The health benefits of Duck
(Even the fat in moderation of course)
Most people love duck for its UN mistakable delectable taste however they don’t realise the nutritional benefits are also excellent. Duck is very high in protein and minerals such as selenium, phosphorous, zinc, iron copper and sodium. Vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, vitamin b6 and b12 are in abundance. The meat itself with fat removed is lower in fat than chicken meat. It has a high content of fats directly under the skin and is healthy in moderation as it contains good fats as well as saturated fat. Over half the total fat content is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. It is thought to be better than the fat of butter or beef as the fat solidifies at a much lower temperature. It behaves more like olive oil. Some benefits of the components above are:
Wellness
Antioxidant Selenium helps to protect cells from free radicals. These compounds increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. A serving of 100 grams of duck provides about 43 percent of the daily requirement for selenium.
Helps Anemia Vitamin B12 assists in prevention, phosphorous assists in converting food into energy and Iron assists the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells.
Immune system is assisted by Zinc and selenium, due to its antioxidant properties in turn improves immunity.
Overall Physical and Mental Health is assisted by Copper. Our bodies need copper; it is an essential trace mineral that is vitally important for both physical and mental health.
Bone Health improves mineral density and decrease bone turnover assisting issues such as osteoporosis.
Aids Metabolism Vitamin B helps to metabolize fatty acids and amino acids. Omega-6 which is an polyunsaturated fatty acid that helps to regulate the metabolism by communicating to the body to burn fat not store it.
High Protein levels assist with satiety (feeling full for longer) I would recommend just eating the duck meat as with chicken if you are trying to lose weight which is still super tasty.
Beauty
Healthy skin and Hair because of the Riboflavin giving us 28 percent of our daily needs in 100 gms Niacin is also responsible for good skin. Omega 3 and 6 in the fat is also an excellent support to skin and hair promoting growth.
Rosacea and Eczema are also assisted with omega 6
Master stock Is a Chinese word which refers to a stock which is repeatedly reused to poach and braise the meat. It has its origins Chinese Cuisine and is typically used in Cantonese and Fujian cuisines.
Roasting at a reasonably high temperature after pricking the skin with a fork to penetrate the fat, not the meat of the skin and continuously basting with the fat in the bottom of the pan during cooking to keep it moist.
Confit is pronounced ‘confee’. It is quite possibly the single most abused word in the culinary dictionary. Confit is the name given to a meat which has been cooked in its own fat and then covered and preserved in the same fat to prevent it from spoiling.
Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly. This is suitable for the breast meat, I recommend scoring the skin, seasoning and grilling the skin side first until most of the fat has rendered out of the skin before turning it over for a pink moist, crisp, non fatty result ( reserve the fat and freeze for other uses).
Pot roasted for a long and slow this is a very beneficial cookery method for older or free range birds where there is less fat and tougher but very flavoursome meat, it’s great to flake the meat through a sauce and sere with pasta or a risotto.
“So now there are many more reasons to indulge in this delectable meat”
