As the cold deepens, temperatures drop, and the days grow short while the nights lengthen, our physical activity decreases and our appetite increases. While we use our diet to increase our energy to combat the cold, we should not just satisfy our cravings while neglecting the care and maintenance of our bodies. The lifestyle editor has specially compiled various diet and health information suitable for the severe winter to ensure you and your family stay healthy and happy every day!
People are now more and more particular about what they eat, and their diets are becoming more and more refined. They eat every part of a food, leaving nothing behind.
Take fish, for example. People are no longer satisfied with just eating the fish meat; there are also enthusiasts for the fish head, fish lips, fish eyes, fish scales, and fish maw. But do you know how much nutritional value these parts have?
1. For nutrition: Fish meat, fish head
Fish meat is rich in high-quality protein that is easy to digest and absorb; it has a low fat content and provides low energy. It also contains inorganic salts such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iodine, zinc, and selenium, as well as vitamins A, D, and B-complex vitamins. Fish muscle is divided into dark meat and white meat. Dark meat contains more lipids, glycogen, vitamins, and enzymes, and has a stronger fishy taste. It is generally found in more active fish like tuna, bonito, and sardines. Fish like silver cod, large yellow croaker, and flounder have more white meat with a milder fishy taste.
The fish head is rich in DHA, a polyunsaturated fatty acid known as "brain gold," as well as phospholipids, which are beneficial for infant brain development and may also help in the auxiliary treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, fish heads are high in cholesterol, so consumption should be controlled.
2. For beauty and texture: Fish maw (fish bladder)
The fish maw contains biological macromolecular collagen protein, which can improve tissue nutrition, promote growth and development, and delay skin aging. The consumption of fish maw was recorded over 1600 years ago in "Qi Min Yao Shu," where it was mentioned alongside bird's nest and shark fin, earning it the reputation of "ginseng of the sea." It is an ideal high-protein, low-fat food. The swim bladders of saltwater fish are thicker and are usually made into dried products, known as fish maw. Dishes made from fish maw have a smooth, delicate, and rich texture.
3. For novelty and fun: Fish scales, fish eyes, fish lips
Wang Yi states that fish scales contain choline, which can enhance memory. They also contain various unsaturated fatty acids, which have a certain effect on preventing and treating arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, and heart disease, and can be made into fish scale jelly for consumption. Furthermore, Chen Shunsheng mentions that the scales of hilsa shad and Spanish mackerel contain certain lipids and umami components, so they can be cooked without scaling. When eating, you can suck the juice to ingest a small amount of collagen that has dissolved from them. The scales of hairtail contain 6-thioguanine, which has anti-cancer properties and is therefore more valuable; they do not need to be scraped off before eating.
Fish lips are mainly made by drying the skin and associated tissue from the upper lips of sturgeon, sharks, and rays. The main component is also collagen. It is also considered one of the "Eight Treasures of the Sea," but it actually has little nutritional value. The vitamin B1 and DHA content in fish eyes is slightly higher, but because the quantity is small, its nutritional value is not significant. There are also the fish tail and fish bones. The fish tail is a piece of meat from the tail of the fish, and its nutrition is similar to the rest of the body. Fish bones do have a calcium-supplementing effect, but people generally eat very little of them. The bones of sharks can be made into fish bone powder.
Braised Pomfret