White Meat or Dark?

Photo by Stan Tekiela

by Stan Tekiela
© NatureSmart

December 19, 2016

            I am writing this just after eating Thanksgiving dinner with my family and I am wondering just how many people have given any thought to the turkey they just ate? What I mean is, does anyone think about why there is white meat and dark meat in a turkey?

            It’s all a matter of muscle and fibers. When we eat a turkey, or chicken for that matter, we are eating the bird’s muscles and fibers. Different muscles do different jobs such as walking and flying. Since turkeys are mainly ground dwelling birds they spend a lot of time walking. They need large strong leg muscles that won’t fatigue quickly and will be able to carry their heavy body weight over long distances and for an extended period of time. So the muscles in the legs contain a lot of red fibers (dark meat) that are efficient at aerobic metabolism (requiring a lot of oxygen to get some work done). The dark meat muscles are high in fat and sugar which is the fuel for the muscle when the bird is walking or running.

            Small songbirds such as an oriole or tanager which migrate long distances have mainly red fiber muscle (dark meat). These muscles can sustain long periods of activity using the stored fats and sugars to fly great distances.

            Since turkeys spend most of their time on the ground walking and sometimes running at high rates of speed to escape predators, they have a lot of well developed tasty dark meat not only in their legs but in the muscle that support the legs. Dark meat is my personal favorite.

            White meat is a different story. The large breast muscles in turkeys and chickens are white meat.  This muscle is made up of fibers that are light in color. Breast muscle is used only for flight.

Contrary to what many think, turkeys and chickens can fly short distances. Turkeys have been clocked up to 55 miles per hour in flight. These birds are adapted for powerful short distant flight that is used to escape predators. These birds literally burst into a very powerful flight from a standing position but fatigue quickly and must glide to a stop and rest.

The white meat breast muscle operates on anaerobic metabolism (operating without the need of oxygen). White meat doesn’t have as much fat and sugar stored and so it looks, acts and of course tastes different.

Ducks and geese are long distance fliers which mean their breast meat consists of dark meat that is very high in fat and sugar content. So basically the birds with the most sustained flight have the darkest breast meat. In fact, hummingbirds have some of the darkest of breast meat.

Just a few things to think about the next time you are enjoying a meal of turkey or chicken. Until next time…

 Stan Tekiela is an author / naturalist and wildlife photographer who travels the US to study and photograph wildlife. He can be contacted via his web page at www.naturesmart.com