ABSTRACT
Meat and meat products have been an important human dietary component in the Asian cultures since antiquity. Besides providing unique palatability and satiety, this group of foods offers essential nutrients for growth and sustaining of human life. The various nutritional benefits of consuming meat, poultry, and seafood, categorically referred to as “muscle foods,” have been well documented. For instance, muscle foods provide high-quality proteins having an amino acid composition closely resembling that of the human body. Furthermore, they are excellent sources of minerals, especially iron, copper,
and zinc, and vitamins, particularly thiamine (pork) and vitamin B-12. In a nutrition study, it was found that pregnant women in Asia who consumed more meat tended to have a greater fetal growth than the other populations that consumed less or no meat.
