.
Cows and buffalo were too valuable and productive for farming to be slaughtered for food. Chinese palates also prefer the flavour of pig meat over that of bovines. Gourmets talk about its naturally sweeter taste, while beef is considered drier and chewier.
India. India has the lowest per capita meat consumption amongst all the countries on this list. India has a significant vegetarian population, and vegetarianism is deeply rooted in the country's culture. Many Hindus abstain from consuming meat, particularly beef, due to religious beliefs.
India leads the countries with the highest rates of vegetarians, with nearly 24% of the population following a vegetarian diet, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
On a global scale, the average per capita meat consumption has increased by approximately 20kg in the last 50 years. Spaniards are leading the top of meat consumption in Europe with 94.04kg consumed every year.
In percentage the total amount of consumed meat is represented by 46% of pig, 25% of cattle, 27% of poultry and 2% of other meat (rabbit, equidae and sheep and goat).
Rice. Rice is the staple food of more than half the world's population, and it's been that way for centuries. It's cheap, it's filling, and it can be easily grown in a variety of climates. Rice is so important to so many people that it's no surprise that it's the world's most-eaten food.
First, let us review what the Holy Quran (holy book of the Muslims) says about pork. The Qur'an prohibits the consumption of pork in no less than four different verses.
In 2021, around 132.3 million tons of poultry meat were consumed worldwide, making it the most consumed type of meat globally. Pork was the second most consumed meat worldwide, followed by beef and veal.
Prior to the Atlantic Slave Trade, pigs were present in sub-Saharan West Africa, but they were not a major part of the indigenous diet. Even if pigs were plentiful, Islam had spread in the region since the 800s C.E., which made pork a taboo food for the burgeoning number of Muslim converts.
The only dietary restrictions specified for Christians in the New Testament are to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals" (Acts 15:29), teachings that the early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen, preached for believers to follow.
The Torah explains which animals are kosher and which are not. Kosher animals are ruminants, in other words they chew cud, and they have split hooves, such as sheep or cows. Pigs are not ruminants, so they are not kosher. Animals that live in water can only be eaten if they have fins and scales.
As the most populous country in the world, China also consumes more rice than any other country, with about 150 million metric tons consumed in 2023/2024. Following China, India is ranked second with 118 million metric tons of rice consumed in the same period.
According to World of Statistics, the 10 countries that are at the top of bread consumption per capita per year are Turkey (199.6 kg), Serbia (135 kg), Bulgaria (131.1 kg), Ukraine (88 kg ), Cyprus (74 kg), Argentina (72 kg), Portugal (70 kg), Poland (70 kg), Denmark (70 kg) and Greece (70 kg).
Overall, China is by far the world's largest consumer of fish, with 57,474.57 tons annually. That's more than four times greater than the next biggest, Indonesia, at 12,154.53 tons, with India close behind at 11,016.58 tons.
Historically, meats are of ritualistic importance. Long before the country was called the Philippines, pork was already a well-favored food source. Pigs are known to be indigenous in our country. The word “baboy” in Tagalog resembles Indonesian and Malaysian names for pork such as “babi” and “bawi” respectively.
aside from the different flavor pork has… its all about the pork fat… compared to beef or chicken , pork is much more fattier and has a more pleasing mouth feel when cooked properly.
Nutritionally, pork possesses a wide range of essential nutrients like energizing B vitamins, choline for developing babies, and iron for healthy red blood cells. A 3-ounce serving of lean pork is loaded with protein and low in fat. Eating lean pork daily can be a part of a well-balanced, high-nutrient diet.
