Know2eat

Duck egg

Anas platyrhynchos domesticus

What duck egg has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 2 with at least some human evidence behind them. Strongest first.

  • 2 Limited
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About duck egg

A larger egg than a hen egg with a proportionally bigger yolk, which makes it richer in fat, cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins per egg and gives baked goods a distinctive richness. Duck eggs are central to Chinese, Filipino and Southeast Asian cooking.

Also known as Duck eggs, Balut egg (when fertilised and incubated)

Muscle & Physical PerformanceWomen's Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Muscle protein synthesis

Muscle & Physical Performance
Limited evidence

Supplies complete protein with a full essential amino acid profile, comparable to hen egg. The muscle protein research has all used hen eggs, so this rests on compositional equivalence rather than on trials of duck egg.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Pregnancy nutrition

Women's Health
Limited evidence

Egg yolk is one of the densest food sources of choline, a nutrient with established importance for fetal neural development and one that a large share of pregnant women fall short of. The evidence concerns choline intake rather than duck eggs, and food-safety guidance on cooking duck eggs thoroughly applies with particular force in pregnancy.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Duck egg

Ask about Duck egg

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories185 kcal9%
Protein12.8 g26%
Total fat13.8 g18%
Carbohydrate1.45 g1%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0.93 g—
Water70.8 g—
Fats
Saturated fat3.68 g18%
Monounsaturated fat6.53 g—
Polyunsaturated fat1.22 g—
Cholesterol884 mg295%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.558 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A194 µg22%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D1.7 µg9%
Vitamin E1.34 mg9%
Vitamin K0.4 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.156 mg13%
Riboflavin (B2)0.404 mg31%
Niacin (B3)0.2 mg1%
Pantothenic acid (B5)1.86 mg37%
Vitamin B60.25 mg15%
Folate80 µg20%
Vitamin B125.4 µg225%
Choline263 mg48%
Minerals
Calcium64 mg5%
Iron3.85 mg21%
Magnesium17 mg4%
Phosphorus220 mg18%
Potassium222 mg5%
Sodium146 mg6%
Zinc1.41 mg13%
Copper0.062 mg7%
Manganese0.038 mg2%
Selenium36.4 µg66%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene14 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin459 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.14 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Egg, duck, whole, fresh, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 172189).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • cookedIncreases protein digestibility and food safety

    Thorough cooking both raises measured protein absorption and is the food-safety control step for Salmonella in duck eggs specifically.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Allergy

    Cross-reacts with hen egg

    Duck egg proteins are structurally similar to hen egg proteins and most people with hen egg allergy react to them. Duck egg is not a substitute in egg allergy, and reactions to duck egg in people who tolerate hen egg have also been described.

  • Worth knowing

    Salmonella and duck eggs

    Ducks lay in wetter, dirtier conditions than caged hens and duck eggs have been repeatedly implicated in Salmonella outbreaks, including in countries where hen egg risk has been reduced by vaccination. UK guidance is to cook duck eggs thoroughly until white and yolk are solid, and to avoid them raw or lightly cooked.

  • Too much

    More fat and cholesterol per egg

    A duck egg is both bigger and proportionally yolkier than a hen egg, so it supplies substantially more fat and dietary cholesterol per egg. Dietary cholesterol has a smaller and more variable effect on blood cholesterol than was once assumed, but the difference in size is worth noticing when substituting one for one.