Why is chicken white meat, yet duck is red meat?

skysmom65

Chicken - Chicken is a readily available, easy to prepare and cook, and easy to digest. Chicken is low in fat and cholesterol, and is an excellent source of protein, niacin and phosphorus, a good source of zinc, magnesium and riboflavin and a moderate source of vitamin E and iron. Duck - A "red" meat bird. The meat is dark in colour and high in fat. However, this lends to a good flavour and succulent meat. http://www.amic.org.au/Content_Common/pg-poultrygamebirds.seo Oct 02 06, 6:50 AM

BungeeAZ

chicken and duck are considered fowl along with turkey. Chicken as well as turkey have dark meat and white meat. Duck is almost all dark meat. Oct 02 06, 7:57 AM

Brainyblonde

When it comes to birds with clear white meat/dark meat distinctions, they have one thing in common - they're flightless birds. Chickens and turkeys use their wings for balance, quick escapes and not much more. The legs and thighs are used far more often. This difference in muscular activity means that these muscles have evolved differently. Breasts and wings are dominated by fast-contracting muscle tissue. Thighs and drumsticks are predominately slow-contracting muscles. In recalling Biology 101, muscles require energy in order to operate. Energy for the fast-contracting muscles comes from glycogen, a carbohydrate in the form of glucose. The slow-contracting muscles fuel comes from fat. This works differently in birds that can fly. When looking breast meat of ducks or geese, they often has a similar fat content as the legs or thighs. So in short, dark meat is darker than white because it has more fat. This fat is used to supply energy to muscles that are used on a near continual basis. http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2006/08/29/what_s_the_difference_between_white_meat Oct 02 06, 8:49 AM

kaylofgorons

Turkeys *can* fly. This is an eye-witness testimony: I have seen them fly, and they really did get off the ground and travel a short distance. Most farm turkeys probably don't need or want to fly so they never get around to it. Wild turkeys can get airborne when they want to, if only for short distances. They don't do it often or for very long, so it doesn't change the makeup of their meat. Oct 03 06, 3:57 PM

Creedy

"Since Chickens don't fly much the muscles aren't used as often, leaving the meat whiter than birds that do fly - You'll notice that the leg and thigh meat is darker due to more muscle use. Ducks fly more often" http://www.chacha.com/question/why-is-chicken-meat-white Aug 17 10, 12:07 AM