Let’s go a FISHING

Fish is a delicacy eaten in every part of Nigeria. It is eaten as part of our meals either to complement our foods or as an ingredient in the preparation of food. Fish is also eaten as a snack;
it can be boiled, dried, roasted, grilled(fish BBQ), fried, smoked, sautéed etc. Fish serves as a component of our soups and stews, just like eating fish pepper soup. It gives a nice aroma to our foods during cooking, I’m one sucker for fish stew😪. You will agree with me that any food without fish or any extra complement tastes bland.

Fish is a highly nutritious meal. It is a rich source of low- fat, high quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium and potassium.

It is consumed by young and old, though choice of varieties differ by age and preference.
Fish is packed with protein, vitamins, and nutrients that can lower blood pressure and help reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Health benefits of fish include:

– boosting of mineral density in the body. -boosting of skin and hair.

-lowering of bad cholesterol.

– improving of mental health etc.
There are many varieties of fish sold in Nigerian markets. For those residing in Yoruba land,some of them will be familiar to you. They include:
-Horse Mackerel popularly known as Kote
-Atlantic Herring (Sawa)
-Mackerel (which we call Titus)
-(Cat fish) Eja aro

-Panla: It has many species, but panla is the general term used to refer to this type of fish.

-Some of its species imported into Nigeria include: Alaska Pollock (used for making stock fish i.e. okporoko); Hake, Blue Whiting (usually smoked and dried).
-Argentina silus (Ojuyobo)

Some of these fish are oily e.g. Mackerel, herring; while fish like panla and ojuyobo have little or no fat content. From a nutritional point of view, oily fish is a good source of protein and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which have been shown to reduce inflammation and potentially lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.

However, overconsumption may not be beneficial because it can lead to very high levels of HDL(high- density lipoprotein) in the blood.
Hence, it is important to consider these factors when shopping for fish. But this does not hinder you from savoring this delicacy every now and then. The only truth of the matter is that “moderation is key”.

It’s being a pleasure hearing feedbacks from you all, till we tell the story of another recipe, keep enjoying a fishily experience. Cheers to a hearty you!!!

Written by: Efenedo Melody

Images📸: google images