When it comes to birds Mzansi loves to eat, chicken is king. From fried to braaied, we just can’t get enough of them. However, there are other exciting protein-rich bird meats to explore. Succulent duck, tender guinea fowl, and the petite but powerful quail offer not only a unique taste experience but also a bounty of health benefits.
The succulent, robust taste of duck provides a high dose of protein, iron, and zinc, while tender guinea fowl packs a nutritious punch.
Jason van Heerden, the founder and head dietitian of Pretoria dietitian based in Tshwane, Gauteng, explains that quail, duck, and guinea fowl meat provide a nutritious alternative to chicken, with some unique benefits such as higher protein or fat content.
“Incorporating a variety of poultry types into the diet is a great way to get a wide range of essential nutrients.”
Jason van Heerden
He explains the protein content as follows: Quail meat has the highest protein content at around 25%, followed by guinea fowl at 23-24%, chicken at 20-23%, and duck at 16-18%. These values are without the skin of the animal, and the protein content depends on where the meat is from the bird, such as the breast or thigh.
“Quail meat is highest in vitamin A, B vitamins, iron, and zinc compared to the other birds,” adds Van Heerden.
Meanwhile, duck and guinea fowl meat likely contain higher levels of some vitamins and minerals compared to chicken, but specific data isn’t documented.
Poultry powerhouses
The higher protein content in quail and guinea fowl meat is a unique benefit over chicken, says Van Heerden. Duck meat contains more fat and calories, which can affect your weight, he adds.
“Duck meat has the highest fat content at 10-12%, compared to 3-6% for chicken. Guinea fowl and quail fat and fatty acid profiles are not well documented.”
To maximise nutrition, he says the meat should be cooked gently to avoid overcooking and prevent it from drying out.
“I would recommend incorporating quail, duck, or guinea fowl meat into the diet for variety and to get a wider range of nutrients.”
Jason van Heerden
Van Heerden notes that the higher protein content in quail and guinea fowl could be beneficial for building and maintaining muscle mass, while the extra fat and calories in duck meat may help with weight gain for underweight individuals.
READ NEXT: Chicken feet recipe: The tasty, traditional snack Mzansi loves
Comparing bird eggs
Kulani Mtileni, a registered dietitian and founder of Dietitionas24 in Polokwane, Limpopo, compared guinea fowl, quail, and duck eggs in three phases: whole, yolk, and white, in terms of their proximate and mineral composition.
He says the whole guinea fowl egg has the highest moisture content of 72.5% compared to the whole duck egg (69.85%) and the whole quail egg (67.07%).
“The moisture content of egg white ranged between 82.63% and 87.39% across the samples, but it was higher than that of the yolk, which ranged between 44.74% and 49.85%.”
He further explains that the samples were all rich in calcium, but the highest content (46.10%) was noticed in whole quail eggs.
Sodium, zinc, and iron content for each sample were not significantly different from each other, but the yolk of the guinea fowl egg had the highest values of zinc (6.60 mg/100g) and copper (5.60 mg/100g) respectively.
“Quail eggs are packed with minerals and vitamins even in their small size. Their nutritional value is three to four times greater than chicken eggs, while guinea fowl eggs are considered a delicacy and have a good flavour.”
Dietitian Kulani Mtileni
Amazing health benefits
Mtileni says duck eggs can be used for baking since they contain more albumen, which gives them more structure, thus creating a very fluffy and rich baked good with higher lift than those made with chicken eggs.
“Duck eggs offer more protein than chicken eggs, even taking size into consideration.”
He also notes that duck eggs are slightly higher in energy content due to their higher fat percentage.
Furthermore, he notes that the yolk of guinea fowl and the yolk of duck contain high proportions of sodium, potassium, and iron.
“The whole guinea fowl egg can be recommended for infants and children for proper growth and good bone development.”
Experts in natural treatment methods claim that quail eggs have positive effects on people with stress problems, hypertension, digestive disturbances, gastric ulcers, liver problems, blood pressure and lipid control, migraines, asthma, anaemia, various types of allergies, eczema, heart problems, bronchitis, depression, and panic and anxiety illnesses, according to Mtileni.
He says, “Quail eggs are also known to stimulate growth, increase sexual appetite, stimulate brain functions which improve intelligence quotient, and generally rejuvenate the body.”
ALSO READ: Biltong: Is Mzansi’s favourite snack a tasty treat or salty trap?
Get the Health For Mzansi newsletter: Your bi-weekly dose of kasi health, wellness and self-care inspiration
