Fish as a food

Fish is a food consumed by many species, including humans. The word "fish" refers to both the animal and to the food prepared from it. Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history.

Fish for human consumption

Fish can form a very nutritious part of man's diet; it is rich in most of the vitamins he requires, it contains a good selection of minerals, and the proteins contain all the essential amino acids in the right proportions. Although the amount of protein in fish varies a little from species to species and, on occasions, within a species, the protein content for meat and for fish is roughly comparable.

The extreme variability of composition of different species of fish accounts to some extent for the large variety of dishes than can be made from them; unfortunately fish are all too often lumped together in one category while pork, beef, lamb and mutton are invariably regarded as being quite distinct kinds of meat. In fact there is a much greater difference in composition, flavour and texture between, say, herring, haddock, halibut and salmon than there is between butcher meats, and this range is even wider when shellfish are included.

Through the ages, all kinds of dietary characteristics have been attributed to fish, some complimentary and some not. Some of the claims for fish as food have been based in the past on misconceptions that have not stood the test of time; for example in the nineteenth century fish was purported to be particularly good for the brain, because it is rich in phosphorus but, since there is no evidence to show that phosphorus in the diet increases brain power, and since meat and fish contain similar amounts of this element anyway, this claim is a fallacy.

Undoubtedly one reason for the rather poor reputation of fish in the past has been poor quality due to lack of rapid transport; nowadays, with modern techniques for freezing, storing and transporting very fresh fish, the consumer can receive fish that has a composition and flavour virtually unchanged from when it was caught, and should do so to an ever increasing extent in the future.

Health benefits

Fish provides a good source of high quality protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. It may be classed as either white, oily or shellfish. White fish, such as haddock, contain very little fat (usually less than 1 %) whereas oily fish, such as sardines, contain between 10–25 %. The latter, as a result of its high fat content, contain a range of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and essential fatty acids, all of which are vital for the healthy functioning of the body. The table illustrates some of the main nutritional differences between oily and white fish.

Average composition of fish

Composition	White fish (haddock)	Oily fish (herring)
Energy (KJ)	321	970
Protein (g)	17	17
Fat (g)	0.7	18
Water (g)	82	64
Calcium (mg)	16	33
Iron (mg)	0.3	0.8
Vitamin A (m a)	0	45
Thiamine (mg)	0.07	0

Research over the past few decades has shown that the nutrients and minerals in fish, and particularly the Omega-3 fatty acids found in pelagic fishes, are heart-friendly and can make improvements in brain development and reproduction. This has highlighted the role for fish in the functionality of the human body.

Health Hazards

Fish is the most common food to obstruct the airway and cause choking. Choking on fish was responsible for about reported 4,500 accidents in the UK in 1998. In addition, fish can also cause poisoning, especially when the fish is caught in polluted areas. There are issues with fish contaminated with heavy metals such as mercury and lead, or by toxic chemicals such as those containing chlorine or bromine, dioxins or PCBs. Fish that is to be eaten should be caught in unpolluted water. Some organisations such as SeafoodWatch, RIKILT, Environmental Defense Fund, IMARES provide information on species that do not accumulate many toxins/metals.

Fish products have been shown to contain varying amounts of heavy metals, particularly mercury and fat-soluble pollutants from water pollution. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern for most people. However, certain seafood contains sufficient mercury to harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The FDA makes three recommendations for child-bearing women and young children:

1. Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Four of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white tuna") has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

These recommendations are also advised when feeding fish and shellfish to young children, but in smaller portions.

Exercise 4. Find the Russian equivalents for the following:

high quality protein, to contain many vitamins, a good source of, polluted areas, unpolluted water, high levels of mercury, accumulate many toxins, to harm an unborn baby, fat-soluble pollutants, the most commonly eaten fish, contaminated with heavy metals, brain development and reproduction, the healthy functioning of the body, dietary characteristics, the safety of fish, a health concern, essential fatty acids.

Exercise 5. Find the English equivalents for the following:

разнообразие рыбы и моллюсков, не накапливает, скумбрия, семга, тунец, сайда, полосатая зубатка, консервированная рыба, употреблять в пищу, содержать много минеральных веществ и витаминов, пелагические виды рыб, рыба с белым мясом, жирная рыба, пикша, сардинки, жирорастворимые витамины.

Exercise 6. Complete the sentences using information from the text:

1. Fish provides a good source of…

2. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the risk from mercury…

3. Four of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are…

4. Research over the past few decades has shown that…

5. If no advice is available, eat up to…

6. Nowadays, with modern techniques for freezing, storing and transporting…

7. Fish can form a very nutritious part of man's diet…

Exercise 7. Fill in the blanks with prepositions for, of, to, in, with:

1. There are issues … fish contaminated with heavy metals.

2. Fish products have been shown to contain varying amounts … heavy metals.

3. All kinds … dietary characteristics have been attributed … fish.

4. The FDA makes three recommendations … child-bearing women and young children.

5. Oily fish, as a result … its high fat content, contain a range … fat-soluble vitamins.

Exercise 8. Say if the sentences are true or false using the information from the text:

1. Fish is a food consumed only by humans.

2. Fish was purported to be particularly good for the brain.

3. The risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not so large.

4. Fish that is to be eaten should be caught in unpolluted water.

5. Fish products have been shown to contain varying amounts of cholesterol.

Exercise 9. Answer the following questions:

1. Is fish considered to be a dietary product?

2. Where is fish used as a food product?

3. What changes in quality of fish with the development of modern techniques and transportation?

4. What does fish provide for consumers?

5. What is the difference between the white and fatty fish?

6. What fatty acids found in fish are very useful for people?

7. What risks can fish cause?

8. What dangerous substances can fish contain?

9. How to avoid the danger consuming the fish?

10. What average amount of fish should people consume?

Exercise 10. Prove the idea that fish as a food is necessary and essential for every person.

Exercise 11. Speak about a) advantages of fish consumption;

b) the hazards of fish consumption in the modern world.

Exercise 12. Translate from Russian into English:

1. Невозможно представить себе без рыбы не только полноценную русскую национальную кухню, но и всю историю развития цивилизации.

2. Без рыбы трудно представить рацион современных жителей нашей планеты.

3. Морепродукты по своей питательности почти не отличаются от мяса, а порой оказываются даже более полезными.

4. Входящие в их состав белки и жиры хорошо усваиваются организмом человека.

5. В нашей стране с древних времен было развито как рыболовство, так и торговля рыбой.

6. В старые времена живую рыбу привозили на барках и держали в садках.

7. На столе у знатных людей регулярно присутствовали благородные сорта рыбы со всей России, такие как осетр, севрюга, лосось, омуль.

8. В рационе питания простого народа всегда были щука, карась, окунь, а по праздникам любой горожанин мог побаловать себя осетровой икрой, благо она стоила 15 рублей за пуд.

9. Рыба являлась основным блюдом во время постов.

10. В годы войны, в пайке, выдаваемом горожанам, присутствовали вобла, селедка и тюлений жир.

11. В наши дни в каждом регионе свежая и замороженная рыба пользуется большим спросом.

12. Вы можете найти в магазинах и на рынках большой выбор рыбной продукции.