<h4>Background</h4>Previous meta-analyses on meat intake and risk of stroke did not report the effect of white meat (poultry meat, excluding fish) and did not examine stroke incidence and mortality separately. We aimed to investigate the relationship of total (red and processed meat), red (unprocessed or fresh red meat), and processed (processed red meat) consumption along with white meat on risk of stroke incidence and mortality.<h4>Methods and results</h4>Articles were identified from databases and reference lists of relevant studies up to October 28, 2016. We selected prospective cohort studies on meat consumption specified by types of meat and stroke incidence and mortality reporting relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. The pooled relative risk was estimated using the random-effects model. Based on the inclusion criteria, 10 articles containing 15 studies (5 articles with 7 studies including 9522 cases of stroke incidence and 254 742 participants and 5 articles with 8 studies containing 12 999 cases of stroke mortality and 487 150 participants) were selected for quantitative synthesis. The pooled relative risks (95% confidence intervals) for total, red, processed and white meat consumption and total stroke incidence were 1.18 (1.09-1.28), 1.11 (1.03-1.20), 1.17 (1.08-1.25), and 0.87 (0.78-0.97), respectively. Total meat consumption (0.97 [0.85-1.11]) and red meat consumption 0.87 (0.64-1.18) were not significantly associated with stroke-related death.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The relationship between meat intake and risk of stroke may differ by type of meat. Recommendations for replacing proportions of red and processed meats to white meat for the prevention of stroke may be considered in clinical practice. 3 Controlling for risk factors is needed to halt the increasing rates of stroke prevalence globally. 4 Among the risk factors for stroke, dietary habit is one of the modifiable and self‐manageable factors that should be a focus of public health intervention. Previous meta‐analyses show that increased fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a decreased risk of stroke, 5 , 6 , 7 whereas high intake of red and processed meats is related to an increase in total stroke and ischemic stroke cases. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 Despite a recent transition to a higher proportion of white meat (poultry) intake, consumption of red and processed meats still constitutes the largest proportion of overall meat consumption and has been increasing in the United States and other developed countries. 12 One of the major problems currently with the recommendations for dietary protein in North America is that there is no clear distinction of fat content between red meat and white meat and fish. 13 At present, evidence on the effects of meat consumption on risk of stroke accounting for nutritional properties of different types of meat is not entirely clear. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the association of consumption of different kinds of meat with incident stroke and stroke‐related death before establishing nutrition intervention strategies. Some methodological inconsistencies and issues limit previous meta‐analyses of red meat and processed meat consumption that have reported a positive association with risk of stroke. Existing meta‐analyses considered stroke mortality as fatal stroke incidence and combined the results, 8 , 10 , 11 synthesized both out‐of‐date 14 and most recent 15 results from the same cohort (ie, Health Professionals Follow‐Up Study) for analysis, 11 and performed subgroup analysis only by stroke subtypes. In addition, we considered only the most recent publication eligible for inclusion if the studies were based on the same cohort. Definition of the Types of Meat The types of meat were assessed and classified by the following definition: (1) total meat: red meat and processed meat; (2) red meat: unprocessed or fresh red meat; (3) processed meat: processed meat or processed red meat; and (4) white meat: poultry meat only (fish excluded). Definition of Stroke Incidence and Mortality We defined stroke incidence as the first occurrence of stroke and stroke mortality as death caused by stroke. Data Extraction and Quality Assessment Two authors (K.K. Takata 2013 32 China SMHS (Shanghai Men's Health Study) 5.5 61 483 Men (40–74 y) 2733 Total stroke‐related deaths Red meat 126 g/d vs 21.4 g/d White meat 22.3 g/d vs 11.9 g/d HS: 0.71 (0.43–1.20) IS: 1.22 (0.69–2.15) HS: 0.89 (0.56–1.40) IS: 0.92 (0.54–1.57) Age, total caloric intake, income, occupation, education, comorbidity index, physical activity level, total vegetable intake, total fruit intake, fish intake, red meat or poultry intake where appropriate, smoking history, consumption of alcohol 8. Takata 2013 32 China SWHS (Shanghai Women's Health Study) 11.2 74 941 Women (40–70 y) 4210 Total stroke‐related deaths Red meat 103.4 g/d vs 16.5 g/d White meat: 19.9 g/d vs 11.9 g/d HS: 0.57 (0.37–0.87) IS: 0.84 (0.55–1.28) HS: 1.20 (0.79–1.80) IS: 1.04 (0.69–1.56) Age, total caloric intake, income, occupation, education, comorbidity index, physical activity level, total vegetable intake, total fruit intake, fish intake, red meat or poultry intake where appropriate, smoking history, consumption of alcohol ATC indicates anatomic therapeutic chemical; BMI, body mass index; CI, confidence intervals; HS, hemorrhagic stroke; ICH, intracerebral hemorrhage; IS, ischemic stroke; MI, myocardial infarction; RR, relative risk; SAH, subarachnoid hemorrhage; TS, total stroke. In contrast to red and processed meats, white meat contains less heme iron and is high in polyunsaturated fat. A previous study showed that a diet consisting of polyunsaturated fats as the primary source of fatty acids can lower low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C). 47 Compared with no change or an increase in low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, the lowering of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol was related to a decreased risk of stroke and coronary heart