Catfish Nutrition
One of the most common debates among both fishermen and seafood lovers pertains to how healthy catfish really are. For every person that advocates for the delicious taste and amazing health benefits, there is another one screaming that fish can have mercury in them. With all the conflicting information available, it can be difficult to determine whether catfish are healthy. These facts will help you get to the bottom of whether to include this delicious fish in your diet.
Amino Acids
It remains a well-known fact that catfish are chock full of amazing amino acids. These amino acids help the heart function at a healthy rate to guarantee that people can combat deadly diseases, like heart disease.
Low Calorie
In a world where obesity is slowly becoming the norm, it’s important to keep low-calorie foods on the dinner table. When people opt for catfish and do not fry it in oil, they will enjoy a lean meat that is low in calories and high in other health benefits.
Protein
Protein is the building block behind enzymes, muscle, and it provides a wealth of benefits for skin, hair and can help make hormones. It remains essential for the body to maintain a healthy state of homeostasis. Most people are lacking in protein, but they can easily get their protein intake for the day with a couple of servings of catfish. One serving of catfish can provide a little over sixty percent of the daily requirement of protein.
Calcium
Calcium is another thing that is essential to keep the body healthy. It can help a person beat osteoporosis, maintain current bone health and is vital for healthy teeth. Most people do not get enough calcium in their diet, but catfish can help with that. One serving of this delicious fish can provide approximately eight percent of the daily requirement of calcium.
Vitamin B12
This vitamin is important for those trying to lose weight, to keep blood and cells healthy, and it helps the body produce DNA. This essential vitamin is so important that many foods are now fortified with extra vitamins to help people get their daily dose. For those that prefer the natural way of getting their vitamins, they can always opt for a few servings of catfish. One serving alone can provide almost half the daily requirement of this vitamin.
Mercury
One of the primary concerns regarding catfish is that fish can contain mercury. If this is a concern, it should be noted that farm-raised catfish are far less likely to have any mercury than wild-caught catfish. Consumers should also be aware that they can investigate where fish are caught to see if that body of water contains mercury as well. While it is true that some fish may have mercury, this is often not a high enough level to consider them unsafe for consumption, and there are fish that do not have mercury in them.
Seafood always has a place on the dinner table. It provides a wealth of benefits, and some of those benefits come from the healthiest types of fish to eat, such as catfish.
