For thousands of years, wild and domestic ducks served man faithfully and truly, saving him from hunger in difficult times and serving as a decoration for a festive table in prosperous times. And today, duck meat is listed as a priority both at the everyday dining tables and on the menu of the best restaurants in the world.
Calorie, nutritional value, vitamins and minerals
Duck meat is very high in calories, containing in every 100 grams 248 kilocalories, which is not surprising at a high concentration of fat and protein in it. 
This fact determines the high nutritional value of the product from the duck. Her muscles are mainly composed of dry matter, which is three times more in them than water.
According to indicators showing how biologically valuable a particular product is, duck meat is ahead of beef by 20%. Almost all proteins (98%) ducklings are full-fledged proteins.
Another major element that determines the nutritional value of duck, is the almost perfect balance of useful amino acids in it.
For example, the unsaturated fatty acids in the product, which serve as antioxidants and reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, are ahead in this indicator of chicken, pork and beef.
Read also about the nutritional value, storage and preparation of guinea fowl meat.
Contains duck and vitamins, especially vitamin A, contributing to visual acuity. The presence of choline and other elements of the vitamin B group is solid in it. There are also valuable vitamins PP and E. 
The duck is very rich in minerals. The most vivid presence macro and micronutrients:
- zinc;
- iron;
- molybdenum;
- cobalt;
- manganese;
- chromium;
- fluorine;
- iodine;
- selenium;
- copper;
- chlorine;
- sulfur;
- potassium;
- phosphorus;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- sodium.
Did you know? Although the duck is far from a swan neck, but there are more cervical vertebrae than a giraffe neck.
Taste qualities
Not only the high nutritional value of the duck allows it for centuries to occupy one of the main places in the culinary preferences of man, but also its undoubted taste. Its dark meat does not belong to the category of dietary, but for gastronomic purposes it is used very widely around the world and is recommended for almost all categories of healthy people. 
The duck meat, regardless of the method of its preparation, invariably has a specific taste, a peculiar aroma and a pleasant aftertaste. The finer differences in the duck product depend on the breed of bird and its age. In half-year-old ducks, the meat is more tender and less fat, and in adult ducks it is more hard and fat, but it has additional taste and is more flavored with specific duck odors that cannot be confused with anything.
Read also about the composition and use of duck eggs.
What is useful duck meat
The saturation of the duck with vitamins, minerals, organic acids, proteins and fats predetermines its usefulness to the human body.
Especially should be highlighted specific duck fatwhich is considered nutritionists more valuable than butter, and is equated by their qualities to olive oil. It has a lot of saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are effective antioxidants.
Another unique feature of duck fat is its low melting point, which is much lower than the temperature of the human body. This property of his helps the body to easily get rid of its surplus. 
As for the duck in general, it has long been established that it is able to actively perform protector of human health as:
- effective antioxidant due to the high content of selenium, which protects cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. Almost half of the daily norm of this element is only 100 g of duck meat;
- means fighting with anemia. A set of nutrients from phosphorus, iron and vitamin B12 fills the body with energy and increases the hemoglobin content in the blood;
- means of strengthening the immune system. The presence of organic fatty acids, as well as zinc and selenium, acting as powerful antioxidants, significantly enhances human immunity;
- optimizer of the nervous system state. The most important B vitamins in the product, as well as copper, normalize the functioning of the nervous system in the body;
- fighter with excess weight. Vitamins from the same group B, as well as polyunsaturated Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids activate metabolic processes in the body and inhibit the concentration of fats in the human body. The same purpose is served by the presence of zinc, contributing to a more active production of enzymes that play a crucial role in metabolic processes. In addition, a high percentage of protein in the product for a long time creates a feeling of fullness in the body, inhibiting the intake of excess food and thereby losing weight;
- means promoting healthy hair and skin. Due to the presence of niacin, riboflavin, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, skin and hair get good nutrition and become healthy and attractive.
In addition, duck meat effectively helps the body if necessary to get rid of:
- bad cholesterol in the blood;
- the risk of problems in the cardiovascular system;
- osteoporosis and other bone diseases;
- diabetes;
- metabolism problems;
- reduce body tone;
- reducing the body's activity in the production of enzymes;
- problems associated with pregnancy;
- the risk of occurrence of malignant tumors;
- deterioration of visual acuity.
Did you know? The famous duck quacking belongs exclusively to the female half of the population, and the drakes are mute and unresponsive. In addition, quacking does not cause any echo, which baffles physicists.
Can i eat
Nutritionists believe that in the absence of individual intolerance to duck meat, it can and should even be used by all healthy people. However, in some cases there are features in the use of ducks.
Pregnant
The main task in the diet of a pregnant woman is not to harm the fetus and at the same time not forget about your own health. Duck meat copes with both of these tasks, if, of course, the pregnancy proceeds without any pathologies. 
The main requirement for the use of this product by the expectant mother is his thorough cooking. That is, the meat in any case should not be half-baked. And it is more correct to use it in stewed form, and not in fried or smoked.
Nursing mothers
But women during lactation should be more cautious about this product. The cause is its fat content, as a result of which, after consuming the duck in a nursing woman, the fat content of breast milk increases. And this does not fit every baby. Some of them have problems with the digestive system, which encourages babies to give up their breasts.
In this regard, the leaner meat of a wild duck is much preferable, but because of its inaccessibility to the overwhelming number of lactating mothers as an alternative to the domestic duck, it cannot be put forward, so you have to be content with the poultry product. It is recommended release the duck carcass from the skin and subcutaneous fat. When such meat is baked, the rest of the fat is melted. 
However, in the diet of a nursing mother, duck meat can be introduced only after the baby is three months old. In this case, the first portion of the product should weigh a maximum of 50 g. If within a day after this the baby does not experience any problems, the portions can be gradually increased without forgetting to supplement the duck meat with vegetables and greens.
Important! In any case, too keen on duckling lactating woman is not worth it.
Losing weight
Regarding whether it is harmful to people with overweight or, conversely, it contributes to weight loss, a common opinion among nutritionists has not yet been developed.
Some people believe that the presence of vitamins of group B, as well as polyunsaturated Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids in duck meat, activates metabolic processes in the body and inhibits the concentration of fats in the human body. This is facilitated by the presence of zinc, which activates the production of enzymes that play a crucial role in metabolic processes. As a result, the use of duck should lead to weight loss. 
Others, on the contrary, are confident that a fat duck product adds extra calories and leads to the accumulation of unwanted fat in the human body, and therefore it is recommended for those who want to lose weight to refrain from this product.
Obviously, as always, truth lies somewhere in the middle between these polar opinions. Most likely, those who consider the impact of a duck product on a person a purely individual process that a person should find out for themselves by their own feelings or with the help of a doctor are more right.
Tips for livestock breeders: check out the meat breeds of pigeons, chickens, pigs, cows, rabbits.
Cooking Application
Over the thousand-year history of eating duck meat, a person has accumulated many ways of cooking the product and has developed a rich recipe for duck dishes.
What can be done
Duck meat is subjected stewing, frying, baking, smoking, salting, steaming and grilling. Most people know firsthand about the duck stuffed with apples, although many other products are also used in the form of minced meat. 
In addition to using the whole duck carcass, there are many recipes in which individual parts of the bird's body are used. In this form, duck meat is used for cooking various soups, cooking pilaf, roast, stews. 
Duck offals are actively used for culinary purposes, for example, when cooking the famous foie gras. And, of course, we should mention one of the most popular duck dishes that is served in most restaurants in the world - Peking duck.
What is combined
Duck meat is perfectly adjacent to almost with all kinds of side dishes, and carcass stuffing is best done with sour-sweet apples, boiled potatoes, sauerkraut, roasted lingonberries, buckwheat porridge, rice, pasta, legumes, fruits, dried fruits and nuts. 
Perfectly shade and spice up the taste of the product. pomegranate and orange saucesas well as ginger, parsley, thyme, basil.
Learn how to make gooseberry sauce for meat or fish.
How to choose a duck carcass when buying
It is preferable to purchase a young duck carcass by age not more than six months, and if this is a broiler breed, then it should be no more than three months old. In older ducks, more fat accumulates and odors and a specific taste appear that not everyone likes. Although there are many lovers of duck meat, which is precisely what is valued in duck.
The age of the ducks is easy to determine. In young individuals, the legs are yellow, the beak is soft, and the fat is transparent.
In addition, there are indicators that accurately indicate the freshness of the product:
- The skin of the carcass must be shiny and yellowish.
- The meat inside the carcass should have a bright red color. Brown or dark red tones indicate product staleness.
- The carcass should be elastic and after pressing on it with your finger, quickly restore the original shape.
Important! Under no circumstances should the skin of a duck carcass be sticky.
How to store meat at home
A duck carcass cooled from 0 to -4 degrees can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days. In the form of frozen duck, frozen at -25 ° C, the meat can lie in the freezer for about a year, and at a temperature of -15 ° C the shelf life is reduced to three months. 
Who can harm
As it happens with absolutely all products, duck meat is, first of all, contraindicated for people suffering from individual intolerance. The main risk factors for consuming duck meat are related to its fat content, hardness, the presence of bad cholesterol and high calorie content.
Therefore, this product is contraindicated for those who:
- has problems with high cholesterol in the blood;
- suffers from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver;
- has problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland;
- suffers from diabetes;
- is overweight.
Cooking secrets
For a long culinary history of duck meat accumulated a wealth of experience in its preparation. Here are some of the necessary techniques that facilitate the cooking process and improve the culinary quality of duck dishes:
- so that there is no unpleasant smell in the dish, it is necessary to remove the anal part of the carcass before frying or baking;
- fruit and berry supplements in the form of classic sweet and sour apples, as well as oranges, cranberries, grapes, cranberries and prunes perfectly give juiciness to meat;
- when used to prepare duck meat, foils or sleeves should be removed for a quarter of an hour before the process is completed, so that the carcass can brown;
- when baking, it is useful to water the carcass from time to time with grease melted from it to get a crisp crust;
- quick breast roasting over high heat avoids overdrying of the product;
- if you boil the duck carcass for 20 minutes before frying or baking, then the product will never be raw;
- Utatnitsa, from whatever it was made, allows you to give the duck juiciness and flavor;
- when using a frozen carcass, it should be left in the fridge on the middle shelf 24 hours before cooking and only then continue to defrost in the kitchen;
- so that the duck meat is not too fat, it is necessary to steam the carcass for half an hour, as a result of which the fat will melt and be removed from the product;
- the crunchy favorite of many is formed on a duck, if before frying pour it with boiling water, avoiding boiling water inside the carcass;
- meat will be more succulent after rubbing it with salt and staying on the shelf of the refrigerator for a day.
Duck Cooking Video Recipes
Baked duck with apples
Duck Breast by Gordon Ramsay
Peking Duck
With moderate consumption, duck meat, supplying the body with a mass of valuable nutrients, at the same time delivers to the person the gastronomic pleasure from the aroma and taste of a properly prepared product.
