It was likely domesticated in parallel in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and Southeast Asia, and in the region of Greece and Rome sometime around the 3rd to 2nd millennium BC. Skeletal remains suggest that ducks were kept in Babylon, India and Israel. In the Middle Ages, they were kept more as a delicacy and were considered a fasting food. It was not until the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries that duck farming spread to Central Europe.

It is rich in iron and B-group vitamins, as well as vitamins A, D and E.

Duck meat is of a refreshing nature with a sweet and salty taste. It perfectly supplements, moisturises and aids in the production of fluids that are important for lubricating mucous membranes, clears heat, and is mildly diuretic. It is suitable for anaemia and wherever there is fatigue, a lack of energy, dried-out mucous membranes or a dry cough. It is not suitable for spleen deficiency.