In
Nigeria, catfish is one of the most widely loved and enjoyed fish. It
is consumed in various delicacies, especially at social gatherings.
Catfish
The fact that it is affordable when
compared to other varieties of fish in the market makes it more popular.
However, research has shown that consumption of catfish is not so
healthy. While medics assert that fish is a better and healthier option
than meat, it seems quite a lot of people didn’t wait to hear the other
part of the medical advice that not all types of fish are good for the
heart.
According to expert advice, the omega 6
fatty acids in catfish can increase your risk of getting blood clots,
arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and some cancers? In fact,
nutritionists say that catfish is loaded with bad fat and high
cholesterol that encourage clotting of the blood, a condition whereby
blood flow is impeded. This may lead to cardiac arrest, thrombosis and,
in some cases, heart attacks.
A cardiologist, Dr. Jane Anisulowo, who
talked to The Punch recently said that farmed or home-grown catfish is
the worst example in this regard, as it contains more fatty hormones
than the ones harvested from natural water. “Fish
is better than meat, no doubt. It digests easily and it contains
proteins. However, catfish is not really a good option, especially the
ones they sell these days, which are cultivated with hormonal feeds that
are filled with steroids and other fattening chemicals just to make
them profitable. These chemicals are cancerous in nature.
“Also,
they contain so much oil that you can almost taste it. Fish, generally,
contains oil, but catfish has oil in its skin. That is what makes it so
oily and unhealthy. It also contains a lot of poly unsaturated fat that
does not only make you fat but also settles in the blood stream. That
is very dangerous because when blood fails to get to an organ, it fails
and suffers paralysis.”
A study which was conducted by the
National Institute of Health in 2012, using over 1000 species of the
fish in different water shows that catfish contains a high amount of
unfavourable omega-6 fat that causes inflammation in the body.
Three-ounce portion of catfish contains the same amount of bad fats
found in red meat. This is not to say that one should give up eating the
fish as catfish contains some nutrients such as Omega3 fatty acids that
are good for the body.
Anisulowo, however, advised: “If
you can get the one from the river, which is rare in most cities, then
you may eat it twice a month. But if the only one you can get is the one
that is being reared by farmers, you don’t have to eat at all, or just
eat it when it is partially smoked. In that way, some of the fats would
have been lost in the process. Better still, there are some other
species of fish that are oily but they contain good fats and are more
nutritious.”
Instead of regular consumption of catfish, here are some other species that you can add to your diet:
Mackerel
It is popularly called Titus fish in
Nigeria. The oily meat found on mackerel is its main health benefit. It
lowers triglycerides. High levels of triglycerides in the body have been
linked to heart disease and strokes. The most common causes of a high
triglyceride level are obesity and poorly maintained diabetes, mainly
stemming from an inactive lifestyle.
Tilapia
Tilapia is a high-quality fish. It has
proteins and contains all the essential amino acids your body requires
from food diet to help to build proteins. One portion of tilapia cooked
using dry heat contains about 26 grammes of protein. It also helps in
weight control.
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