"Did you know? I've heard that some fish are harmful to the body when eaten. Aunt Wang said to her old friend Uncle Li. When Uncle Li heard this, he couldn't help but put down the Tai Chi fan that he was holding steadily, his eyes instantly focused, and he responded with interest: "Oh?
The exercisers around were also attracted by this sudden conversation and gathered around. Aunt Wang was ready to tell the story: "It's not!" "I saw a program on TV two days ago, which specifically talked about four kinds of fish, saying that it may contain formaldehyde, heavy metals or something, and eating too much is not good for our health."
At that time, I was shocked when I heard it, thinking that we usually like to buy fish to eat, thinking that we should supplement more nutrients, but I didn't expect that there are so many particularities here. This scene is just like the concern and confusion about food safety issues in our daily life, what kind of health hazards may be hidden behind the seemingly ordinary table food?
01. Fish: a nutritional treasure on the table
As an important part of human food culture, fish is loved by consumers all over the world for its unique nutritional value and taste charm. It is known as the "healthiest meat", not for nothing, but because of its rich nutrients and many health benefits.
Rich in omega-3 fatty acids: Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA, which play a vital role in maintaining cardiovascular health.
Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by lowering LDL cholesterol levels in the blood and raising HDL cholesterol levels, which can help prevent atherosclerotic plaque formation.
Regular consumption of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps protect the heart and has a positive effect on the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and hypertension.
DHA and Vision Health: Fish is an excellent source of DHA, a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that accounts for a significant proportion of the membrane structure of retinal photoreceptor cells and is essential for the development and function of the visual system.
For infants and young children, adequate DHA intake can help promote brain and eye development, and has a certain effect on preventing retinopathy of prematurity. For adults and the elderly, DHA helps maintain retinal function, delays vision decline, and is beneficial for the prevention of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and dry eye disease.
High-quality protein and immune support: The protein content of fish meat is usually between 17% and 22%, which is a high-quality protein, and its amino acid composition is close to the human demand pattern, easy to digest and absorb, and has a high utilization rate.
The protein in fish not only provides the body with the "building materials" needed for construction and repair, but also plays a key role in improving immunity and strengthening resistance as a raw material for the synthesis of bioactive substances such as immunoglobulins, enzymes, and hormones.
A treasure trove of vitamins and minerals: Fish is rich in vitamins that are essential for healthy skin, mucous membranes and vision, vitamin B12 is essential for the nervous system and red blood cell production, and vitamin D is essential for bone health by aiding in calcium absorption.
Low-fat and low-calorie: Compared with pork, beef, sheep and other terrestrial animal meats, fish meat has a lower fat content, generally between 1% and 10%, and is mostly fish oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids. This means that fish provides a lot of nutrients without being too caloric burdensome, making it ideal for people who are concerned about weight management or have fat loss needs.
02. These four kinds of fish may have hidden "poison" elements
Unknown wild fish: Unknown wild fish caught in wild rivers, lakes, reservoirs and other places are often difficult to monitor their growth environment, and contaminants in water quality, sediment and food chain may be absorbed and accumulated by the fish.
These pollutants may include heavy metals, organic pollutants, pesticide residues, etc., and long-term ingestion will cause potential harm to human health, such as nervous system damage, increased burden on the liver, and decreased immune function.
Some wild fish may carry parasites or pathogenic bacteria, and if they are not properly cooked and frozen, they can easily cause infectious diseases when eaten.
Fish with an off-smell: Fresh fish should have a natural fishy smell, but if the fish body emits a pungent ammonia, rancidity, oil, or other unusual odor, the fish may have started to spoil or become contaminated.
Harmful substances such as histamine and hydrogen sulfide produced during the spoilage process, as well as possible bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc., can cause food poisoning.
Odours can also be a sign of toxic contamination of fish, such as marine fish contaminated with red tide algal toxins.
Large fish: Large fish are more likely to accumulate heavy metals and other POPs in the environment due to their high position in the marine food chain.
Long-term consumption of large quantities of this kind of fish may lead to the accumulation of pollutants in the human body beyond the safe threshold, causing damage to the nervous system, immune system, reproductive system, etc., especially the intellectual development of fetuses and children.
Strange-shaped fish: Fish with abnormal morphology, such as deformity, abnormal color, uneven size, scale shedding, etc., are often the result of environmental stress, genetic variation, disease infection, drug abuse and other factors in the growth process of the fish.
These abnormalities may indicate the presence of some harmful substance or pathogen in the fish, which may pose a health risk after consumption. Some fish may develop mutations in stress resistance genes that cause morphological abnormalities when they are exposed to environmental pollution, and the accumulation of pollutants in their bodies may be higher than that of their normal counterparts.
Enjoying the nutrition and deliciousness of fish is inseparable from our high attention to food safety and rational consumption choices. Only by knowing in your heart and seeing your hands quickly can you protect the health of yourself and your family while tasting "fish".
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