Some individuals prefer duck eggs to chicken eggs, but are they an adequate protein substitute for bodybuilders? Are duck eggs better or worse for bodybuilders than chicken eggs?
Here’s my quick answer:
Are duck eggs good or bad for bodybuilding? Duck eggs are good for bodybuilding because they contain an adequate amount of protein to help build and repair muscle and they provide a healthy source of fat to help keep us full for longer periods.
After reading this article you’ll learn:
- What nutrients that duck eggs have to offer
- The pros and cons of eating duck eggs for bodybuilding
- If duck eggs are a good option for pre and post-workout meals
- How to include duck eggs to help you reach your physique goals
Duck Eggs For Bodybuilding: Overview
Calories In Duck Eggs
One duck egg has 130 calories, which is 60 more calories than a chicken egg has. The calories are a bit higher because of the increased amount of yolk that a duck egg has compared to a chicken egg.
The calories from duck eggs come from protein and fats, with the majority of the calories from fats because they are 9 calories per gram, whereas protein is only 4 calories per gram.
The calories from duck eggs are not ridiculously high, but they could easily add up over time because although one egg is a serving, it wouldn’t be uncommon for bodybuilders to eat 2 to 4 eggs per day, which is 260 to 520 calories.
Those who are dieting would do best to keep their serving size of eggs to 1 to 2 duck eggs per day, whereas those who are bulking may be better off having up to 4 eggs per day to help with their calorie, fat, and protein goals.
Macronutrients In Duck Eggs
Duck eggs are primarily a source of fat and protein as they have 10 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carbohydrate in one egg.
Duck eggs have more protein than chicken eggs even with size factored in, which makes them an excellent food for bodybuilders who will naturally require more protein than the average person.
Duck eggs also have a larger yolk than chicken eggs, and the yolk contains all the fat of the egg, therefore duck eggs contain more fat than a typical chicken egg.
The fat content of duck eggs is a higher quality fat than those from processed foods, so just because we see that the fat content is high, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s unhealthy.
The fat content of duck eggs can be beneficial when bulking because that means a higher number of calories per gram, but the fat content can also be good for dieting because fats tend to keep us full for longer periods which can help prevent us from getting overly hungry throughout the day.
Eggs contain little to no carbohydrates, which makes them an excellent option for those trying to limit their carbohydrate intake when dieting while still hitting their protein and fat targets.
Micronutrient Content Of Duck Eggs
Duck eggs are high in micronutrients, they are an excellent source of folate, iron, and most of all, vitamin B12.
Duck eggs also have more omega 3s than chicken eggs, which is one of the healthiest sources of fat that most people are not consuming enough of.
In addition, vitamin B12 is great, especially for those who do not eat meat because these individuals typically struggle to eat enough vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 helps prevent heart disease and cancer.
2 Pros Of Eating Duck Eggs For Bodybuilding
The pros of eating duck eggs for bodybuilding are:
- Duck Eggs Are High In Protein
- Duck Eggs Have Many Micronutrients
Duck Eggs Are High In Protein
Duck eggs are a great source of protein and therefore help to provide bodybuilders with the protein they need to build and maintain their muscle mass, especially while dieting.
Protein is one of the most important nutrients for bodybuilders to maintain their current muscle mass and to build additional mass.
Therefore, having foods like duck eggs that are high in protein is very beneficial to help us reach our aesthetic goals.
Duck Eggs Are A Healthy Source Of Fat
Duck eggs have many micronutrients that are good for our health, and they contain healthy sources of fat that help us to better absorb these nutrients.
Some nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K need to be eaten with fat to be absorbed by the body efficiently, so having a healthy source of fat in the eggs is useful to get the best micronutrient absorption.
- Duck Eggs is on our list of high calorie, low saturated fat foods (click to read more food choices that fit this category)
2 Cons of Eating Duck Eggs For Bodybuilding
The cons of eating duck eggs for bodybuilding are:
- Duck Eggs Are Low In Carbohydrates
- Duck Eggs Are High In Fat
Duck Eggs Are Low In Carbohydrates
Duck eggs are low in carbohydrates, which could be a good thing when we’re dieting but we do need a certain amount of carbohydrates for energy.
Duck eggs are great for helping us achieve our daily protein and fat goals, but they don’t provide enough carbs to give us the energy that we need for training.
Therefore to have enough energy for our workouts, we would have to pair the duck eggs with some sort of carbohydrates like whole-grain bread, oats, or potatoes.
Duck Eggs Are High In Fat
Duck eggs do contain more fat, which has more calories than the other macronutrients at 9 calories per gram, so it doesn’t take many duck eggs for us to reach our fat targets.
Although duck eggs do contain healthier sources of fat, they are still fairly high in fat which can pack a large calorie punch.
If we’re dieting we probably have less fat macros to work with, therefore we will have to incorporate other sources of protein that are lower in fat to hit our protein goals without overshooting our fat goals.
Duck eggs can help us get to our daily fat targets pretty quickly. If our fat intake is around 50 grams per day and we eat 2 duck eggs, then we are nearly halfway to our fat targets for the day.
Read more about foods that have high-fat content:
Can You Eat Duck Eggs Before Workouts?
Duck eggs can be eaten before a workout but they would need to be paired with some carbohydrates and eaten around 2 hours before the workout to let the fat digest.
The fat content of duck eggs makes them slower to digest, therefore we should consume them at least 1 to 2 hours before working out to avoid digestive issues while training.
In addition, we will need to pair them with a source of carbohydrates because carbs are our body’s preferred fuel source when working out, and they don’t contain adequate carbs by themselves.
Can You Eat Duck Eggs After Workouts?
Duck eggs are a great option after a workout because they are high in protein, which we need to recover properly from our workouts and to build back stronger.
After a workout, the protein that duck eggs provide is the perfect amount to help us repair and rebuild our muscles after damaging them in training.
However, once again we will need more carbohydrates to replenish our energy after training. So we will need to pair the duck eggs with some carbs for the best results after training.
Do Duck Eggs Help Muscle Growth?
Duck eggs can help muscle growth because they provide us with calories and we need an excess of calories to increase our potential to build muscle, but it isn’t the only factor at play.
Duck eggs can help us achieve muscle growth by helping us meet our calorie requirements by providing us with fat and protein but we still need an adequate training stimulus to get muscle growth to occur.
In addition, they don’t provide us energy for training so they don’t necessarily help to fuel training efforts either.
Duck Eggs vs Chicken Eggs: Does It Matter For Bodybuilding?
Duck eggs are higher in protein than chicken eggs so that could be better for bodybuilding because the more protein we consume the higher the potential for muscle gain and muscle retention.
The nutritional value of duck and chicken eggs is so similar that it doesn’t matter which we choose for bodybuilding.
However, we can get a bit more protein and fat per serving with duck eggs so that is a benefit to choosing duck eggs over chicken eggs.
I suggest sticking with whichever egg type that we prefer because we’re more likely to be adherent to our nutrition plan if we’re including foods that we genuinely enjoy.
Read more about chicken eggs:
- Are Eggs Good or Bad For Bodybuilding?
- Why Do Bodybuilders Eat Egg Whites Only?
- 4 Eggs For Breakfast: Is It Healthy?
- How Many Eggs Should I Eat Per Day To Gain Weight?
Duck Egg Recipes For Bodybuilding
Duck eggs provide a good amount of protein, but they are high in fat and lack the carbs necessary for pre and post-workout meals.
For the best results, we need to plan meals that limit the amount of fat before the workout and that provide an adequate amount of carbs before and after training.
Pre-Workout Recipe
Open-Faced Duck Egg Breakfast Sandwiches
The open-faced breakfast sandwich is quick and easy but provides all the nutrients that we need for a solid workout. This sandwich has a lower amount of fat so that we can eat it 1 to 2 hours before a workout, and be ready to roll.
Makes 1 serving.
- For 1 Serving: 530 Calories with 32g Carbs, 43g Protein, and 24g Fat
Ingredients:
- 2 slices whole-grain bread
- ½ cup spinach
- ¼ cup low-fat cheese
- 2 slices deli meat
- 2 duck eggs
Instructions
- Spray a pan with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat. Add the spinach to the pan and saute until wilted.
- Add the eggs to the pan and cook until the whites are solid and the yolk is at the desired consistency.
- Meanwhile, toast the whole grain bread in the toaster or under the broiler in the oven.
- On each piece of toast, layer the deli meat, the cheese, the spinach, and then the egg. Season with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy!
Post-Workout Recipe
Duck Egg Sweet Potato Frittata
A frittata is the perfect post-workout meal because it contains protein to help our muscles recover after training and fat to keep us satisfied for longer periods. For a higher amount of carbs, pair the frittata with your favorite whole-grain toast!
Makes 4 servings.
- For 1 serving: 346 Calories with 15g Carbs, 27g Protein, and 19g Fat
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed (¾ inch)
- 2 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 4 duck eggs
- 1 ½ cups egg whites
- ⅓ cup fat-free cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add an inch of water to a microwave-safe bowl, add the sweet potato and cover the bowl with a plate. Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, or until fully cooked. Drain the sweet potatoes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast-iron skillet. Add the ham, and cook until it is browned on all sides. Remove the ham from the skillet and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add ½ tablespoon of oil, onion, and sweet potato to the skillet. Cook until the onion and the sweet potato is softened, around 6 to 8 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites cheddar, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
- Remove the cast-iron skillet from the heat. Pour in the egg mixture. Add the ham and cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven with the broiler on high Broil until the eggs are set and the top is browned around 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cooking times can vary depending on the oven and the cast iron pan, so keep an eye on the frittata while it bakes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
- Enjoy!
Final Thoughts
Duck eggs are a great option for bodybuilders because of their protein content and their healthy fat content. However, if we prefer chicken eggs, then we should stick with those.
What To Read Next:
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About The Author
Amanda Parker is an author, nutrition coach, and Certified Naturopath. She works with bodybuilders, Olympic weightlifters, and powerlifters to increase performance through nutrition and lifestyle coaching.