Boost your brainpower by eating some fish!

Many people love eating fish. Not only can eating fish regularly help fight aging, but it can also extend our lifespan. However, some fish are not suitable for eating. Let's take a look with the editor!

I. Fish Not to Eat

1. Don't eat fish that is too red or too white.

Different fish varieties are naturally divided into red meat fish like tuna and white meat fish like hairtail. However, if the fish's color is overly bright red or a stark white, it's likely the "work" of food coloring.

2. Choose fish that are "eight-tenths" of their full size.

The size of a fish determines its texture and safety. If it's too small, the fish hasn't fully matured, so the meat won't be tender and fresh, and there will be more bones. If it's too large, it means the fish is old, the meat is coarse, and it may have accumulated harmful substances. Therefore, it's best to choose a fish that is about "eight-tenths" of its full size. For example, 1.5 jin for carp and Wuchang fish, 0.5 jin to 1 jin for crucian carp, and 4 to 5 jin for grass carp are appropriate sizes.

3. Don't buy fish with cloudy, sunken eyes or gray gills.

When selecting "freshly chilled fish," first observe its eyes and gills. A fresh fish will have full, clear eyes with transparent corneas, and red, clear gills. For less fresh fish, the eyes may not be full, the corneas could be wrinkled and slightly cloudy, sometimes with blood leakage, and the gills may appear dark, reddish-gray or purplish-gray. For spoiled fish, the eyes are sunken or shrunken, the corneas are wrinkled or ruptured, and the gills are brown or grayish-white.

4. It's best not to eat fresh fish immediately.

Let a freshly killed fish rest before eating it. The quality of the meat is not at its peak right after slaughter because the flesh needs to undergo a "purging" process to become more delicious. Small fish like grass carp and silver carp should be refrigerated immediately and cooked after 2 hours. Larger fish need to be refrigerated for more than 2 hours.

Sweet and Sour Fish with Tomato Sauce

Extended Reading: A Complete Guide to Eating Carp

5. Don't select fish from tanks with abnormally colored water.

When buying live fish at a supermarket, check the "water color." This reflects the water quality. If the water is dark green or blue, it may mean there is an overgrowth of algae, indicating that the water and tank haven't been changed or cleaned for a long time, which could affect the fish's health. Fish in tanks with clear, flowing, and regularly changed water are generally more lively.

6. Freeze raw fish slices before eating.

Raw fish slices may contain parasites. Parasites have poor resistance to both heat and cold. They can be killed after being frozen at -20°C for 24 hours, whereas the ice under a typical sashimi platter is completely ineffective at killing them. Therefore, fish should only be eaten raw if you are absolutely certain of its source.

7. Try to steam the fish.

Among all cooking methods, steaming is the healthiest. It uses low heat and little oil, which helps preserve most of the nutrients in the fish. When boiling or stewing, some nutrients may leach into the broth. Grilling uses high heat, which can produce harmful substances, and it also involves a significant amount of oil, undermining the fish's healthy, low-fat feature. Frying contains even more oil and causes greater nutrient loss, so it is not recommended.

8. Don't eat overly cured fish.

Seafood products may contain high levels of nitrites. During the drying or curing process, some of the protein breaks down, forming amines. These amines then combine with nitrites to create nitrosamines, which pose a certain cancer risk.

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Extended Reading: A Complete Guide to Eating Hairtail

II. Benefits of Eating Fish

1. Protects vision.

Central retinal degeneration is a common cause of vision loss in the elderly. A large-scale study in France found that fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

2. Lowers the risk of heart disease.

In the United States, heart disease remains the leading cause of death for adults. However, the Harvard School of Public Health observed that consuming about 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids by eating fish one or two times a week can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death by 36% and lower the overall death risk by 17%.

3. Boosts brainpower.

If you are about to face an important task or exam, it's recommended that you eat more fish. A study published in the journal *PLOS ONE* found that when omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish oil was given as a dietary supplement to a group of 18- to 25-year-olds, their cognitive abilities steadily improved over 6 months. The reason, researchers believe, is that omega-3 fatty acids can influence the memory storage function.

4. Promotes development.

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids is especially important for pregnant women as it promotes the development of the fetus's brain and nervous system. A 2007 study published in *The Lancet* found that consuming 3 to 4 servings of seafood (including fish) per week (about 340 grams) can significantly improve a baby's intelligence, language skills, and motor abilities after birth.

5. Extends lifespan.

A new study following participants for 16 years found that eating fish can indeed help you live longer. Researchers found that consuming the beneficial fatty acids in fish can reduce mortality by 27%, and people who regularly eat fish can live two years longer than those who don't.

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Extended Reading: A Complete Guide to Eating Mackerel

Boost your brainpower by eating some fish!

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