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Duck meat is dark, rich-tasting poultry with a thick layer of fat under the skin. Is duck healthy? Skinless duck is a protein food with more iron, copper and riboflavin than turkey or chicken breast, but the skin and fat change the numbers a lot: USDA data show 3 ounces of roasted duck meat without skin has about 171 calories, while the same amount with skin has about 286 calories and nearly half a day’s Daily Value of saturated fat. This guide walks through duck nutrition by cut from USDA SR Legacy data, how duck compares with other poultry, what to know about duck fat and duck liver, and how to cook duck safely.
Peptide Labs does not sell duck or duck products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Skinless roasted duck has about 20 grams of protein per 3 ounces and is a high source of selenium, riboflavin and copper.
- The skin adds about two-thirds more calories and more than doubles the saturated fat of a duck portion.
- Skinless duck breast is lean, with about 119 calories and 2 grams of fat per 3 ounces, and 21% DV of iron.
- Duck liver is extremely high in preformed vitamin A, iron and copper.
- Ducks are poultry under US rules, and CDC sets 165 degrees F for all poultry.
Duck meat nutrition with and without skin
The table shows USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values for 3 ounces (85 grams) of cooked duck with FDC IDs. Percent Daily Values use FDA Daily Values. The breast and leg entries come from White Pekin ducklings, the common farmed duck in the US, and list fewer nutrients than the whole-bird entries.
| Per 3 oz cooked (FDC ID) | Calories | Protein | Fat | Sat fat | Iron | Cholesterol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat only, roasted (172411) | 171 | 20.0 g (40%) | 9.5 g (12%) | 3.4 g (17%) | 2.3 mg (13%) | 76 mg (25%) |
| Meat and skin, roasted (172409) | 286 | 16.1 g (32%) | 24.1 g (31%) | 8.2 g (41%) | 2.3 mg (13%) | 71 mg (24%) |
| Breast, meat only, broiled (171511) | 119 | 23.5 g (47%) | 2.1 g (3%) | 0.5 g (2%) | 3.8 mg (21%) | 122 mg (41%) |
| Breast, meat and skin, roasted (171510) | 172 | 20.8 g (42%) | 9.2 g (12%) | 2.5 g (12%) | 2.8 mg (15%) | 116 mg (39%) |
| Leg, meat only, braised (171113) | 151 | 24.7 g (49%) | 5.1 g (6%) | 1.1 g (6%) | 2.0 mg (11%) | 89 mg (30%) |
Duck breast nutrition looks very different once the skin is removed: the skinless breast is one of the leanest entries in the table, close to turkey breast, while whole-bird meat with skin is the richest. Cholesterol stays similar or rises slightly without skin because it sits in the lean tissue as well as the fat.
Vitamins and minerals in duck
Using the FDA and NIH yardstick that 20% DV or more per serving is a high source, USDA data show 3 ounces of roasted skinless duck meat (FDC 172411) supplies:
- Riboflavin: 31% DV, more than turkey dark meat in USDA data.
- Selenium: 35% DV, and the skinless breast entry reaches 45% DV.
- Copper: 22% DV, unusually high for a muscle meat. Our copper guide explains why balance with zinc matters.
- Niacin, zinc and thiamin: 27%, 20% and 18% DV; skinless breast supplies 55% DV of niacin.
- Iron: 13% DV in mixed meat and 21% DV in skinless breast, in the heme form described in our iron foods guide.
Duck compared with other poultry
Duck’s dark color leads some people to call it red meat. Under US rules it is poultry: federal regulation 9 CFR 381.1 defines poultry as any domesticated bird, naming chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, ratites and squabs. The World Health Organization defines red meat as mammalian muscle meat, so duck also falls outside that category. Nutritionally, duck sits between lean poultry and goose:
| Per 100 g roasted meat only (FDC ID) | Calories | Protein | Fat | Sat fat | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duck (172411) | 201 | 23.5 g | 11.2 g | 4.0 g | 2.7 mg |
| Goose (172414) | 238 | 29.0 g | 12.7 g | 4.6 g | 2.9 mg |
| Turkey, whole bird (171481) | 159 | 29.1 g | 3.8 g | 1.1 g | 1.0 mg |
| Chicken breast (171477) | 165 | 31.0 g | 3.6 g | 1.0 g | 1.0 mg |
Duck has nearly three times the iron of turkey or chicken breast, and roughly three times the fat. Wild duck is leaner than farmed duck: USDA lists raw wild duck breast (FDC 174469) at 123 calories and 4.3 grams of fat per 100 grams. For lean poultry numbers, see our turkey guide and chicken breast guide.
Duck fat and duck liver
Rendered duck fat is a popular cooking fat, but USDA SR Legacy has no entry for it, so this guide does not quote duck fat numbers. The closest poultry fat in the database is turkey fat (FDC 173571), which is about 29% saturated, 43% monounsaturated and 23% polyunsaturated by weight. The Dietary Guidelines keep saturated fat under 10% of daily calories in both recent editions; our guides to beef tallow, lard and olive oil compare other cooking fats.
Duck liver is a different food altogether. USDA lists one raw duck liver (44 grams, FDC 174467) at 5,273 micrograms RAE of vitamin A, 586% of the Daily Value, along with 75% DV of iron, 291% DV of copper and 76% DV of cholesterol. NIH ODS sets the Upper Intake Level for preformed vitamin A at 3,000 micrograms for adults and notes that high intakes of preformed vitamin A during pregnancy can cause birth defects, so anyone who is or may become pregnant should ask a clinician before eating liver or liver pates. Our beef liver guide covers the same issue for liver capsules, and our dietary cholesterol guide puts organ meats in context.
Is duck healthy? Putting the numbers together
No clinical trials have tested duck as a single food, so the answer comes from its nutrient profile and how it is cooked. Skinless duck breast or leg is a protein food with more iron and copper than most poultry. Crisp skin and confit-style dishes, cooked in fat, add a lot of calories and saturated fat. Smoked or salted duck products are processed meat by the WHO definition, which is based on processing such as salting and smoking rather than the animal, and they usually carry more sodium, so check the Nutrition Facts label. For other protein options, see our protein foods list.
Cooking duck safely
- Temperature: CDC lists 165 degrees F as the safe internal temperature for all poultry, and ducks are poultry under 9 CFR 381.1. Some restaurant recipes serve duck breast pink; that is below CDC’s poultry guidance.
- Bird flu: CDC says cooking poultry and eggs to 165 degrees F kills bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza A viruses, and that there is no evidence anyone in the US has been infected after eating properly handled and cooked poultry products.
- Salmonella and cross-contamination: keep raw duck away from ready-to-eat foods, use a separate cutting board and wash hands after handling it. CDC lists children under 5, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems among those at higher risk of Salmonella illness.
- Thawing and leftovers: thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter, and reheat leftovers to 165 degrees F, as CDC advises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is duck healthy?
Skinless duck is a protein food that is a high source of selenium, riboflavin and copper in USDA data. With the skin, it is much higher in calories and saturated fat, so how it is cooked matters.
Is duck red meat or poultry?
Poultry. US regulation 9 CFR 381.1 names ducks as poultry, and WHO defines red meat as meat from mammals.
How many calories are in duck breast?
About 119 calories in 3 ounces of broiled skinless breast and about 172 with skin, according to USDA SR Legacy data.
Is duck fattier than chicken?
Yes. Roasted duck meat without skin has about 11 grams of fat per 100 grams, vs about 4 grams for roasted chicken breast.
Can duck be eaten pink?
Some recipes serve it that way, but CDC’s guidance for all poultry, including duck, is 165 degrees F checked with a food thermometer.
Is duck fat healthy?
USDA SR Legacy has no duck fat entry. Like other animal fats it contains saturated fat, which the Dietary Guidelines keep under 10% of daily calories.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Turkey Meat: Nutrition by Cut, Ground Turkey vs Ground Beef and Safety, Chicken Breast Protein and Nutrition: USDA Facts and Safe Cooking, High Protein Foods: USDA Values for Meat, Dairy and Plant Sources, Goose Meat: Nutrition, Goose Fat and Goose vs Duck.