White meat

Veal

Written by the VitaWhat editorial team · Medically reviewed by Steve Davis · Last reviewed 19 July 2026 · Editorial policy

Meat from young calves; pale, tender and lean.

Effect on the body: lean protein that supports muscle with less fat than beef; choose rose/free-range veal for welfare reasons.

Benefits

  • Protein
  • B12
  • Zinc
  • Niacin

Pros

  • Very lean and tender
  • Good B vitamins

Cons

  • Serious animal-welfare concerns (crate-raised veal)
  • More expensive
  • Red-meat classification for cancer guidance

Sources & references

  1. WHO — Q&A on red/processed meat
  2. British Nutrition Foundation

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