How to cook fish in a nutritious and healthy way?

Introduction: Fish is a high-protein food, and boiled fish or grilled fish are popular dishes these days. People often order these two dishes when dining out. However, what they don't realize is that boiled fish and grilled fish have health hazards such as excessive oil and carcinogens, which deprive the originally nutritious fish of its nutritional value.

Fish is rich in protein, and although it contains little fat, it has a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, especially the essential unsaturated fatty acids for the human body. So, how should this nutritious food be prepared to be healthier? Some might immediately say boiled fish or grilled fish. Indeed, boiled fish or grilled fish are popular dishes these days, and people often order these two when dining out. What they don't realize is that boiled fish and grilled fish have health hazards such as excessive oil and carcinogens, which deprive the originally nutritious fish of its nutritional value.

Steamed Sea Bass

The nutritional value of boiled fish is reduced Boiled fish is not actually cooked by boiling. It is made with very fresh fish that is blanched in boiling water after being coated in a starch mixture, but then it is finished by being drenched in a large (or even massive) amount of hot oil. The first half of the cooking method is very much in line with the needs of nutrition and health, but the key step that follows is the problem. A serving of boiled fish uses at least two jin (1 kg) of oil, and up to four jin (2 kg). This oil is also simmered with excessive amounts of chili, Sichuan peppercorns, and other Chinese herbal spices. Roughly calculated, the cost of this oil is no less than that of the fish itself, which is why many restaurants do not allow you to take the leftover oil home.

So, how is this large amount of boiled fish oil handled? The leftover oil is reheated and reused. While the repeatedly heated oil may not contain excessive bacteria or viruses and won't spread diseases, it will contain a lot of carcinogenic oxidized polymers, especially excessive levels of 3,4-benzopyrene. Therefore, the originally very healthy and nutritious fish is ruined.

Braised Fish Head with Tofu

Furthermore, there is the currently popular grilled fish. Not to mention that many "grilled" fish are actually fried first and then stewed, even if they are truly grilled and then stewed, they are not very healthy. When meat is grilled, its proteins are severely denatured by heat, producing harmful sulfur compounds and becoming difficult to digest and absorb. Moreover, the high-quality fatty acids in fish produce a large amount of harmful substances after being exposed to high temperatures. The sauce for this grilled fish is too high in oil and very spicy. For friends who are under a lot of work stress, eat too much meat, and find their food bland, this kind of stimulating food is very popular, but it has already lost the nutritional benefits of fish.

Catfish Stew with Tofu

Low-oil cooking can ensure that nutrients are not lost So, which methods of preparing fish are more nutritious? Steamed fish, fish balls in clear soup, clay pot tofu stew with fish head, stewed fish (non-deep-fried), pot-roasted fish, vinegar and pepper fish, Qilin fish, stir-fried fish balls, and steamed fish cakes are all good choices. Fresh sashimi like salmon and tuna is also much better than boiled fish or grilled fish. However, although this method of eating loses less nutrition, the absorption in the body may not be high, especially for friends with poor gastrointestinal health who may feel uncomfortable after eating it. So, it's okay to have it occasionally, but it shouldn't be a habit.

Carp Soup

Finally, we need to understand which foods fish pairs well with. As we all know, fish is a high-protein food. Following the principle of a balanced diet, when we eat high-protein foods like fish, we must pair them with low-protein foods, such as carbohydrate-rich staples like grains or potatoes, whole grains; and fresh vegetables, fungi, and algae foods that are rich in dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. It would be even better to replace some of the meat with soy products, which not only reduces cholesterol intake but also allows for amino acid complementation, increasing the biological utilization value of protein.

From just one food like fish, we can list so many issues. The same is true for other foods. As long as we master the dietary principles of "balanced nutrition, reasonable pairing, and low-temperature cooking," we can allow the delicious food on our tables to fully exert its therapeutic and health-preserving effects.

Papaya and Carp Soup