Introduction
Since the fight against red meats, saturated fats and cholesterol they started, and potentially harmful substances developed since they were cooked on the grill or grilled, fish has further established itself as one of the strong dishes of health.
Nutritional premise on fish
All fish, regardless of fat and calories, are excellent sources of high biological value proteins, some B vitamins and phosphorus.
Iodine is present mainly in marine fishery products.
Sodium is abundant mainly in bivalve molluscs (those enclosed in a shell).
The fat-soluble vitamins A and D (but also cholesterol) are generally more abundant in fish liver, eggs and muscle tissue than fat ones.
Properly known fish (those with thorns) are the products of fishing with the highest nutritional qualities and minor contraindications; below we will divide them into fats, half-fat and lean.
For consumers of raw fish we remember the importance of lowering the temperature. This process helps reduce the risk of anisakis parasite infestation.
In purely theoretical terms, if the fish is filleted still alive or very recently dead, the risk should not exist, since the worm takes many hours to go beyond the intestine (where it normally lives) and enter the muscle tissue.
On the other hand, it is absolutely not recommended to risk contracting anisakis parasitosis.
Not Blue Fish | ||
| Fat Fish | Semi-fat fish | Lean Fish |
| Salmon, eel or eel, Lattarini, Fish sticks, Fresh fish liver, Fresh fish roe | Carp (freshwater), Mullet mullet, Whitefish (freshwater), Red Snapper, Halibut (freshwater), Sea bream, Catfish (freshwater) Sea bass - farmed, mullet, farmed trout | Grouper, Corvina, Pike (freshwater fish), Pier, Whiting, Cod, Mormora, Pagello, Palombo, Breed, Turbot, Salpa, Scorfano, Sole, Spigola - wild Tench (freshwater), wild trout |
| Preserved fish : Tuna in oil, Mackerel in oil, Salmon in oil, Sardines in oil, Anchovies in oil, Bottarga, Smoked herring etc. | ||
Blue Fish | ||
| Fat Fish | Semi-fat fish | Lean Fish |
| Mackerel, Lanzardo, Palamita, Herring, Alaccia, Ventresca (or belly) of tuna | Sardinian or sardine | Needlefish, Alice, Boga, Spada, Mackerel or Suro, Tuna fillet |
Fat Fish
Fatty fish are defined as those that contain over 9% fat.
Fatty fish have a caloric intake that always exceeds 150 kcal and sometimes exceeds 300 kcal (breeding eel). This aspect makes them unsuitable, especially in large portions and with a high consumption frequency, to the diet of overweight subjects.
Precisely because of the high lipid percentage (which can affect up to 80% of the total energy of the food), fatty fish are objectively less digestible.
The most interesting fatty fish are those rich in the two omega 3, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); on the other hand, the fatness of fish products is not always directly related to the percentage of EPA and DHA.
The content of polyunsaturated fats (omega 3) negatively affects the conservation of the fish; the ability to maintain, already limited in itself due to muscular enzyme activity and chemical protein nature, is penalized by the oxidative tendency of these fats.
Almost all fatty fish contain high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D, since they are liposoluble molecules.
Note : the liver of fish, both fat and lean, is particularly rich in vitamin D.
In total, 1-2 weekly servings of 100-150g of fresh fatty fish are therefore more than sufficient. As an alternative you can choose preserved fatty fish; on the other hand, in this case it is necessary to reduce the portion to no more than 50 g.
Fat blue fish
The category of blue fish, renowned in itself thanks to its richness in omega 3 fatty acids, includes various fish with very different lipid percentages. That of fatty blue fish is probably the set of fish products with the highest quantity of omega 3. Later we will return to the nutritional value of this category.
Salmon
There are many species of salmon, but the best known is that of the Atlantic Ocean.
It can be farmed or wild, even if the population in the wild is drastically falling due to the intensive harvest, the biological antagonism of alien species and because of the parasitic diseases spread by the farms.
It is very appreciated for its tender, tasty meats, with very few spines and an intense pink color. But beware, wild salmon acquires a natural rosy pigment thanks to a diet rich in crustaceans, while the one bred is fed with vitamin A or krill-enriched feed (the latter, a solution that is not highly sustainable).
Naturally rich in omega 3, it contains less essential fats if fed in captivity.
Eel and eel
The eel and / or eel (adult female) is perhaps the fattest fish ever.
It does not provide many omega-3s and, from a nutritional point of view, it is considered to be not recommended for frequent consumption.
However, considerable differences in the nutritional composition are observed depending on the origin and method of cooking. A wild eel caught in the sea, of medium size, cooked on the grill, has about half the fat compared to a eel raised in the valley and cooked in stew.
Fresh fish liver and eggs
The fresh eggs and the fish liver are those that, for land animals, are called "fifth quarter".
They are products rich in omega 3 and vitamin D, so much so that they extract an oil with medicinal purposes (always an antirachitic remedy).
The most used eggs are: mullet, sturgeon (caviar), flying fish and lumpfish. The most well-known liver is instead that of cod, but those of all fish are edible (attention to fish too big like tuna, could contain high percentages of pollutants).
The average portion is scarce, of a few tens of grams, and should have an irregular frequency.
Lattarini or acquadelle
Lattarini or acquadelle are fish that, even as adults, remain small. They should not be confused with the "bianchetti" or "naked men", made up of juveniles (fry) of other species (mainly blue fish like anchovies and sardines).
In addition to being fat, lattarini are eaten exclusively fried in oil; it is an extremely caloric food. However, many people do not know that fried lattarini are a real "football mine" and are very useful for increasing their dietary intake.
Fish sticks
Very bad food from every point of view, fish fingers are also quite fat.
In addition to being semi-processed, fish sticks do NOT educate consumers to clean fish and make the taste of natural products (especially in younger people) "obsolete". Best to avoid them as much as possible.
preserved
Especially those in oil, the preserved fish are obviously rich in fat (even if raw from raw). Moreover, many are previously placed under the vineyard, which contributes to worsen their nutritional qualities.
Semi-fat fish
Semi-fat fish are defined as those containing 3% to 9% fat.
Semi-fat fish have a caloric intake of just under 100 kcal and just over 150 kcal. They are suitable, in normal portions and frequency of consumption, to the collective diet; for those who suffer from overweight, it may be recommended to avoid using oil in the recipe (to balance the dish from a nutritional point of view).
They are average digestible and can be stored (blue fish is less conservable than white fish); on the other hand, this also affects the percentage of omega 3 EPA and DHA which, compared to fatty fish, is often lower.
They also contain good amounts of vitamin D and discrete vitamin A. The vitamin and liver content is similar to that of fatty fish.
They can be consumed fresh in quantities of 2-3 weekly portions of 150g. As a replacement you can choose preserved semi-fat fish; on the other hand, even in this case it is necessary to reduce the portion to no more than 50 g.
There are no other important clarifications to make but we remember that freshwater fish contain little iodine compared to those of the sea.
Lean Fish
Lean fish are defined as those that contain less than 3% fat.
Lean fish have a caloric intake of less than 100 kcal. They are ideal for frequent consumption and in large portions, especially in low-calorie diets. They are often used as a protein source by sportsmen and pregnant women.
They are highly digestible and are better preserved (however, the blue fish is delicate). On the other hand, they have a lower omega 3 EPA and DHA content than fat and semi-fat content; this is not an absolute truth and many lean blue fish contain more omega 3 than white fat farmed fish.
Discrete amounts of vitamin D and vitamin A. Once again the vitamin and liver intake is similar to that of fatty fish.
It is perfectly contemplated in a balanced diet to consume 3 portions of lean fish per week, in considerable portions (at least 150g). There are preserved lean fish to be consumed in 50 g portions.
Shellfish and Molluscs
Crustaceans and molluscs are all extremely lean, low in calories, rich in high biological value proteins, vitamins and minerals; but all that glitters is not gold!
In addition to being responsible for a large number of food allergies, shellfish and especially shellfish contain extremely significant levels of cholesterol.
The bivalve molluscs (oyster, mussel, razor clam, fasolare, sea truffle, tellina, vongola, etc.) are also very rich in sodium, but the same is not true for cephalopod molluscs (octopus, octopus, cuttlefish, squid, squid, etc.) and gastropods (snails, ears of venus etc.), which however have a low digestibility and do not lend themselves to the nutritional regime of those suffering from gastritis, dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
The problem of cholesterol
We have said that crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, scampi, lobster, crab, spider crab etc.) and bivalve molluscs are particularly rich in cholesterol. This characteristic, which is also shared by eggs and fish liver, makes them unsuitable for those suffering from hypercholesterolemia or with a high cardiovascular risk. For them, the frequency of consumption of these foods is limited to one-off and the portion is much lower than the normal portion (which would be 150 g of edible portion).
Raw shellfish: intoxication, infections and parasitosis
When eaten raw, bivalve molluscs, since they feed on filtering water, can hide the danger of infections such as typhoid, paratyphus and viral hepatitis. The sprinkle of lemon has no protective role against any pathogens, while cooking reduces the risk of infection.
It is therefore necessary to pay close attention to the supply source, which must be certified and official, avoiding spontaneous collection. Moreover, any raw mollusc is to be avoided during pregnancy and in case of poor health.
Shellfish minerals
The excellent presence of iron, higher than that of beef, makes them suitable in the presence of iron deficiency anemia. Some molluscs are also very rich in zinc, a powerful antioxidant not too abundant in the diet.
The sodium problem
Unfortunately, bivalve molluscs also have an important sodium content and should therefore be consumed in moderation, especially by hypertensives, who must use them moderately and occasionally. Someone solves this problem by eliminating the cooking water but at the expense of the organoleptic characteristics of the food.
Preparation
Fish easy to cook
The easiest fish to cook, rich in proteins and basically lean, are swordfish, shark (greenish, emery, dogfish, etc.) and tuna fillet (even canned fillet). However, being at the top of the food chain of the aquatic environment, they tend to accumulate significant amounts of toxic substances in meat.
Other lean fish, but safer and therefore more consumable, are cod, sole, hake, trout and sea bream; they certainly require more skill in cleaning and cooking but little experience is enough.
The undisputed "leader" of the "healthy fish of the Mediterranean diet" category requires the same manpower: blue fish. It is tasty, cheap and has enviable concentrations of omega 3, phosphorus, iodine and iron. For this reason, the blue fish can be the main dish of our tables even in three or at most four weekly occasions.
The consumption of anchovies and sardines should be minimized if you suffer from gout, as these are foods with a high purine content.
Contamination
Most polluted fish
Examining only commercial fish, we could define that the most polluted are the same ones mentioned at the beginning of the previous paragraph. Tuna, sharks and swordfish, in fact, contain high levels of heavy metals (mercury type), dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls.
This risk is common to all large fish and their consumption should be limited especially during growth, pregnancy (even when it is only scheduled) and breastfeeding.
Wild fish is potentially more exposed to chemical waste than breeding, which however tends to have a lower nutritional value; furthermore, the risk deriving from the possible sophistication of the feed with which it is fed should not be underestimated.
