Table of contents[Hide][Show]
I am so grateful that I discovered the duck eggs. They are one of my favorite egg substitutes for baking and cooking. Ever since I realized my son is sensitive to eggs, I try to make sure I have them on hand so he can enjoy what everyone else is eating too. They taste great in omelettes as well as in cakes.
If you or a family member has a severe egg allergy, see your doctor to see which part of the egg you are allergic to. Egg whites are often the culprit, as they contain parts of egg proteins, like casein in milk and gluten in wheat. The proteins in duck and chicken eggs are similar but slightly different, so you may not be allergic to them. You can try substituting duck eggs.
However, some people are allergic or intolerant to egg yolks. In that case, they may not be suitable.
All about duck eggs
Although they are not yet an everyday food in the United States, they make up about 30% of eggs consumed in most Asian countries.
Duck eggs are obtained from many different breeds of ducks, some of which are raised for meat. There are many different breeds of ducks besides the mallard and the white duck you see.
Eggs are usually pale white, but some varieties lay pale green or gray eggs. This makes them the perfect palette for naturally dyed Easter Eggs.
Duck eggs and chicken eggs
Since they are larger, you only need two duck eggs for every three chicken eggs. So they go a long way!
Here are the key differences between duck eggs and chicken eggs.
Balut:
- Bigger (they’re a bit bigger than jumbo eggs)
- Has bigger yolks than whites
- Is there a higher fat?
- Is a better source of omega-3 fatty acids
- Has a thicker shell (but not too hard to crack)
- Has a longer shelf life (probably due to thicker eggshells)
- Lower water content
- Has a rich creamy taste and texture
I’ve noticed more twins with two yolks, but that might just be one of our ducks. However, it always delights my kids.
Health benefits of duck eggs
While chicken and duck eggs are similar in terms of the nutrients they provide, there are some unique health benefits that you get from duck eggs.
According to an Asian study, duck eggs have more amino acids than chicken. A 2015 study found that peptides found only in duck eggs help the body absorb more calcium in the gut. That’s a big advantage because calcium supplements can do more harm than good. If you’re avoiding dairy, they’re a great food to supplement with to make sure you’re getting enough calcium.
Next time you want to add more antioxidants to your diet, consider buying some duck eggs. According to a study published in 2014 in Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics Research CommunicationWhites have a higher antioxidant capacity than vitamin C. Antioxidants are a powerful tool for fighting disease and staying healthy.
Duck eggs are an excellent source of protein for vegetarians. One egg provides 18% of the daily recommended value of protein.
According to the USDA Nutrient Database, here’s how duck and chicken eggs compare to a 70 g duck egg and a 61 g chicken egg:
| Duck’s egg | Egg | |
| Energy (calories) | 156 kcal | 90.9 kcal |
| Protein | 8.4 g | 6.09 g |
| Total lipids (fats) | 13 g | 6.71 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 42 mg | 40.3 mg |
| Potassium, CZK | 146 mg | 80.5 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 23.7 g | 14.3 |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 0.251 mg | 0.229 mg |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.181 mg | 0.082 mg |
| Folate, total | 39.2 g | 22 g |
| Choline, total | 138 mg | 135 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.82 g | 0.464 g |
| Vitamin A | 144 g | 98.2 g |
| Vitamin E | 1.34 mg | 0.701 mg |
| Vitamin D | 1.12 g | 1.1 g |
| Fatty Acids, Total Saturated | 3.54 g | 2.03 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 5.73 g | 2.71 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 2.02 g | 1.48 g |
| Cholesterol | 580 mg | 169 mg |
Although a duck egg is only 9 grams larger than a chicken egg, it contains many nutritional values. It is an excellent source of vitamin B12 and selenium.
You may have noticed that duck eggs are much higher in cholesterol than chicken eggs. You probably avoided eating them for that reason. However, the traditional advice about avoiding foods high in cholesterol to prevent heart disease is outdated.
While previous versions of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans included advice to keep dietary cholesterol to no more than 300 mg per day, the 2015-2020 versions do not even mention limiting cholesterol in food.
In fact, scientists looked at egg consumption and its effect on cardiometabolic risk factors in 2018. Conclusions, published in the journal American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, that consuming up to 12 eggs per week is safe. That should translate to more than one duck egg a day with no problem.
That said, if you’re trying to limit cholesterol but want the benefits of the white peptides, just don’t eat all the yolks. You can freeze the yolks for later and enjoy the antioxidants and protein in the whites.
Duck eggs also have omega fatty acids, which are healthy fats. It is important to keep a good balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
However, as with eggs, you’ll want to find a good duck farmer. Factory-raised duck eggs won’t be as nutritious as outside-raised duck eggs, so be sure to check the source carefully. They should feed them non-GMO food and give them space to fly and roam.
A pasture-raised duck has access to green leaves, worms, slugs, insects, and even frogs. You are what you eat! The same goes for ducks and the eggs they lay. The nutrition they receive is reflected in their eggs.
What is the taste of duck eggs?
The taste of duck eggs is a bit fatter than chicken eggs. The texture is also thicker, as they have less water than chicken eggs. That’s because their whites take up less volume than the yolks. They are sought after by professional bakers and pastry chefs for their richness and richness, which shows in the final product.
What Color Are Duck Eggs?
On the inside, you can notice that the yolks have a darker orange-yellow color, which indicates their nutrient density. The white looks similar to a chicken egg.
How to cook duck eggs
How do you use duck eggs? You can use them in all the same ways you would use chicken or other eggs, whether it’s scrambled, fried, hard-boiled, beaten in meringues, or simply used as a baking material. They perform clever custard… and homemade ice cream!
One thing you need to keep in mind when using duck eggs is that duck eggs have a lower water content, so they are easy to burn. Be careful when you fry or sauté them.
For paleo, keto, and carnivore diets, duck eggs add several protein sources for you. As a great source of low-carb, high-fat protein, they can help you lose weight.
What to do with duck eggs?
Many recipes go better with duck eggs instead of chicken. The richness affects the taste of the final product.
Here are some recipes to try with them:
You can even use them in fried rice, stir-fries, and other Asian dishes (including salted eggs!):
Whenever I bake with them, the recipes come out light and fluffy:
Just be sure to cook the whites completely (as you would with eggs) to avoid salmonella contamination.
How to boil duck eggs
Thoroughly boiled is a good way to easily include these eggs in your diet. To boil, put some in a pot and rinse with cold water. Then place the pan (without lid) over high heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered for 12 minutes. Then transfer them to an ice bath to cool.
From there, you can make worm eggs with the two recipes linked above.
Duck eggs near me
It’s hard to know where to find duck eggs because they aren’t necessarily available at grocery stores year-round. Since ducks lay eggs in the spring, that’s the most common time to find them.
When in season, they’re always available at larger farmers markets and health food stores. You can always call ahead or email stores and markets near you to see if they have stock available. The benefit of buying them from a local farmer is that you know they are not dipped in petrochemical wax to preserve them as is often the case with larger stores.
If you’re lucky enough to have Whole Foods nearby, they may have stock there. You can also find them in Asian markets or grocery stores as they are very common in Asian cooking.
Have you tried the duck eggs? In what recipe would you use them?
Source:
- Ganesan, P., et al. (2014). Comparative study on nutritional value of Pidan and salted duck eggs. Korean Journal of Food Science on Animal Resources, 34(1), 1–6.
- Sun, C., et al. (2019). Egg quality and gastric characterization of chicken, duck, geese, turkey, quail and pigeon eggs. Poultry Science, 98(10), 4516–4521.
- Hou, T., et al. (2015). Salted duck egg white peptide: Promotes calcium absorption and structural characterization. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 63(37), 8170–8176.
- Ren, Y., et al. (2014). Purification and characterization of high antioxidant peptides from duck egg white protein hydrolyzate. Biochemistry and biophysics research contact information, 452(4), 888–894.
- United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Agriculture. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015.
- Fooddata Central’s search results. Duck eggs, cooked. (nd). US Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service.
- Fooddata Central’s search results. Eggs, whole, cooked, eggs. (nd). US Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service.
- Fuller, NR, et al. (2018). Effect of a high-egg diet on cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes: Follow-up phase and randomized weight loss in the Diabetes and Eggs Study (DIABEGG). American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 107(6), 921–931.
- Tolik, D., et al. (2014). Egg parts characteristics, chemical composition and nutritional value of Japanese quail eggs – a review. Folia biologica, 62(4), 287–292.
