Table of contents:
- Various benefits of catfish
- 1. Low in calories and fat
- 2. Complete source of protein
- 3. Source of vitamin B-12
- 4. Low in mercury
- 5. Contains healthy fatty acids
Catfish is one of the most popular fish species in Indonesia. Both children and adults love this type of fish because it has a distinctive taste and is easy to process. For those of you who like to eat this fish, see the benefits of catfish for body health in this article.
Various benefits of catfish
1. Low in calories and fat
In 100 grams of serving of catfish, it only contains about 122 calories and 6.1 grams of fat.
Even though it is low in calories and fat, it is important for you to pay attention to the portions you eat as well as how to process them. If not, the levels of calories, fat, and cholesterol in catfish actually increase.
To prevent this, avoid frying catfish. Instead, try the cooking method steamed, stewed (made into a soup), roasted or grilled. Apart from that, it's a good idea to vary your choice of side dishes every day. The more varied, the richer and more balanced the nutritional intake for your family's body.
2. Complete source of protein
Catfish contains high-quality protein as much as 15.6 grams in each fish so that it can meet the amino acid needs your body needs. This high-quality protein helps your body build lean muscle mass. Not only that, the protein content in catfish also helps increase the effectiveness of your immune function.
3. Source of vitamin B-12
Catfish contains very high levels of vitamin B-12. Just one catfish is known to contain 40 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B-12. As part of the B vitamins, vitamin B-12 in catfish is very important to help break down the food you consume as energy. Not only that, water-soluble vitamins also play an important role in brain function, nervous system, and blood formation.
4. Low in mercury
Almost all fish contain mercury. Mercury is a type of heavy metal that is disposed of from factory and household waste. In water, mercury turns into a substance called methylmercury which binds to proteins in fish muscles.
If you eat fish or other seafood that contains mercury, the mercury content in fish meat will enter your body. Long-term mercury buildup can cause health problems, such as mercury poisoning and even nerve damage, especially in infants and children.
The good news is that the Environmental Protection Agency lists catfish as one of the most consumed fish and low in mercury.
However, limiting consumption of catfish is recommended to reduce your risk of exposure to mercury. Especially if you are pregnant, because high levels of mercury can harm your fetus. In general, catfish is safe for consumption two to three times a week.
5. Contains healthy fatty acids
Regularly eating catfish is an easy way to increase the intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the body. This is because one catfish provides 220 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 875 mg of omega-6 fatty acids. Both of these nutrients play a role in heart health and cognitive function.
However, research reveals that omega 6 acids can affect the blood clotting process and are susceptible to oxidation processes. Because of this, omega 6 acids increase the risk of blood clots.
That is why, to take advantage of catfish while reducing the risk, you should limit your consumption of catfish appropriately.
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