In this article
- Does duck have fiber?
- Duck fiber and nutrition: breast, leg and whole roast duck
- Where duck fat actually sits
- Is duck one of the fatty meats? Two myths, two facts
- Poultry nutrition: duck next to chicken
- What duck meat brings to the plate
- Roasting duck so the fat renders
- High fiber sides for duck
- Building a duck plate that carries fiber
- One change for your next duck dinner
- Duck fiber: questions people ask
- Sources
Duck has 0 grams of fiber. The surprise is the fat: a skinless Pekin duck breast has about 2.1 grams of fat per 3 ounces, less than the 3 grams in a skinless roasted chicken breast.
So duck fiber is a simple story, and duck fat is a more interesting one. Most of that fat sits in one place, and you get to decide whether it ends up on your plate.
Does duck have fiber?
No. Harvard’s Nutrition Source describes fiber as a carbohydrate the body can’t digest, and it comes from plants. Duck is poultry, so its meat and skin contain none.
Every duck record in USDA FoodData Central used for this article lists 0 grams of fiber. That includes breast, leg, whole roast duck with skin and duck meat with the skin removed.
The fiber in a duck dinner comes from whatever you serve alongside it. That could be lentils, cabbage, fruit or whole grains.
Duck fiber and nutrition: breast, leg and whole roast duck
These are 3 ounce (85 gram) cooked portions, based on USDA records:
| Duck, cooked, 3 oz | Calories | Protein | Fat | Saturated fat | Cholesterol | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pekin breast, skinless, broiled | 119 | 23.5 g | 2.1 g | 0.5 g | 122 mg | 0 g |
| Duck meat only, roasted | 171 | 20.0 g | 9.5 g | 3.4 g | 76 mg | 0 g |
| Pekin leg, meat and skin, roasted | 184 | 22.7 g | 9.7 g | 2.5 g | 97 mg | 0 g |
| Whole duck, meat and skin, roasted | 286 | 16.2 g | 24.1 g | 8.2 g | 71 mg | 0 g |
Skinless breast is the lean end of the range, with under half a gram of saturated fat. Whole roast duck with its skin is the rich end, with 24 grams of fat and about 41% of the 20 gram Daily Value for saturated fat.
Protein falls as fat rises. The skinless breast gives 23.5 grams for 119 calories, while the skin-on roast gives 16.2 grams for 286 calories.
The Pekin leg is a middle ground. Even with its skin, a 3 ounce portion has about 9.7 grams of fat, close to roast duck meat with the skin removed, and 22.7 grams of protein.
Cholesterol runs high in the breast, at about 41% of the 300 mg Daily Value. Sodium stays low in every plain cut, at roughly 50 to 95 mg.
Where duck fat actually sits
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service explains that ducks carry a layer of fat beneath the skin that keeps them buoyant. That fat isn’t marbled through the meat, so it can be trimmed from the surface.
The numbers show it clearly. Taking the skin off roast duck cuts the fat in a 3 ounce portion from about 24 grams to about 9.5 grams, a drop of roughly 60%.
Calories follow the same path, falling from 286 to 171. Protein actually goes up, from 16 to 20 grams, because more of each bite is lean muscle.
Almost half the fat in skin-on roast duck is monounsaturated, about 11 of its 24 grams. It still brings 8.2 grams of saturated fat, which is why the skin decides so much about how heavy the meal is.
Is duck one of the fatty meats? Two myths, two facts
Myth: Duck is always a fatty meat.
Fact: Only the skin and its fat layer make it that way. Skinless duck breast has about 2.1 grams of fat per 3 ounces, and roasted skinless chicken breast has about 3 grams.
Myth: Duck is a red meat, like beef.
Fact: FSIS classifies duck and goose as poultry and considers them white meat. Their breast meat looks darker than chicken or turkey because they are birds of flight.
Not sure what your own daily fiber goal should be? Our fiber calculator narrows it down for you.
Poultry nutrition: duck next to chicken
Here’s how duck compares with roasted chicken breast, per 3 ounces cooked:
| Poultry, cooked, 3 oz | Calories | Protein | Fat | Cholesterol | Iron | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duck breast, skinless, broiled | 119 | 23.5 g | 2.1 g | 122 mg | 3.8 mg | 0 g |
| Chicken breast, meat only, roasted | 140 | 26.4 g | 3.0 g | 72 mg | 0.9 mg | 0 g |
| Duck meat only, roasted | 171 | 20.0 g | 9.5 g | 76 mg | 2.3 mg | 0 g |
| Whole duck, meat and skin, roasted | 286 | 16.2 g | 24.1 g | 71 mg | 2.3 mg | 0 g |
Skinless duck breast and chicken breast are close on calories and protein. The big differences are iron and cholesterol, while whole duck with its skin carries more than eleven times the fat of the skinless breast.
Duck breast has about 3.8 mg of iron, roughly 21% of the Daily Value and more than four times what chicken breast provides. It also carries about 50 mg more cholesterol per portion.
Neither bird brings fiber. Choosing between them changes your iron and fat, while the fiber still depends on the sides.
What duck meat brings to the plate
Duck meat without the skin is a strong source of several minerals and B vitamins. A 3 ounce portion of roasted duck meat provides about:
- Selenium: 35% of the Daily Value
- Riboflavin: 31%
- Niacin: 27%
- Zinc: 20%
- Iron: 13%
Riboflavin, also called vitamin B2, helps round out the B vitamin picture, along with niacin. Duck meat also gives about 14% of the Daily Value for vitamin B12 per portion.
The skin dilutes these nutrients. Skin-on roast duck has less zinc and B12 per bite because so much of each portion is fat.
Picking a duck cut at the store
If you want the leanest option, look for boneless duck breast and plan to remove the skin before or after cooking. Whole ducks and skin-on legs give you crispier, richer results, but more of the fat comes with them.
FSIS notes that most U.S. ducks are now raised in Wisconsin and Indiana. Whatever the source, the fiber count stays at zero, so the shopping decision is really about fat and how you plan to cook it.
Roasting duck so the fat renders
FSIS recommends pricking the skin of a whole duck all over with a fork before roasting or smoking, so the fat can render out. It also notes that the fat layer must melt and disappear for the bird to be done.
Cook duck to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. FSIS suggests testing the innermost thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Rendering the fat doesn’t add fiber, but it does change what the meal costs you in saturated fat. Lifting the skin off entirely brings your portion closer to the meat-only row in the table above.
High fiber sides for duck
Rich meat pairs well with tart fruit, cabbage and earthy legumes. These values come from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans list of fiber sources:
| Side | Portion | Fiber |
|---|---|---|
| Raspberries | 1 cup | 8.0 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 1/2 cup | 7.8 g |
| Brussels sprouts | 1 cup | 6.4 g |
| Pear | 1 medium | 5.5 g |
| Apple with skin | 1 medium | 4.8 g |
| Red cabbage | 1 cup | 4.1 g |
| Edamame | 1/2 cup | 4.1 g |
| Green beans | 1 cup | 4.0 g |
| Orange | 1 medium | 3.7 g |
Fruit is a natural match for duck. A medium pear, an apple with its skin or a cup of raspberries each adds roughly 5 to 8 grams.
Ready to cook duck with lentils, cabbage and fruit on the side? Our recipe eBooks include plenty of high fiber pairings for rich mains.
Building a duck plate that carries fiber
Start with 3 ounces of sliced skinless duck breast. Add a cup of braised red cabbage, half a cup of lentils and a sliced pear.
That plate reaches about 17.4 grams of fiber. It also brings 23.5 grams of protein from the duck alone.
Fiber at a rich meal does more than add up on paper. Harvard’s Nutrition Source notes that soluble fiber may help prevent blood glucose surges after eating and reduce hunger, and that a high fiber intake is linked with a lower risk of heart disease.
Swap the lentils for a cup of Brussels sprouts and you still land near 16 grams. Harvard estimates most Americans get only about 15 grams of fiber in a whole day, so either version beats a typical day in one meal.
Rich, fatty dinners can sit heavily, and our gut health guides explain how steady fiber across the day supports smoother digestion.
One change for your next duck dinner
Next time you roast duck legs or a whole bird, prick the skin, let the fat render, and then serve the meat with the skin set aside. That one step takes a portion from about 24 grams of fat to under 10.
Use the space you save on the plate for a pear and a cup of red cabbage. Together they add 9.6 grams of fiber to a meat that started with none.
Duck fiber: questions people ask
Does duck have fiber?
No. USDA records for duck breast, leg, meat only and whole roast duck with skin all list 0 grams of fiber, because fiber comes only from plants.
Is duck healthier than chicken?
Skinless duck breast is similar. It has about 119 calories and 2.1 grams of fat per 3 ounces, plus more iron than chicken breast, but more cholesterol.
Is duck a fatty meat?
Only with the skin. Roast duck with skin has about 24 grams of fat per 3 ounces, while duck meat without skin has about 9.5 grams.
Is duck white or red meat?
FSIS considers duck poultry and white meat. Its breast is darker than chicken or turkey breast because ducks are birds of flight.
Is duck high in cholesterol?
The breast is fairly high. Skinless duck breast has about 122 mg per 3 ounces, about 41% of the Daily Value, compared with about 72 mg for chicken breast.
What temperature should duck be cooked to?
FSIS recommends a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F, checked with a food thermometer in the thigh, wing and thickest part of the breast.
What sides add fiber to a duck dinner?
Raspberries at 8.0 grams per cup, lentils at 7.8 grams per half cup and a medium pear at 5.5 grams are strong choices, along with red cabbage at 4.1 grams per cup.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. “Duck, young duckling, White Pekin, breast, meat only, cooked without skin, broiled (171511); Duck, domesticated, meat only, cooked, roasted (172411); Duck, young duckling, White Pekin, leg, meat and skin, cooked, roasted (171112); Duck, domesticated, meat and skin, cooked, roasted (172409); Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted (171477).” FoodData Central. 2026. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. “Duck and Goose from Farm to Table.” www.fsis.usda.gov
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.” 2024. www.fda.gov
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Fiber.” The Nutrition Source. nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Food Sources of Dietary Fiber.” Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020 to 2025. www.dietaryguidelines.gov
