Why catfish is useful, description and photo

Freshwater catfish is one of the largest fish living in rivers and lakes of the European part of Russia and Europe. It can grow to gigantic proportions and gain weight up to 250-300 kg. True, no one has seen such giants for a long time. But smaller individuals are easily caught in the nets of fishermen. What are the benefits and harms of catfish for human health - more on that later.

What does catfish look like and where is found

The catfish has a large large head with a huge voracious mouth, on both sides of which there is one large mustache. Another 4 small antennae are located on the chin of the individual. They play the role of tentacles, with the help of which the individual can easily find food, even in pitch darkness. The eyes of the catfish are small, the teeth are small and sharp. The body is highly elongated and covered with mucus, there are practically no scales. The tail is rounded and not very fishy. There are no adipose fin or spines on the fins.

Catfish life span is up to 35 years. It is at this age that he has the greatest weight, but the meat is now already rough and tasteless. Fishermen prefer to eat younger fish, aged from 4 to 20 years. Their mass at this moment ranges from 5 to 120 kg. As for the color, it directly depends on where the individuals live. The color can range from white to black. And one more thing: these fish prefer to live in fresh water bodies: in pools or deep pits. They can't stand muti.

Catfish meat composition

Catfish pulp is airy, soft, almost boneless. Contains many vitamins, including: A, group B, E, PP and C. Of the minerals are present: calcium, manganese, phosphorus, iron, a lot of iodine, cobalt and many others. others (almost the entire periodic table!). This composition makes the catfish very valuable. Its health benefits can hardly be overestimated. But there is practically no harm from eating the product.

Calorie content and nutritional value of catfish

The product contains: proteins - 17.2 grams, fats - 5.1 g per 100 g of the product. But there are no carbohydrates, which makes it very useful for consumption during various diets. The nutritional value of the fish is high. Since catfish contains only 2% of connective tissue, it is easily absorbed by the body after cooking. This is very important for young children, adolescents, and the elderly. In terms of calorie content, it depends on the type of heat treatment.

Based on the above data, you can easily understand that the most useful meat is jerky, baked, stewed or steamed.

Useful properties of catfish

The beneficial properties of fish are due to its rich composition. Soma is good to eat not only for healthy people who want to increase immunity, but also for those who suffer, for example, from gastrointestinal and heart diseases, numerous viral diseases, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and arterial hypertension.Or he simply wants to improve the condition of his nervous system, nails or hair. In addition, it was observed that people who regularly ate catfish in food were less susceptible to ischemia, strokes, cancer, night blindness, and osteoarthritis. Therefore, doctors recommend using it to prevent these diseases.

Fish catfish for children

The benefits of catfish for the health of the child are also quite tangible. Eating this fish strengthens its bones, promotes better absorption of calcium, and normalizes the amount of nitrogen in the child's body. But since the meat contains a little more fat than necessary, it is possible to introduce catfish into the diet of the crumbs only after a year, not earlier. The allowable amount is up to 200 grams, no more than 1-2 times a week.

The benefits of catfish fish for weight loss

Useful properties include the presence in the composition of substances that improve metabolism and, therefore, weight loss. Getting rid of extra pounds when eating this fish occurs due to the easy digestion and assimilation of its pulp. However, you need to remember that fried in fat or oil, it can do more harm than good. For consumption during a diet, it is better to steam it or just boil it.

The benefits and harms of catfish liver

Separately, it should be said about the beneficial properties of catfish liver. It contains fish oil, which is very valuable for the human body. This means that the use of the product allows:

• improve the condition of bone tissue;
• normalize the digestive tract;
• improve memory and immunity;
• normalize concentration.

However, the taste of the liver is not to everyone's liking (or, perhaps, few people know how to cook it correctly?). There is no harm from consumption. The only contraindication is individual intolerance.

Is catfish caviar useful?

Caviar is useful because it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (in particular, omega-3). Therefore, it is often used for frying and cooking pancakes. But caviar has found the greatest application in cosmetology. Special anti-aging face masks are made from it, as well as all kinds of creams and serums that provide skin regeneration.

By the way, you can also create various cosmetics from caviar at home. But it is worth remembering that only fresh caviar is useful. Canned food can be harmful.

How to cook delicious catfish

The properties of the fish are such that you can cook anything from it. It can be cooked over charcoal, baked, fried, boiled and stewed. Shish kebabs, cutlets, goulash, steaks, soups, fish balls and other dishes are very tasty. The tail can be used to create pies and pies, and the head makes a delicious rich ear. You can serve catfish with a side dish of potatoes, pasta, and various cereals.

This fish is good with sour cream, mayonnaise or cream. But it will be especially beneficial if it is seasoned only with natural herbs and spices.

How to clean catfish at home

After reading the information about the benefits of catfish for the human body, you can proceed to cleaning from scales and fins. You need to do everything in the following sequence:

1. Cut off the tail (you can immediately rinse and remove).
2. To clean the skin of mucus, immediately roll the catfish in coarse salt and leave for 5 minutes.
3. Rinse the carcass, scrape off the remaining mucus with a dull knife.
4. When the skin acquires a light shade, proceed to evisceration.
5. To do this, make a puncture at the base of the head and carefully cut the skin, moving towards the tail.
6. If the gallbladder is accidentally torn, the catfish should be covered with salt and left for a while, and then rinsed.
7. Remove the entrails from the abdominal cavity, cut and remove the gills.
8. Remove caviar, if any, and release it from the film.
9. Brush the carcass until the skin is light in color.
10. Remove fins and rinse thoroughly.
11. Remove the skin by making an incision along the spine, immediately separate the fillet from the bones, first on one side, then on the other.

It is worth noting that catfish tend to smell strongly of mud or silt. To get rid of the unpleasant odor, the fish should be soaked in white wine or milk for a couple of hours. Then rinse with water and dry with paper towels.

You can clean catfish in nature with ash. To do this, wipe it off from all sides and leave it for 5-10 minutes. Then wash well with water brought with you from home.

Catfish harm and contraindications

Despite all its useful properties, catfish also has some contraindications. So, this fish cannot be used by people prone to allergies of various kinds or suffering from individual intolerance to the product. Overeating can harm women and men who have kidney or bladder problems. And also for those who have high blood cholesterol levels.

How to choose and store catfish

It is worth choosing, paying attention to the appearance of the fish and its size (smaller is better). The fillet should be white, springy under the finger, and smell good. A pleasant smell should come from the catfish. If the catfish is not cleaned, it is worth looking at the gills as well. It's good if they are pink and spotless. If the fish is frozen, then it is better to choose the one that is in a vacuum container. After buying catfish, you should immediately cook or put it in the refrigerator, as it tends to deteriorate quickly. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of catfish for the human body are ambiguous, but there are still more useful properties. In conclusion, you can watch a video on how to properly grill this fish.

Feedback from buyers and fishermen

Many people talk about the property of catfish to smell like mud or silt. This frightens some and makes them look for other fish to cook at home. But those chefs who dare to buy write the following reviews.