What is the difference between dark meat and white meat? Nutritionally speaking, is white meat better for you than dark meat? Let the battle begin, white meat vs. dark meat, which should you choose?
The real difference comes down to simple biology. Chickens and turkeys need endurance in their legs, for their mobility, of course. So where does this endurance come from? Carbohydrates? Nope, it comes from good ol’ fat.
Since commercially raised chicken and turkeys do not fly, their upper-body muscles usually have more fast-twitch muscles, which provide power. Interestingly, though, when it comes to energy, these muscle groups do not rely on fat.
While white meat does not have as much fat as dark meat and because of that it contains more protein, dark meat takes points for providing more selenium, an important mineral which according to some studies promotes heart health and offers protection against some cancers.
White meat vs. dark meat: the fat question. What about saturated fat? Isnā??t it true that dark meat contains a lot more saturated fat than white meat? Yes, it is true. In fact, dark meat contains almost twice as much saturated fat, but that is only a third of its total fat content, the rest is healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat.
