Dr Oz: White Meat vs Dark Meat & Why Don’t Chicken Have Teeth?

Dr Oz: Should You Eat White Meat Or Dark Meat Chicken?

After exploring the changes made at Perdue Chicken Company, Dr Oz and food journalist Mark Schatzker continued their discussion about America’s favorite white meat. But when it comes to chicken, which is better: white meat or dark meat? If you’re dieting, there’s a good chance you’ve been opting for white meat, since the food industry markets white meat as healthier.

Dr Oz: The Great Chicken Debate

According to Mark, back in the 1950’s Americans didn’t eat a lot of chicken. When they went to the butcher shop, they would buy a whole chicken and cook it like a Sunday roast. Then in the 60’s Americans began eating more chicken and began asking butchers to cut the chickens into pieces. But back then, chickens walked around a lot more and were older, which meant that the dark meat from the legs was tougher. But now chickens are younger and don’t walk around as much, so dark meat is a lot more tender.

But in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s consumers became fitness-conscious and white meat was touted as the healthier option. White meat was supposedly the better option in terms of protein for building muscle. Even cookbooks claimed white meat was the lower-calorie option. By the time the 2000’s rolled around, fast food jumped on the white meat train. The original McDonald’s chicken McNugget was 30% dark meat. But in 2003, McDonald’s announced an all white meat chicken McNugget and sales went up 35%.

Dr Oz: White Meat VS Dark Meat, Calories & Fat

So what exactly is the difference between white meat and dark meat? It all comes down to a compound called myoglobin which transports oxygen into muscles. The dark meat comes from muscles that do more work, like the thighs and the wings. The breast doesn’t do a lot of work. That explains why a bird like a duck has breasts that are dark meat, because they fly.

But in terms of calories, white meat only has a slight edge. According to the USDA, 100 grams of white meat has 114 calories and a little over a half a gram of saturated fat. Meanwhile, 100 grams of dark meat has 119 calories and about a gram of saturated fat. But in terms of nutrient density, dark meat has three times more zinc, more iron, and, in the opinion of Dr Oz and Mark Schatzker, it tastes better too!

Dr Oz: Why Don’t Chickens Have Teeth?

Have you ever wondered why chicken don’t have teeth? It’s because chickens have gizzards. It’s essentially a pouch, a part of the stomach that helps mash everything the chicken eats. Mark and Dr Oz also encouraged viewers to try gizzards, which are rich in B12, zinc, and iron. It’s even a delicacy in France and Japan! Plus, you can cook them in a variety of ways! But what about the skin?