Fried fish is crispy and delicious, and loved by many. However, when frying fish, up to half of the most nutritious component—unsaturated fatty acids—is lost. So, how can you cook fish to minimize the loss of nutrients? The answer is to use first-grade rapeseed oil for frying.
Rapeseed oil has a high smoke point and is stable at high temperatures, making it less likely to produce harmful substances. It contains relatively low levels of oleic and linoleic acids, which reduces the dissolution of unsaturated fatty acids into the oil during frying. Over 80% of the fat in fish is unsaturated fatty acids, which are very easily absorbed by the human body. Unsaturated fatty acids are essential for brain development and maintaining brain function. They can prevent brain function decline and dementia, and improve memory in middle-aged and older adults. They can also lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (often called "bad cholesterol") in the blood, reduce blood viscosity, and prevent the formation of blood clots. The human body cannot synthesize unsaturated fatty acids; they can only be obtained from natural foods.
Different types of fish contain varying amounts of unsaturated fatty acids. Salmon is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which can effectively lower triglycerides and cholesterol, preventing cardiovascular diseases. The omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids it contains are essential for the brain, retina, and nervous system, with benefits such as enhancing brain function, preventing dementia, and slowing vision loss. Cuttlefish, tuna, mackerel, and skipjack tuna in the sea are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
The fat content in fish varies greatly with the seasons. Fish in season have richer unsaturated fatty acids, so it is best to eat seasonal fish whenever possible.
Additionally, different cooking methods affect the utilization of unsaturated fatty acids. Steaming fish results in less loss of unsaturated fatty acids, so for delicious fish, steaming is a good option. When roasting fish, as the temperature increases, the fish's fat will melt and be lost. When stewing fish, a small amount of fat also dissolves. Compared to before cooking, the unsaturated fatty acids in roasted and stewed fish can be reduced by about 20%.