[Healthy Eating] “Duck meat fat is good because it doesn’t make you fat?”… The truth is

[Healthy Eating] “Duck meat fat is good because it doesn’t make you fat?”… The truth is

“You can eat a lot of duck fat.”

This is something you've likely heard at least once when eating duck meat. Unlike other fats, duck fat is widely recognized as being particularly good for your health. Despite being a fat, duck fat is widely known to be anti-fat and even beneficial for treating adult diseases. Is it true that you can eat a lot of it because it's good for you?

 

Duck fat is known to be beneficial because it contains a high amount of unsaturated fat, also known as "good fat." Duck meat actually contains more unsaturated fat than other meats. According to the Rural Development Administration, duck meat has the highest amount of unsaturated fat among beef, pork, and chicken. Duck meat contains approximately 11.8 grams of unsaturated fat per 100 grams, which is higher than beef (6.2 grams) and pork (8.6 grams).

Fat is broadly classified into saturated and unsaturated fats… Be careful of excessive intake of saturated fat in duck meat.

 

Fats are broadly divided into saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fat, found abundantly in red meat, butter, and other foods, can lead to obesity when consumed in excess and narrow blood vessels, increasing the risk of arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. Conversely, unsaturated fats lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

 

Just because it's high in unsaturated fat doesn't mean it's free of saturated fat. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's Food Nutrition Facts table, 100 grams of duck meat contains approximately 6.1 grams of saturated fat. While this is only half the amount found in pork (13.2 grams), duck meat also contains saturated fat, so eating too much of it at once can be detrimental to your health.

 

The claim that duck fat is water-soluble is wrong… How to eat healthily?

 

There's also a popular belief that duck fat is water-soluble, meaning it's easily excreted from the body. Those who argue for its water-solubility cite the fact that duck fat doesn't solidify even at room temperature as evidence. This lack of solidification stems from its high content of unsaturated fats, which have nothing to do with water-solubility or fat-solubility. This is similar to how foods rich in unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and canola oil, remain liquid at room temperature.

 

If you're eating duck for health reasons, as with any other meat, moderation is key. While duck is usually eaten with the skin, it's best to remove it if possible. Most of the saturated fat in duck comes from the skin, not the meat itself. A 100g serving of skinless duck contains only about 1g of saturated fat. It's also good to pair it with onions or chives, which are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

 

It's also a good idea to opt for raw duck over commercially available smoked duck. Smoked duck products commonly found in supermarkets often contain numerous additives. These products are often manufactured using chemicals like sodium nitrite rather than smoke. This could potentially contain problematic ingredients found in processed meats like ham and sausage. These ingredients, often added to enhance color and flavor, can be converted to nitrosamines during the cooking process. These compounds can cause insulin resistance and negatively impact blood sugar levels.

⟨3-line summary⟩

Duck meat is high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat, but excessive consumption can be detrimental to your health.

The reason duck fat is liquid at room temperature is because it is rich in unsaturated fat.

Eat mainly lean meat, excluding the skin, with vegetables as a side dish. Be careful of additives in smoked duck products.

 

Reporter Jihye Choi (jhchoi@kormedi.com)