Cholesterol is a waxy product that humans and other animals produce to build healthy body cells, synthesize vitamin D, create hormones and secrete the bile acids that digest your food. Your body needs a continuous supply of cholesterol to carry out these vital functions, but excess cholesterol increases your risk of developing coronary heart disease. About 25 percent of your total cholesterol comes from the animal foods in your diet, including duck and other meats.
Cholesterol Content
Surprisingly, duck meat contains a bit more cholesterol content than the fattier skin. A 3-oz. serving of roasted meat and skin from a domesticated duck contains 71.4 mg of cholesterol, while the same size serving of skinless meat has 75.7 mg. Because ducks store a good deal of their total cholesterol in the liver, pate and other duck liver products are high in that nutrient. A single duck liver weighing about 1.6 oz. has a whopping 227 mg of cholesterol.
Saturated Fat
When making meat selections, it's important to consider cholesterol and saturated fat content. Although crispy duck skin tastes delicious, it's loaded with saturated fat that can increase the cholesterol level in your body and increase your risk for heart disease. Three oz. of roasted duck meat and skin contains 8.2 g of saturated fat, while 3 oz. of roast duck without skin has 3.4g of saturated fat.
Significance
While it's fine to enjoy a single 3-oz. serving of duck occasionally, the 75.7 mg of cholesterol in that portion represents just over 25 percent of the 300mg daily cholesterol limit for most people and 38 percent of the 200 mg a day limit for people with coronary heart disease. The saturated fat content is also unhealthy. The American Heart Association recommends limiting total fat intake to 25 percent to 35 percent of your daily calorie requirements and keeping saturated fats below 7 percent of your total fats. If you're on a 1,700-calorie diet, for example, that equals 425 to 595 calories of total fat and 30 to 42 calories of saturated fat. Fat has 9 calories per gram, so your saturated fat intake should stay between 3.3 and 4.7 g of saturated fat. A single serving of roast duck with skin puts you way over your limit.
Tips
One tbsp. of duck fat has 13 mg of cholesterol and 4.3 g of saturated fat. Enjoy occasional servings of duck, but choose heart-healthy cooking methods, such as roasting the bird on a rack and discarding the fat that drips through. Cornell University's Duck Research Laboratory recommends selecting skinless duck leg or breast meat to minimize your intake of cholesterol and saturated fat. Limit your intake of high-cholesterol duck liver, using a small amount as a pate rather than eating the entire liver in a single sitting.
