Most people believe that the fresher the fish, the better, so they prefer to kill and eat it on the spot. However, this is actually a misconception. Whether farmed or wild, fish contain certain toxic substances. Fish is indeed a very healthy food, but it must be eaten properly to be truly beneficial to your health.
1. Eating raw fish slices can lead to "clonorchiasis"
Many people love the fresh and tender taste of raw fish slices, but they don't realize that eating raw fish is very harmful to the liver,极易感染肝吸虫病，甚至诱发肝癌.
According to experts in nutrition and health, clonorchiasis is a parasitic disease mainly affecting the liver and gallbladder. The risk of human infection from eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish, shrimp, and snails containing live metacercariae of liver flukes is extremely high. Currently, there are millions of clonorchiasis patients in Guangdong Province alone, many of whom became ill precisely from eating raw fish and shrimp.
Its clinical symptoms are more common, such as fatigue, upper abdominal discomfort, indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dull pain in the liver area, hepatomegaly, dizziness, etc. In severe cases of advanced infection, it can lead to liver cirrhosis with ascites, and even death.
2. Improperly eating fish gallbladders for detoxification can lead to poisoning instead
Fish gallbladder is a traditional Chinese medicine, often used by TCM to treat eye redness and pain, throat obstruction, sores, etc.
Therefore, there is a folk saying that eating fish gallbladders can clear heat and detoxify, improve eyesight, and relieve cough. So despite the bitter taste of fish gallbladder, some people are always eager to try it. Improperly eating fish gallbladder is extremely dangerous and can easily cause poisoning and even endanger life.
Experts point out that the bile of fish contains highly toxic substances such as water-soluble "cyprinol sodium sulfate." These toxins are heat-resistant and cannot be destroyed by alcohol. Therefore, whether the fish gallbladder is cooked, swallowed raw, or taken with wine, poisoning can occur.
Fish gallbladder poisoning has a rapid onset, severe condition, and high mortality rate. Those with mild poisoning may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Severe cases may show symptoms such as enlarged liver, jaundice, tenderness in the liver area, oliguria or anuria, and tenderness on percussion in the kidney area. If not treated in time, it can lead to liver and kidney failure and death.
The degree of poisoning in patients is generally related to the amount of bile in the fish gallbladder. Therefore, swallowing the gallbladder of a larger fish is more likely to cause poisoning.
3. Eating fish on an empty stomach may lead to "gout"
Today, with the growing trend of dieting, many people like to eat only vegetables and not rice, and it's common to eat fish on an empty stomach. However, this can easily trigger a gout attack. Gout is a disease caused by tissue damage due to increased blood uric acid from purine metabolism disorders.
And the vast majority of fish are rich in purines themselves. If a large amount of purine-containing fish is consumed on an empty stomach without enough carbohydrates to break it down, the body's acid-base balance will be disrupted, which can easily induce gout or worsen the condition of gout patients.
4. Killing and eating fish fresh leaves residual toxins that harm the body
Most people believe that the fresher the fish, the better, so they prefer to kill and eat it on the spot, believing this ensures the fish's freshness and nutrition. However, this is actually a misconception. Whether farmed or wild, fish contain certain toxic substances.
When killed and eaten fresh, the toxic substances in the fish often don't have enough time to be completely eliminated, and the parasites and bacteria on the fish have not died completely. These residual toxins can likely cause harm to the body.
In addition, the fish protein eaten fresh has not been completely broken down, the nutritional value is not fully realized, and the texture is not necessarily the best.
It is undeniable that fish is indeed a very healthy food, but it must be eaten properly to be truly beneficial to your health.