Fish, a complete food – Part II
“When Diet Is Wrong, Medicine Is Of No Use. When Diet Is Correct, Medicine Is Of No Need.” – Ayurvedic Proverb
Seafood is an excellent source of various important nutrients that are essential for optimal health. Fish consists of the following rich nutrients:
1. Protein: Seafood is a rich source of high-quality protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues, including muscle tissues.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Seafood, especially fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids are important for brain function, reducing inflammation and improving heart health.
3. Vitamin D: Fatty fish is one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D which is important for bone health and disease prevention.
4. Minerals: Seafood is rich in minerals such as iodine, zinc, and selenium, which are important for thyroid function, immune health, and overall mineral balance in the body.
5. Unsaturated Fat: Seafood contains unsaturated fat, making it a healthy alternative to other animal protein sources that are high in saturated fat.
6. B vitamins– Fish are rich in B vitamins, which are important for energy production and brain function.
Consuming a seafood diet offers a wide range of potential health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Undergiven fish details ( List starts at 17) are the continuation of our earlier blog, “ Fish : A Complete nutrient food”
17. White fish / False trevally (Kuthippu)
Also known as False Trevally, Milk Trevally or Whitefish. It is native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans and from East Africa to Southeast Asia.
It is a small marine fish with amazing taste and texture. Having high demand in the domestic market. Great to fry and also to make curry recipes. It is asmall marine fish with amazing taste and texture. Having high demand in the domestic market. Great to fry and also to make curry recipes
The benefits and nutrient values
The health benefits of False Trevally includes –high in omega 3 fatty acids -healthy heart Healthy cardiovascular system -strong bones and muscles -Healthy skin and hair etc This food is low in sodium. It can enhance general health by lowering the risk of strokes and cancer and helping you sleep better, and improving eyesight.
18. Stingray Fish / Thirukkai Fish( Therachi meen )
Stingrays are extremely delicious when prepared correctly! Stingray meat can be eaten baked, grilled, fried, or even eaten raw. The dense texture of the meat helps t.o retain its taste regardless of what cooking method you use. Many people would even describe the texture to be similar to chicken
Those that have eaten stingray say that it tastes like a combination of fish with scallops or fish with lobster. It is described as having a mild taste with a slightly sweet flavor.
Nutrients
This meat is packed full of different nutrients and vitamins, such as vitamins D, B, B1, B2, and C apart from protein.
19. Trevally fish / Thenga parai
Trevally Fish has a firm flesh, mild-flavor and slightly oily meat, making this fish suitable to many palates.
The trevally provides 110 Calories, 21g protein, and around 2g of fat (0.2g saturated fat) per 100g. There are 162 calories in a 100 grams cooked serving of Fresh Trevally.
Varieties of Parai Fish
Parai fish is available in various varieties in India, all of which have a unique flavor, characteristics and texture. Following are a few popular Trevally fish varieties::
- Thengai Parai Fish
- Manja Parai Fish
- Kadal Parai Fish
- Thol Parai Fish
- Mutta Parai Fish
- Nei Parai Fish
Nutrients
Benefits
-
- It contains many omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower cholesterol and minimize the risk of heart disease.
- Proteins, vitamin D, and zinc are all high in this food.
People add it to their diet because they believe it can enhance general health by lowering the risk of strokes and cancer and helping you sleep better, and improving eyesight.
20. Black King Fish / Cobia / Motha
Cobia is a premium whitefish. It contains rich Omega-3 and is known for its fresh and clean, buttery flavor.. It cooks well on the grill, in the oven or in your steamer.
It’s also sustainably raised and certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) – 4 Star, and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Mark.
They are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals that help in maintaining good health.
- It contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.
- It is a good source of vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin C, B12, B6, A, E and vitamin K.
21. Clam / Shellfish (Sippi)
Clams belong to a group of invertebrates called mollusks. There are over 100,000 kinds of species available in the Mollusca phylum category.
Whether steamed, fried, or grilled, clams are delicious and nutritious to your diet.
Clam, along with sea snails, squid, octopus and scallops are examples of popular ocean-sourced seafood known as molluscs
Nutrients:
- Clams are one of the greatest sources of vitamin B12 in the diet.
- Clams contain dietary sources of omega-3.
- Clams contain abundant proteins which contain amino acids.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in clam.
Benefits:
- You can improve skin complexion by eating clams.
- They are a terrific energy source.
- You can improve blood function and eliminate high blood pressure.
- Clam consumption helps get off Rheumatoid Arthritis.
22. Shark (Sura meen)
Several sharks are fished for human consumption, such as porbeagles, shortfin mako shark, requiem shark, and thresher shark, among others. Shark meat is popular in Asia. Here it is often eaten dried, smoked, or salted.
People often describe shark meat’s taste as meaty with sweetness. The texture is moist when compared with chicken. Additionally, you can cook it in various ways, but it is delicious when grilled, baked, or pan-seared.
Shark meat has been shown high levels of toxic metals such as mercury that far exceed what is allowed for human consumption. A recent article reveals that sharks have the dangerous marine toxin called ciguatoxin.
Shark cartilage is also used for arthritis, psoriasis, wound healing, damage to the retina of the eye due to diabetes, and inflammation of the intestine (enteritis).
According to folklore in Tamil Nadu, the consumption of milk sharks can help cure a common cold and cough and help mothers with lactation. Milk shark meat is delicate, soft, chewy, and flavourful and has a flaky texture that dissolves in the mouth.
23. Silver Belly / Karal / Karapodi
Silver Belly is a type of small silver colored fish. It has a flaky texture. It has a mild sweet taste. Silver belly fish is known for its sharp pin bones spreaded all over the body.
Minerals:
Silver belly fish is one of the fish having the highest content of calcium and phosphorus compared to other fishes and is an appropriate choice for the people who are suffering from Calcium Deficiency.
Nutrients:
Like other types of seafood, it is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have numerous health benefits.
Salient feature:
It is still practiced in various parts of India that women during childbirth are drinking the juice of Karal fish to extract breast milk.
24. Belt fish / Ribbon fish / Vaalai meen
Ribbonfish are narrow and elongated bodied fish which resemble a ribbon because of its slim body structure. It is said that ribbon fish inhabit the oceans of Pacific and Indian which includes New Zealand, Japan, and the Philippines.
Recipe
The belt fish dish can be enjoyed with a variety of different sauces and sides. From classic lemon butter to spicy cajun, there are many ways to enjoy this seafood dish.
Nutrients and calories:
It is low in fat and high in protein.
Ribbon Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). This fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium.
In terms of nutrition, ribbon fish generally contains about 350 calories in a 100-gram serving, making them a very calorie-dense type of fish. The same serving also provides high levels of protein, as well as some B vitamins and high levels of sodium, as well as select polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fats
Health Benefits
- Boosting cardiovascular health
- Relieving inflammation
- Improving vision health
- Treating depression
- Treating arthritis and joint pain
- Clearing out blood vessels
- Boosting brain power
- Improving skin appearance
- Preventing chronic diseases
- Promoting satiety
25. Butterfish / Punnara meen
- Butterfish are dull blue on the top, with pale sides and a silvery belly. Numerous irregular dark spots fade after they are harvested.
- Very thin and deep-bodied, like a flounder set upright, and somewhat circular or rounded.
- Small mouths with weak teeth and blunt noses
Butterfish is a good source of nutrients.
It includes,
Niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, protein, vitamin B12, and selenium.
26. Brown spotted Grouper / Kalava meen
All groupers are members of the sea bass family, Serranidae, which is made up of more than 400 species and Grouper is one of Florida’s most popular fish. Grouper has a mild yet distinct flavor, somewhere between Bass and Halibut.
The taste of most Grouper is similar, with slight differences in flavor and texture, depending on size, species and location of harvest. Red Grouper is sweeter and milder than Black Grouper.
Nutrients and calories:
Grouper is high in protein and low in fat. A four-ounce serving contains 110 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 23 grams of protein.
It is a good source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, D and A and nutrients like omega-3 acid, magnesium, protein, iron, and potassium.
Summary
When we look into human anatomy and metabolism we must feed our body with food which consists of nutrients. Those nutrients are protein, carbohydrate, fat, water, vitamins and minerals.
The fish contains each and every nutrient listed above, but not carbohydrates only. Surprisingly, the energy that is fetched by carbohydrates is managed by the fat and protein of the fish.
Obviously, fish act as a complete food, since it provides every nutrient that our body demands. In addition, it acts as hidden medicine. Hence, fish is considered as a complete food. And mankind can survive by consuming only fish, for sure.