Duck Leg Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts

Nutritional summary

Duck leg provides a dense source of essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein that the body cannot produce on its own), including notably high levels of leucine and lysine which are critical for muscle maintenance and immune function.
As a darker cut of poultry, duck leg contains a higher concentration of myoglobin (the protein that delivers oxygen to muscles) and fat compared to white meat, contributing to its distinct flavour and texture profile .
Poultry consumption is generally associated with neutral or positive health outcomes in large-scale reviews, though specific data on duck is less abundant than on chicken or turkey .
Early research into dietary patterns suggests that replacing some red meats with poultry and plant-based proteins may be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease .

Interesting fact

Unlike chickens or turkeys, ducks have exclusively dark meat across their entire body because their muscles are developed for the sustained aerobic effort of long-distance flight.

Standout nutrients

SUPER

SOURCE

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

ELITE

SOURCE

Selenium

ELITE

SOURCE

Pantothenic acid

ACE

SOURCE

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

230

kcal per 100g

Protein13.6g

Fat18.0g

Carbs0.35g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat2.58g

Monounsat8.77g

Saturated5.50g

Trans0.25g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

PescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Moderate

Duck production generally has a higher carbon footprint than chicken but lower than beef or lamb.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate

1–2 days

Keep in original packaging on the bottom shelf

Freeze

3–6 months

Wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 2 validated sources

French Food Database

2 contributing source foods

McCance & Widdowson

3 contributing source foods

Claim citations

Poultry Consumption and Human Health: How Much Is Really Known? A Systematically Searched Scoping Review and Research Perspective - ScienceDirect

[1]www.sciencedirect.comsciencedirect.com

[PDF] USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies 2011-2012

[2]www.ars.usda.govars.usda.gov

[PDF] Food Patterns Equivalents Database 2009-10 - USDA ARS

[3]www.ars.usda.govars.usda.gov

Planetary health diet and cardiovascular disease: results from three large prospective cohort studies in the USA - ScienceDirect

[5]www.sciencedirect.comsciencedirect.com

Planetary Health Diet Index and risk of total and cause-specific ...

[9]www.sciencedirect.comsciencedirect.com

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

60.7

Version

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