Food Talk

Mulling over the news that, in China, authorities are cracking down on the practice of selling and re-using duck oil, I wondered how much of the issue is about health and how much is about food politics. The report says “Health experts have warned that roast duck oil contains carcinogenic elements and could cause health problems” but doesn’t provide specifics. I searched the web and came up with nothing except the usual blah about how high consumption of red meat may lead to an increased risk in certain types of cancer.

Duck fat is cheap (it is “waste” from one perspective as a by-product of the famous Peking duck) and, naturally, makers and seller of more expensive oils stand to lose unless the duck oil trade is stopped. I rummaged through my head for stored information. Didn’t I read somewhere that rendered duck fat was actually healthy? Check this out:

… what many are unaware of is the health benefits to duck fat. Duck fat contains 35.7% saturates, 50.5% monounsaturates (high in linoleic acid) and 13.7% polyunsaturated fats.(Which contains Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential oils). This compares to olive oil which is: 75% monounsaturated fat (mostly oleic acid) 13% saturated fat and 10% Omega-6 linoleic acid and 2% Omega-3 linoleic acid. The main difference between chicken, turkey and duck is that duck contains more linoleic acid, which chicken and turkey contain a higher amount of polyunsaturated fats. It appears that duck and goose fat is more like olive oil than it is like butter or beef.

Now, then, have you heard about the French Paradox? Read a 1991 article in the New York Times.