The muscovy duck is a domesticated duck native to South America. The meat of the muscovy is tender and full of flavor. However, like other types of duck meat, muscovy meat is high in calories, total fat and saturated fat. Knowing the nutrition information for a serving of muscovy meat can help you determine if it makes a healthy fit on your diet plan.
Calories
With 200 calories in a 3.7 ounce serving, according to the nutrition information provided by Grimaud Farms, muscovy meat makes a high-calorie meat choice. The company has been raising ducks since 1965. By comparison, the same size serving of chicken breast contains 121 calories. If you follow a 2,000-calorie diet, a portion of muscovy duck meets 10 percent of your daily calorie intake, while the chicken only 6 percent.
Fat
More than 60 percent of the calories in muscovy come from its fat content. In addition to being high in total fat, the muscovy meat is also high in saturated fat and cholesterol. A 3.7 ounce serving contains 14 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat and 130 milligrams of cholesterol, meeting 22 percent of your daily value for total fat, 25 percent of your daily value for saturated fat and 43 percent of your daily value for cholesterol. The percentages of your daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and helps guide you in making healthy food choices. Consuming too much saturated fat and cholesterol raises blood cholesterol levels, and increases your risk of heart disease. Ideally, your total fat intake should range from 20 to 35 percent of your total calories, saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories and cholesterol to no more than 300 milligrams a day.
Protein and Carbohydrates
Muscovy meat is a good source of protein and it is carbohydrate free. A 3.7 ounce serving contains 19 grams of protein, meeting 38 percent of your daily value for protein. As an animal source of protein, muscovy is a high-quality protein, providing all of the essential amino acids needed to build cells, hormones, enzymes and muscles.
Iron
Muscovy meat is also a good source of iron, meeting 10 percent of your daily value. Iron is an essential mineral that your body needs for the proper functioning of a number of proteins and enzymes. For instance, it is an important component of the protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout your body. Iron deficiency affects about 80 percent of the world's population, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Including good food sources of iron in your diet, like muscovy meat, can help you meet your daily needs and prevent deficiencies.
References
- Grimaud Farms: Muscovy Duck Nutritional Information
- Grimaud Farm: Musocvy Duck
- USDA; Nutrient Database; Chicken, Broilers or Fryers, Breast, Meat Only, Raw
- MayoClinic.com; Percent Daily Value: What Does It Mean?; Katherine Zeratsky; May 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; Foods and Food Components to Reduce
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Protein
- Office of Dietary Supplements; Iron; August 2007



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