Squab (Pigeon)

Food · Protein · Food, Typed Supps

A whole small bird, skin included — richer and fattier than most poultry, but still a decent source of iron and zinc.

Stage by stage

Intake (Chewing begins breakdown): Chewing breaks down the meat and skin, releasing the fat within.
Stomach (Protein digestion starts): Stomach acid and enzymes begin breaking the protein into peptides.
Small intestine (Fat, iron & zinc absorbed): Fat is emulsified and absorbed alongside iron, zinc and vitamin A.
Bloodstream (Built into red blood cells): Iron is built into haemoglobin; zinc supports immune function.

Timing

Any meal; its own fat content is enough to carry the fat-soluble vitamin A it contains.

Time to effect

Weeks: A few weeks of regular iron-rich meals is roughly how long it takes red blood cell iron stores to shift.

Allergens

None of the fourteen major allergens. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.

Eating patterns

Fits: Keto, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Halal, Kosher, Low-FODMAP.

Satiety

96 on the satiety index, where white bread is 100 — low. Modelled from the Holt et al. (1995) measurements.

Environmental footprint

9.9 kg CO2e and 660 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Poultry meat" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.

Cost band

Mid — roughly £11 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.

Key nutrients

Nutrition per 100g

Calories: 291.3
Protein: 16.2g
Carbohydrate: 0g
of which sugars: 0g
Fat: 25.5g
of which saturated: 6.8g
Fibre: 0g
Sodium: 68mg

Food vs. supplement

A 100g serving supplies meaningful iron and close to a fifth of the adult RDA for zinc in their well-absorbed animal forms, alongside vitamin A and 16g of protein.

Kitchen tip

Squab is traditionally cooked quickly at high heat, similar to duck breast, because it is naturally tender — overcooking is the main risk, not toughness.

Common myth

“Squab, like most poultry, is a lean, light meat.” In reality: Eaten whole with the skin, squab is genuinely one of the fattier, more calorie-dense birds — closer to duck than to a trimmed chicken breast.