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The goodness of fish
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| According to statistics, Italians eat only one tenth as much fish as meat; perhaps this is because too few people realize how good it actually is for them. Rich in iodine, potassium, magnesium and protein and low in fat, fish is as nutritious as meat. It is about 20% protein, not to mention rich in vitamins A, D and E. As the other 75 to 80% is composed of water, it's easy to digest. Plus, it contains a lot of phosphorous and copper, substances that are very useful for the body. |
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According to the amounts of lipids they contain, fish can be broken down into three basic categories: lean, with less than 5% fat content (anchovy, pike, turbot, hake, cod, gilthead, dab, sole, trout and a few mollusks), medium-fat, with a fat content of between 5 and 10% (carp, herring, mackerel, mullet, sardine) and fat, in which the percentage is over 10% (eel, lamprey, salmon, tuna). Fish also contains high levels of essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, which helps to reduce cholesterol. It is cholesterol that is responsible for arteriosclerosis.
Naturally, the best way to enjoy fish is to eat it fresh, but frozen fish manages to maintain its organoleptic properties very well.
Whatever preparation method you choose to use - boiling, grilling, frying, drying, smoking - fish will not lose its nutritional value, although its digestibility will be affected depending on the thermal treatment it is subjected to. Fish is ideally cooked for only a very short period of time and it is best to try to avoid frying it (the Japanese regularly eat it raw; a habit they have exported to the rest of the world).
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All contemporary nutritionists advise including generous quantities of fish in our diet. It is especially good for children because it is rich in iron, phosphorous, iodine and essential fats, indispensable for proper growth. It is good for the elderly because it is easy to digest and helps prevent osteoporosis. It is good for people suffering from conditions relating to the gastrointestinal tract, like ulcers, gastritis and digestive problems, because it irritates the mucous membrane of the stomach much less than meat.
When making your fish selection, it's a good idea to remember one thing. It's not true that the more you pay, the better the fish is. Blue fish, for example, is quite cheap but rich in nutritional substances. This category includes any number of smaller fish, the type Italian seas abound in, fish with dark blue backs and silvery sides (like anchovies, sardines and mackerel), although it also includes such giants as swordfish and tuna.
All of these fishes are rich in Omega 3, polyunsaturated fats that help combat diabetes and obesity as well as skin ailments, like psoriasis and contact eczema. Plus, it has been demonstrated that eating blue fish at least three times a week helps prevent coronary disturbances and, thanks to a special amino acid called, "taurine", counters the damage inflicted by smoking. This substance enables the arteries to maintain their ability to dilate.
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