Chicken meat vs. Duck meat — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Classification

Both chicken and duck meat are classified as poultry and considered to be white meat due to their low myoglobin content. However, duck meat is significantly darker in color and consequently higher in myoglobin and iron content compared to chicken meat. Due to this, duck is often considered to be culinary red meat.

According to the USDA classification, based on the age and the weight of the animal, chickens can be classified into four groups: Cornish game hen, broiler-fryer, roaster, and capon.

Similarly, the four classes of ducks are broiler or fryer duckling, roaster duckling, and mature or old duck (1).

Appearance

Duck meat is noticeably darker in color. A whole raw duck also tends to be more elongated and muscular. Duck’s skin and meat often look fattier.

Taste and Use

Due to a higher level of fats, duck meat is said to have a stronger, denser flavor, closer to red meat than chicken.

The USDA recommends that all poultry, including duck and chicken, are cooked at a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF, equal to 74ºC (2).

While chicken and duck can be cooked in similar ways, duck is often cooked as red meat. Like red meats, duck can be served cooked in medium rare and light pink on the inside.

Varieties

While both chicken and duck meat can be served as fresh meat or as a processed product, chicken is much more often consumed in its processed form.

Based on the cut, the chicken is often divided into three parts: the breast, the wings, and the legs. The breast is the most commonly used part of the chicken, and it is also the whitest. The legs are darker and consist of the drumstick and the thigh. The wing meat falls somewhere in between the leg meat and the breast.

Duck meat varieties depend on the species of the bird. The most commonly consumed duck in the US is the White Pekin. This breed tends to be lower in fats and higher in protein than the other variants. The other, less common breeds include the Mallard, the Muscovy, and the Moulard.

Calories

Both types of meat are high-calorie foods; however, duck meat is denser in calories than chicken.

A hundred gram serving of duck contains 337 calories. The same serving size of chicken meat has 239 calories.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Chicken meat

2

Protein: 27.3 g

Fats: 13.6 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 59.45 g

Other: 0 g

Duck meat

2

Protein: 18.99 g

Fats: 28.35 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 51.84 g

Other: 0.82 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+43.8%
Contains more WaterWater	+14.7%

Contains more FatsFats

+108.5%

~equal in Carbs ~0g

~equal in Other ~0.82g

Protein and Fats

While chicken meat is richer in protein, duck meat is considerably higher in fats.

Per every hundred gram serving, chicken contains 8g more protein compared to duck. The quality found in both kinds of meat is very high, as they contain ample amounts of all essential amino acids.

Duck meat provides 68% more fats than chicken. Duck is also around three times higher in saturated fats while containing similar amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to chicken.

At the same time, duck meat is slightly lower in cholesterol.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Chicken meat

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 3.79 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 5.34 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 2.97 g

Duck meat

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 9.67 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 12.9 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 3.65 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-60.8%

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+141.6%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+22.9%

Carbohydrates

Like most types of meat, duck and chicken contain no notable amount of carbohydrates.

Vitamins

Duck meat is richer in most vitamins compared to chicken meat. Duck provides almost three times more vitamin B1 and over two times more vitamin K. Other vitamins found in higher amounts in duck meat include vitamin B2, vitamin E, vitamin A, and folate.

Duck also contains vitamin D, which is absent in chicken.

At the same time, chicken contains two times more vitamin B6 and over 70% more vitamin B3.

Both types of meat completely lack vitamin C and contain equal amounts of vitamin B5.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Chicken meat

3

Duck meat

7

Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+75.9%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+122.2%
Contains more CholineCholine	+30.8%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+30.4%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+159.3%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+176.2%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+60.1%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+112.5%
Contains more FolateFolate	+20%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin B5 ~1.098mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0.3µg

Minerals

Chicken and duck are both high in minerals.

Chicken is richer in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and choline.

Duck, on the other hand, contains over two times more iron and copper, as well as being lower in sodium.

These two types of meat contain similar amounts of potassium, zinc, and manganese.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Chicken meat

4

Duck meat

3

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+43.8%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+36.4%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+16.7%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+19.5%

Contains more IronIron	+114.3%
Contains more CopperCopper	+243.9%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-28%

~equal in Potassium ~204mg

~equal in Zinc ~1.86mg

~equal in Manganese ~0.019mg

Glycemic Index

As chicken and duck contain almost no carbohydrates, both of their glycemic index values are considered to be 0.

If you are interested in learning how chicken meat affects blood glucose levels, you can go to our “Chicken meat” page to read more.

Acidity

The average pH value for fresh chicken meat falls in the range of 5.3 to 6.5, making chicken fall into the slightly acidic category (3).

The pH value for duck meat is not far off, falling between 5.4 to 6.3, making duck also slightly acidic (4).

Another way of looking at the acidity of a food is by using the potential renal acid load value. The PRAL value shows how much base or acid the given food produces inside the organism.

The PRAL values for chicken and duck meat are 14.6 and 10.2, respectively - the higher this positive number, the more acid-producing the food.

Health Benefits

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

One study found that the consumption of duck meat may have a positive effect in preventing cardiovascular disorders mediated by high cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein levels in the blood (5).

The National Heart Foundation of Australia concluded that while poultry, including chicken, may not have a positive effect on cardiovascular health, there is not enough evidence to recommend a limit on its intake level (8).

In summary, while both chicken and duck can be part of a balanced diet, chicken meat, particularly lean cuts without skin, is generally considered a healthier option for cardiovascular health due to its lower fat content. However, if choosing duck meat, opt for skinless cuts and moderate portion sizes to minimize saturated fat intake and prioritize cardiovascular health.

Downsides and Risks

Many studies are inconclusive about how poultry affects cardiovascular health and diabetic condition.

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Eating fish or vegetables instead of poultry has been studied to lead to a lower risk of cardiovascular incidence (11).

Another study has also associated poultry and red meat consumption with a small increased risk of cardiovascular incidence. However, while red meat leads to a small increased risk of all-cause mortality, the same cannot be said about poultry (12).

References

1. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/PoultryStandard.pdf
2. Cooking Meat? Check the New Recommended Temperatures
3. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/102/1/012051/pdf
4. https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=crpsaj.2011.1.11
5. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263643023
6. https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-017-0252-7
7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322959346
8. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/healthy-eating/protein-and-heart-health
9. How Meat Is Cooked May Affect Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
10. Animal Protein and Cancer Risk
11. https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/42/12/1136/6032616
12. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2759737
13. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-012-2718-7
14. https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/meat-fish-and-dairy/