Duck embryos: The beloved, unconventional breakfast of Hanoi

'Trung vit lon', duck eggs with embryos inside, are a popular street delicacy across Vietnam. They can be boiled, stir-fried, tossed or poached in soup. While people in Hue and Ho Chi Minh City eat these eggs as their evening snack, many Hanoians believe the duck embryos are perfect for breakfast.

Many Hanoians believe the duck embryos are perfect for breakfast. (Photo credit: Phong Vinh)
Many Hanoians believe the duck embryos are perfect for breakfast. (Photo credit: Phong Vinh)

The unconventional breakfast could spook some people, but nutritionists have said it is good for your health.

One fetal duck egg provides 182,000 calories, 13.6 grams of protein, 12.4 grams of lipid, 82 miligrams of calcium, 212 grams of phosphor and 600 miligrams of cholesterol, studies have found. It also provides high amounts of beta carotene, vitamins and iron.

As it is a high cholesterol food, the egg is not good for people with obesity issues, diabetes or high blood pressure and is also unsuitable for children.

The foodies of Hanoi are also right about having embryo eggs in the morning: doctors say they offer a good amount of energy to start the day, but can be too heavy for a night stomach.

It should also be noted that locals prefer their fetal duck eggs “young”, which mean the embryos are still in the very early days.

vnexpress