Beef vs Veal - what is the difference? (2024)

What is the difference between beef and veal?

The difference between beef and veal is that beef is from older cattle whereas veal is the meat of younger cattle.‘English Rose’ veal or high welfare veal has a distinct light pink colour, beef being a darker red. But how does the meat taste different? Well, veal is slightly more tender than beef, due to the muscles not being worked for as long as the muscles of beef and it has a much more delicate flavour. Veal is actually easier for our bodies to digest than beef is because of how much more tender the meat is. The nutritional content of beef and veal is not actually too different from one another, and here are some examples…

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In just under 100g of veal 179 calories were found and the same size cut of beef had 170 calories. Red meat is a good source of vitamin B which is essential for energy levels and for our metabolism to function properly. There were 0.99 micrograms of vitamin B-12 found in veal compared to 2.28 micrograms in beef. Both veal and beef have similar amounts of vitamin B-6, 0.306 milligrams were found in veal and 0.238 milligrams in beef. Beef and veal are both an excellent source of zinc. There are 3.37 milligrams of zinc in veal and 3.83 milligrams in beef, which is a quarter of zinc needed in our daily diet. Beef was found to be slightly higher in minerals and veal to be higher in vitamins. However, the protein, fat and calorie content of both meats were very similar and both meats are a healthy part of a balanced diet. Our advice? Go with the one you find tastiest!

Beef vs Veal - what is the difference? (2024)

FAQs

Beef vs Veal - what is the difference? ›

Beef has a stronger taste than veal and a slightly coarser texture. Veal is known for its high quality, tenderness and intensity of flavour. The fine-grained texture of our veal makes it tangibly tender and versatile to prepare. Veal in general is easy to digest and low in cholesterol.

What is the difference between beef and veal? ›

Beef has a stronger taste than veal and a slightly coarser texture. Veal is known for its high quality, tenderness and intensity of flavour. The fine-grained texture of our veal makes it tangibly tender and versatile to prepare. Veal in general is easy to digest and low in cholesterol.

Why don't we eat veal? ›

Veal production is synonymous with abuse of baby cattle. Newborn calves endure separation from their mothers and their natural source of food (cow's milk), and live for just a brief portion of their typical lifespans. To create tender meat for veal, these calves also suffer in a severely restricted environment.

Why was veal banned? ›

In the past, one aspect of veal production cited as cruelty in the industry was the lack of space veal calves were provided. Space was often deliberately restricted by the producer to stop the animal from exercising, as exercise was thought to make the meat turn redder and tougher.

How are animals raised differently for veal compared to beef? ›

The veal calves grow until they reach around 450 pounds1 or become 16 to 18 weeks of age. Beef is meat removed from adult beef cattle instead of dairy cows. These breeds spend the first two years of their lives eating until they weigh around 1,000 pounds each.

What is the most unhealthy meat to eat? ›

try to limit processed meat products such as sausages, salami, pâté and beefburgers, because these are generally high in fat – they are often high in salt, too. try to limit meat products in pastry, such as pies and sausage rolls, because they are often high in fat and salt.

Is it healthier to eat veal or beef? ›

Beef was found to be slightly higher in minerals and veal to be higher in vitamins. However, the protein, fat and calorie content of both meats were very similar and both meats are a healthy part of a balanced diet. Our advice? Go with the one you find tastiest!

Why is veal cruel but not lamb? ›

Lamb is raised to at least the age of sexual maturity, is allowed to pasture with its peers and typically get to live a pretty normal sheep life. Where veal calves are isolated at birth, fed a restricted diet and kept separated from the herd to prevent darkening of the meat.

What is unethical about veal? ›

Their female calves are slaughtered immediately or used to replace their mothers in the dairy herd, and many male calves end up in veal crates―a fate characterized by confinement, darkness, malnutrition, and slaughter. Without human intervention, calves suckle from their mothers for nearly a year.

At what age are veal killed? ›

They are slaughtered at 18 to 20 weeks of age. Calves can be so crippled from confinement that they have to be helped into the truck or trailer on the way to the slaughter plant. "Red" veal calves are fed milk replacer plus grain and hay. They are allowed to move about in large pens.

Why is veal so expensive? ›

Some calves slaughtered for veal are only months old. Because of this labor and general low supply, veal is much more expensive than beef. Cattle farmers also have a small window in which to rear and slaughter veal calves. This, of course, impacts price as well.

Is veal kept in the dark? ›

This meat came from young calves who were confined in small dark spaces, with restricted movement, and fed on a largely liquid diet. The animals' meat was pale and mild because they weren't able to use their muscles. It was the product of cruelty and, in 2007, this method of production was outlawed in the EU.

Why did we start eating veal? ›

Veal has been treasured for centuries for its delicious, succulent flavor. Eating the meat from young calves is referenced in the Bible several times where the "fatted calf" was regarded as the choicest of animal food. Romans enjoyed veal and soon consumption of veal spread throughout early European culture.

Why is veal cheaper than beef? ›

Veal is generally more expensive than beef due to higher production costs arising from lower output compared to output from older cattle rather than the opportunity costs. The opportunity cost veal is beef only as the calf can be raised from a 500-pound young one to a 1200 pound beef.

What animal is a veal? ›

What is veal? Veal is the meat from a calf or young beef animal. A veal calf is raised until about 16 to 18 weeks of age, weighing up to 450 pounds. Male dairy calves are used in the veal industry.

Why is veal meat light pink and not red like beef? ›

Veal comes from animals that are too young to accumulate much pigment. Milk-fed veal is prized by some for its creamy color. Other cooks prefer the slightly older grain-fed veal, which varies in color from light pink to light red, because they feel it has more flavor.

Can you eat veal meat? ›

For thousands of years, Native Alaskans of the Arctic have depended on whale meat. The meat is harvested from legal, non-commercial hunts that occur twice a year in the spring and autumn. The meat is stored and eaten throughout the winter.

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