Fish is an integral part of a good diet. With its help, you can enrich the body with useful substances and improve your health.
This article will tell you about the benefits and harms of cod fish, as well as what minerals and vitamins it is rich in. In addition, some of the most delicious recipes for its preparation will be described.
Description
Cod is a predatory fish with a mild flavor and white flesh that is available throughout the year. It can easily be purchased at supermarkets or fish markets.
The cod family includes several species of fish, which mainly live in the temperate Atlantic zone and in the west - from Greenland to North Carolina.
Getting to know cod is easy. On the brown-green back of this fish there are specks of dark brown color. The belly of the cod has no color. In total, this fish has five fins: two - near the tail and three - on the back.
In its natural habitat, cod can live up to 35 years. At the same time, such individuals reach incredibly large sizes, and their length can be up to 2 meters. However, specimens up to 1 meter long and not older than 10 years are more common.
The benefits and harms of cod fish have been studied for many years. It was possible to establish that it contains a large amount of valuable minerals, fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin D, as well as vitamins of group B and E.
It is absolutely not difficult to answer the question of what to cook from frozen cod or from fresh fish carcass. There are a huge number of recipes where the main ingredient is this beautiful fish. It is important that it is easy to prepare in your own kitchen. The flesh of the fish is fried, stewed, boiled, pickled, smoked and baked.
Chemical composition and nutritional value of cod
Speaking about the composition of fish, it is worthwhile to understand that we are talking about that unique set of elements and vitamins that the product is rich in. To begin with, it is worth considering what nutritional value is cod.
Fresh product (per 100 g serving) contains:
- protein - 16 g;
- fat - 0.6 g;
- carbohydrates - 0 g;
- dietary fiber - 0 g;
- water - 82 g.
The composition of vitamins and trace elements of cod should be considered in detail.
100 g of the product includes the following micro-, macrocells and fatty acids:
- omega-3 - 0.166 g;
- omega-6 - 0.01 g;
- iodine - 0.13 mg;
- phosphorus - 210 mg;
- iron - 0.5 mg;
- magnesium - 30 mg;
- sulfur - 200 mg;
- calcium - 25 mg;
- Manganese - 80 mcg;
- chlorine - 165 mg;
- copper - 150 mcg;
- nickel - 9 mcg;
- fluorine - 700 mcg;
- potassium - 340 mg;
- zinc - 1.02 mg.
The composition of cod contains such vitamins (per 100 g):
- C - 1 mg;
- E - 0.9 mg;
- A - 10 mcg;
- B1 - 0.09 mg;
- B5 - 0.29 mg;
- B6 - 0.17 mg;
- B9 - 11.3 mcg;
- D - 0.5 μg;
- PP - 5.8 mg.
In addition, the chemical composition of cod contains various interchangeable and essential amino acids, etc. Together, all of these substances make this fish very nutritious. However, it is worthwhile to dwell on the question of how useful cod is for the human body.
Calorie content
Speaking of calories in cod, it is worth noting that, depending on the method of preparation, this figure will differ. Thus, the calorie content of cod fish per 100 g will be:
- in fresh form - no more than 80 kcal;
- fried - 115 kcal;
- smoked with butter - 290 g;
- boiled - 75 kcal;
- in baked form - 90 kcal.
Based on these indicators, it becomes clear that cod can be called a dietary product that can be included in the diet without any doubt.
Benefit
As it became known, cod is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Recent studies prove that omega-3 acid improves the state of the cardiovascular system, increasing heart rate variability. Moderate but frequent use of cod can help protect a person from heart attacks. In addition, a study conducted by Dariusz Mozaffarian at Harvard Medical School shows that fish consumption improves the electrical properties of heart cells and also protects against abnormal heart rhythms.
It is recommended that you eat two to three servings of cod per week to avoid pressure problems. According to the INTERMAP International Study of Macro-, Micronutrients and Blood Pressure, those who follow a diet rich in omega-3s have normal blood pressure and do not experience problems with its drops.
Cod can also protect against blood clots. This problem is often encountered by people with circulatory disorders due to a sedentary lifestyle or because of the hard work that needs to be carried on their feet. Blood clots form deep in the veins of the legs, hips, or pelvis due to blood clots, causing swelling and pain. Those people who consume fish once a week along with fruits and vegetables are at a lower risk of such a pathology.
Cod can help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Daily intake of fish oil helps to slow the development and spread of malignant colon cancer in the early stages of the disease.
Cod liver oil provides 90 percent of the daily intake of vitamin A. It prevents coronary atherosclerosis, and also helps to restore the skin with wounds, cuts and other injuries.
The use of this fish favorably affects the functioning of the nervous system and improves the condition of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, cod is an indispensable product in the diet of older people. This fish is able to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease and improve the functioning of brain cells.
Contraindications and possible harm
There are a number of cases where this product is capable of harming the body. The benefits of cod fish are provided to a person when he is healthy and able to process substances coming from the product.
An absolute contraindication to the use of cod is the presence in a person of cholelithiasis or urolithiasis. In addition, it can be harmful if there is an individual intolerance to the product.
In order not to harm the body, do not include cod in your diet too often. Otherwise, it will lead to indigestion.
Having found out what the benefits and harms of cod fish are, you can begin to consider the best recipes in which it is the main ingredient. There are an incredibly large number of different ways to cook it, but below are the most popular and time-tested recipes.
Oven baked cod
This is a simple and quick recipe that tells you how to cook delicious cod in the oven. Cooking does not take more than forty minutes, and from the following amount of ingredients you get four full servings. Such fish can be served with any side dish.
First you need to wash 200 g of tomatoes, dry them and cut into slices or cubes. Wash and chop greens. 150 g of olives should be cut into small circles. Next, chopped greens, tomatoes and olives are mixed in one bowl and watered with a small amount of lemon juice.
Prepared cod fillet (600-700 g) should be grated with pepper and salt and set aside for five minutes. The form in which the cod will be baked should be greased with oil, put fish in it, dressing from tomatoes, herbs and olives. Next, from above, pour the dish with olive oil and send it to the oven for 30 minutes. The best temperature for baking this fish is 180 degrees.
Cod Head Ear
The recipe will surely appeal to lovers of fish soup and those who like to cook dishes in nature.
The heads of cod (about 1 kg) should be washed thoroughly, remove all the gills and put in a large pan. Next, in the pan you need to add bay leaf, salt, favorite spices and 4 liters of water. Boil the broth for 30 minutes. During this time, you can prepare vegetables. To do this, peel and chop 5 potatoes, 2 onions and 1 large carrot.
Next, the onion should be fried in oil, and when it becomes transparent, you need to add carrots and hold on the fire for another five minutes. After this, the onions and carrots must be transferred to the broth and boiled over medium heat for another 15 minutes, and can be served.
Fried cod with onions
The recipe for cod fillet in a pan is absolutely not complicated, and even a novice cook will cope with it.
Fish (about 500 g fillet) should be cut into slices, salt and add your favorite spices. Onions (1 pc.) Are cut in half rings. Next, you need to heat the oil and roll the fish in flour.
At the bottom of the pan, first put a few slices of onion, and put the fish on top. It is necessary to fry on both sides until a beautiful golden crust appears. So it should be done with all pieces of cod fillet. Serve the dish with any side dish.
Stewed cod in a pan with tomato sauce
This recipe for cod fillets in a pan involves two cooking steps. First you need to fry the fish, and then grind in tomato sauce.
Fish (500 g fillet) should be washed, and then grate with pepper and salt. Then it is cut into pieces and fried in vegetable oil for 2 minutes on both sides.
1 onion should be finely chopped and fried in a separate bowl. Next to the fried fish you need to add onions, 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce or pasta, bay leaf and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Everything is carefully mixed, covered with a lid and kept on low heat for about 10 minutes. At the end, add your favorite greens, turn off the stove and let the dish stand under the closed lid for a few more minutes.
Cutlets
Very easy to prepare fish cakes will diversify the diet and will benefit all family members.
The crumb of bread (2 slices) should be soaked in 50 ml of milk for 5 minutes. 800 g of cod, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic and bread (previously squeezed from milk) should be passed through a meat grinder to make minced meat. Next, you need to add 1 egg, salt, favorite spices and herbs to it.
Minced meat is beaten and sculpted from it cutlets that need to be laid out in warmed sunflower oil. Cutlets are fried on both sides over moderate heat. Turning them to the second side, you can cover the pan with a lid. When the cutlets get a golden color, you can remove them from the heat and serve.
Conclusion
Having understood what health benefits this fish has, what is included in its composition, as well as how to cook cod tasty in the oven and in the pan, you can plan to include this product in the diet. However, the main thing is to remember that eating this fish too often is not worth it, because otherwise you can disrupt the digestive system.
As it became known, cooking cod is very simple. In any form, it turns out to be very tasty, and dishes from it will certainly please the household.