Duck has a reputation as being fattier than other meats, which is true if you're eating the whole duck, but not if you're eating less fatty parts such as the breast with the skin removed. Overall, duck is similar to other meats in nutritional value, William Dean, Ph.D. of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine explains.
Calories
A 3.53 oz. serving, which equals 100 g of duck breast with the skin removed supplies 140 calories. If you also eat the skin, the calorie count rises to 202 per serving. This is similar to turkey, which supplies 135 calories in the same serving of breast with skin removed; it is less than the calories in this size serving of beef round, which is 191 calories. A serving of duck leg has slightly more calories than the breast, 178 calories per serving, according to the USDA database.
Fats
Duck breast without the skin is very low in fat with 3 g per serving. A serving of duck leg contains more fat with 6 g per serving; either serving with skin supplies 11 g of fat. Duck breast is slightly higher in fat than turkey breast, which contains just 0.7 g per serving. The current daily dietary recommendation for total fat is no more than 30 percent of fat, or 90 g if you consume a typical 2,000 calorie a day diet, with 10 percent, or 30 g from saturated fats, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Eating the leaner parts of the duck, even if you consume the skin, will keep you within your daily limits. The fat in all meats consists of both saturated and unsaturated fats; duck breast contains 0.6 g of saturated fat, 0.9 g of monounsaturated fat and 0.4 g of polyunsaturated fat. Duck also contains 143 mg of cholesterol in the breast and 105 mg in the leg; the daily recommended cholesterol intake is 300 mg.
Proteins and Carbohydrates
Duck, like other meats, contains no carbohydrates but is an excellent source of protein. Most meats contains contain roughly the same amount of protein; a serving of duck breast supplies 28 g of protein compared to 29 g for a serving of duck leg. The daily protein recommendation for protein intake is approximately 60 g per day, the Merck Manuals reports.
Vitamins and Minerals
Duck is an excellent source of a number of vitamins and minerals. A serving of duck breast supplies 4.5 mg of iron, or 45 percent of your daily requirement, according to the USDA, while a serving of duck leg contains 2.3 mg, or 23 percent of your daily 10 mg iron requirement. A serving of duck also supplies 29 micrograms, or 41 percent of your daily requirement for selenium. The leg contains 22 micrograms, or 31 percent of your daily requirement. The breast is also a good source of the recommended 19 mg per day of the B-complex vitamin niacin, with 10.4 mg, or 54 percent in the breast and 5.3 mg, or 28 percent in a serving of leg.
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