Jake Harper
Chicken is a popular food worldwide, with its meat being a staple health food, affordable lean protein, and a good source of vitamins and minerals. Chicken meat is classified into two types: white meat and dark meat. But which type is a chicken leg? Chicken legs, along with thighs, are considered dark meat. This is because the legs and thighs of birds carry the weight of the animal and need to be able to support its movement, requiring different vitamins and minerals than the wings. This results in darker meat with a richer flavour and higher moisture content.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of meat | White meat, dark meat |
| Muscle fibres | Red, white (slow, fast twitch) |
| Myoglobin | More in dark meat |
| Nutrients | Dark meat: iron, zinc, riboflavin, niacin, healthy fats; White meat: lean protein |
| Taste | Dark meat: richer, fattier, juicier; White meat: milder, dries out faster |
| Part of the chicken | Dark meat: legs, thighs, sections near ribs and under breast meat; White meat: breast, wings |
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What You'll Learn
Chicken legs are dark meat because they are used for movement
Chicken meat is composed mostly of muscle. There are two main types of muscle fibres in animals: red and white, also known as slow and fast twitch. The reddish colour of red muscle fibres is due to a richly pigmented protein called myoglobin, which helps store oxygen in the muscle for quick use. Myoglobin provides muscles with the oxygen required for exercise and movement.
Chicken legs are considered dark meat. This is because the legs of chickens carry the weight of the animal, requiring different vitamins and minerals compared to the wings. Since chickens are flightless birds, they use their legs and thighs to get around, making those parts darker than the breast or wings. The muscles in the legs of chickens are used more often, receiving more oxygen and iron, and thus producing more myoglobin, resulting in darker meat.
Dark meat chicken, including the legs and thighs, tends to have a stronger flavour than white meat because it has a higher fat content. The fat content gives the meat a fattier, juicier taste and helps it stay moist for longer, regardless of how it is cooked. Dark meat chicken is also a good source of healthy fats, iron, niacin, riboflavin, and zinc.
White meat chicken, on the other hand, is found in the breasts and wings. It has a milder flavour and is lower in fat and calories. White meat dries out faster than dark meat, leading to a milder taste. Chefs often prefer white meat because its milder flavour provides a blank slate for seasoning.
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Dark meat has more myoglobin, giving it a reddish colour
The colour of meat depends on the amount of myoglobin present. Myoglobin is a heme iron-containing protein that stores oxygen in muscle cells, similar to how haemoglobin stores oxygen in blood cells. The more myoglobin content meat contains, the darker red it will appear in colour.
Meat from mammals like beef, lamb, and pork is known as "red meat" due to its high myoglobin content. Conversely, meat from animals with low levels of myoglobin, such as most poultry, is referred to as "white meat." Chicken, in particular, is classified as poultry, which falls into the category of white meat.
However, when discussing poultry, there is a further distinction made between dark and light meat. Dark meat, found primarily in the legs and thighs of birds, has a reddish tint due to its higher myoglobin content compared to white meat. White meat, on the other hand, is sourced from the breasts and wings of poultry and contains lower levels of myoglobin, resulting in a lighter colour.
The difference in myoglobin levels between dark and white meat in poultry is related to the different functions of the muscles. The legs and thighs of birds bear the weight of the animal, requiring muscles with higher oxygen storage capacity, which is facilitated by the presence of myoglobin. In contrast, the muscles in the breasts and wings are used for flying, necessitating a lighter muscle composition with lower myoglobin levels.
It is worth noting that the age of the animal also impacts myoglobin content, with older animals tending to have higher levels of myoglobin, resulting in darker meat. Additionally, the liquid that leaks from meat during storage or cooking is not blood, but a combination of water and myoglobin, which can give the appearance of blood due to the iron in myoglobin turning red when exposed to oxygen.
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Dark meat has more fat, calories, and flavour
Poultry meat can be classified into two categories: white and dark meat. The difference between the two is the amount of myoglobin present in the different cuts of meat. Myoglobin is an oxygen-carrying protein that gives meat its reddish colour. The more myoglobin, the darker the meat and the richer the nutrients.
White meat, on the other hand, is found in the breast and wings. It has fewer calories and is lower in fat. It dries out faster than dark meat, leading to a milder taste. White meat is also considered a lean source of protein. Because it has a lower fat content, it doesn't retain moisture well, so you need to be careful not to overcook it.
Both types of meat are excellent sources of nutrient-dense protein that supports weight loss, muscle growth, and overall good health. They contain vitamins and minerals such as selenium, zinc, niacin, Vitamin B6, phosphorus, and iron. Dark meat tends to be higher in iron and zinc, while white meat has more riboflavin.
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White meat is leaner and has a milder flavour
Poultry meat can be classified into two broad categories: white and dark meat. The difference between the two types of meat is based on which part of the chicken they come from and the proportions of proteins and vitamins those different body parts carry.
White meat typically consists of chicken or turkey breasts and wings. On the other hand, dark meat mainly consists of the drumsticks (legs of the bird) and chicken thighs. The legs and thighs of birds carry the weight of the animal, so they need different vitamins and minerals to do that than their wings. This means that when you eat dark meat, your body processes different nutrients. Dark meat has more fat content, which gives it a richer flavour and higher moisture content.
White meat, on the other hand, is found in the breast and wings, which need nutrients that allow them to fly. The muscles in a bird's breasts and wings need to produce a great amount of force and energy to fly. Because of this, white meat has fewer capillaries and produces less myoglobin, resulting in a lighter colour and milder flavour.
White meat is considered leaner than dark meat because it has a lower fat content. It is also lower in calories. For example, a chicken thigh with the skin has 8.6 grams of fat, while a chicken breast has only 4.4 grams. White meat dries out faster than dark meat, which can lead to a milder taste.
In summary, white meat is leaner and has a milder flavour than dark meat due to the different parts of the chicken they come from and the resulting variation in nutrient composition, particularly fat content.
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Dark meat is higher in iron and zinc
Chicken is a popular health food staple, touted as an affordable lean protein that is high in important vitamins and minerals. The chicken meat we eat is made up of mostly muscle, which contains two types of muscle fibres: red and white, also known as slow and fast twitch. The reddish tint of red muscle fibres is due to a richly pigmented protein called myoglobin, which helps store oxygen in the muscle for quick use. The more myoglobin, the redder or darker the meat.
Dark meat chicken, which is found in the legs and thighs, tends to be higher in iron and zinc than white meat chicken. This means that eating dark meat chicken can boost your iron levels. Iron is a mineral that serves important functions in your body, but many people do not get enough. Dark meat chicken is also a good source of healthy fats, niacin, riboflavin, and other vitamins and minerals.
White meat chicken, found in the breasts and wings, is lower in fat and calories than dark meat chicken. It is a good source of lean protein and contains the nutrients needed to produce a great amount of force and energy for flight.
Whether one type of meat is healthier than the other depends on your regular diet. If you already get enough iron and zinc from other meals, you may want to eat white meat chicken to avoid getting too much of these nutrients.
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Frequently asked questions
White meat comes from the breasts and wings of poultry.
Dark meat comes from the legs (drumsticks) and thighs of poultry.
The difference in colour is due to the amount of myoglobin present in the different cuts of meat. Myoglobin is an oxygen-carrying protein that gives meat a reddish tint.
Chicken contains both white and dark meat.
Both white and dark meat chicken can be part of a healthy diet. However, dark meat is higher in fat and calories, while white meat may be better for those looking to cut calories and fat.
