Not so long ago, every housewife could confidently say which fish is fat and which is not. After all, mostly only those species that were found in nearby ponds were on the shelves. But now our market is full of freshly frozen and even live fish, which is found far from our place of residence. Of course, all this became possible thanks to the latest developments in the field of transportation and preservation of products. Low-fat or oily fish - sometimes it’s very difficult to guess when frozen. Therefore, it must be distinguished at least by name.
First of all, low-fat fish is necessary for young children. Numerous small bones are often found in the river, and this can discourage eating fish for a long time. Therefore, marine species are preferable for children. But not only children need such nutrition. Those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract and digestion (especially ulcers, gastritis, high acidity , etc.) should only eat lean foods. Therefore, low-fat fish is especially important for them.
But what kind of lean fish is among such a variety of frozen options? There are 3 varieties of fish, depending on the amount of fat:
- skinny (up to 4%);
- moderately oily (4-8%);
- oily (more than 8%).
To lean include: haddock (0.5% fat), cod (0.3-0.4%), pollock (0.5-0.9%), saffron cod (0.8-1.4%), pollock (up to 2%), flounder (1.3-4%), as well as blue whiting, river perch, polar cod, bream, pike perch, roach, pike, mullet. This low-fat fish contains a lot of protein (about 15%), which is able to provide the body of any person with all the necessary amino acids. In addition, it contains a large amount of phosphorus, iodine, calcium, zinc, selenium and B vitamins. By the way, sea fish contains more iodine than freshwater. It is also worth noting that all low-fat fish are low-calorie and do not harm those who want to lose weight. For comparison, the fattest fish in the world lives in Baikal - the Baikal cephalopod, whose fat content is 40%, and the rest is occupied by the fins, head and ridge.
In any kind of fish, its fat content depends on the season. When spawning is nearing, the fat accumulates most in the body of the fish (in fact, as in people - during pregnancy excess weight is gained that protects the fetus). But, of course, if the fish is skinny, then it will not even be moderately oily before spawning. So which fish is lean? The one that went through the spawning stage and managed to use up the supply of this nutrient.
The leanest fish among all is cod. Although her liver contains up to 70% fat. And although it is very useful, but it must be used very carefully. In this fish, there is practically no cholesterol, and protein occupies 18-19% of the body. In addition, her meat contains phospholipids, and it does not have small muscle bones. Blue whiting and pollock belong to the cod family and are very similar in taste to it. Pollock meat is much more tender than cod, but its nutritional value is almost the same as that of the representatives of the previous family. Navaga, on the other hand, is rougher and less tasty. Flounder is very much appreciated by us for its taste characteristics and the absence of small bones. Her meat is white, and the protein content reaches 18%.
Among freshwater fish of the cyprinid family should be distinguished: bream, tench, crucian carp, common carp, roach, asp, carp, silver carp and ide. Some of them are moderately oily fish, but their fat is polyunsaturated, which means it does not harm the body. By the way, in any fish there is less iron than in animal meat, this must be taken into account.
By the way, low-fat or moderately fatty fish, which contains polyunsaturated fat, have an excellent effect on the body due to the high content of vitamin D. It is especially important in cold seasons, because during this period, sunlight is not enough to form under the skin. Most of these fats are found in cod liver, in mackerel, herring, eel, and sprat. But mackerel has one contraindication. If the body has a large amount of cholesterol, then it is better to abandon its use. The fact is that it forces the body to produce bad cholesterol thanks to some enzymes that make up its meat.
And remember - the most lean fish can be no worse than any other. And sometimes even moderately oily can be of great benefit.
Be healthy and well-fed!