Smoked fish | A good meal option?

Fish is high in unsaturated fatty acids that positively affect the cardiovascular and nervous system. It contains many vitamins and microelements. You can buy fresh, frozen, canned, and smoked fish. What about the last variant? Should you eat it? Is it healthy?

Is smoked fish healthy?

Not only are fish a source of unsaturated fatty acids but they also, depending on the species, contain vitamins A, D, E, B and elements such as selenium, iodine, calcium, and phosphorus. Unfortunately, the amount of the mentioned compounds drops in the process of smoking. Tests have shown that fish loses 40-60% of its minerals and fatty acids while being smoked.

Moreover, potentially cancerous tar is made within fish in the process. As follows, toxic compounds that can cause allergies or food poisoning are also dangerous. What’s more, fish is salted before smoking, which can have a negative impact on your health as well.

Fish smoking

Smoking is a method of food preservation, and can be done to meat, cheese, and fish. The process includes exposing food to smoke generated from burning timber. Fish smoking uses smoke from broadleaved trees such as beech, alder, and apple tree. The smoke creates residue on the fish surface and dries it. This prevents bacteria and other microorganisms from coming in, and gives fish an intense flavor.

The most commonly smoked fish are mackerel, salmon, trout, and eel. Before smoking, fish is slated or soaked in brine. Then it is exposed to the smoke. There are two methods of smoking fish, cold and hot. Cold smoking takes place in the temperature of 20-30 C and lasts a few days. Fish smoked this way is tougher and solid in texture. Hot smoking requires 70-90 C. This process is quicker and produces delicate and mellow fish.

Should you eat smoked fish?

The food is tasty and has a rich flavor. Its nutritional value is also high so we can include it in our menu once in a while. According to nutritionists, you shouldn’t eat the product more than one a week. Unfortunately, this meal isn’t recommended for pregnant women and people with hypertension.

Do you like smoked fish?