Herring is one of the popular types of fish and seafood in many countries of the world. These days, there is a lot of confusion among fish consumers about which fish are harmful and which are healthy. Based on what we know about farming methods, mercury levels and other factors, we can say that Herring fish is good and beneficial for the human body.
benefits of herring
Herring has been one of the staple foods since 3000 years ago in parts of the world such as the Mediterranean countries and Russia.
Based on many studies conducted on the effects of eating fish such as Herring, which have omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and other nutrients, it can be said that some of the health benefits of Herring are:
- Protecting the body against metabolic syndrome, heart diseases and diabetes.
- Reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases.
- Helping the development of babies and children.
- Help to prevent vitamin D deficiency and weakness in the immune system.
- Protecting the body against cognitive disorders, memory loss and mood disorders such as depression.
- Less need for medication to treat conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
- Reducing the risk of various types of cancer.
Stay with us until the end of this article to learn about the properties of Herring and get useful information about the nutritional value of this fish.(king fish)
What is Herring Fish?
Herring is a common fish in the world that belongs to the Clupeidae family and lives in the shallow and temperate waters of the North Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. Certain species of this fish, such as sardines, are found in abundance in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
In fact, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “one of the most abundant fish species in the world is the herring, which feeds on such organisms as cappods, pteropods, and other organisms such as plankton, as well as larval fish.”
Each female herring produces about 40,000 sticky roes. During the spawning period, this fish lays its roes in seaweed or rocks, and the fish hatch two weeks later. These fish are usually small, fatty and bony (like sardines). While the size of these fish is usually small, they live in large spaces and places. Each fish is between 8 and 15 inches (or 20 to 38 centimeters) long.
This fish matures at 4 years old and can live up to 20 years old. However, most of them have a shorter life span due to being trapped by natural predators.
Predators that cause this fish to live for a period less than its natural life span include:
• Cod
• Salmon
• Tuna fish
• Dolphin
• Whale
• Shark
• Sea birds
Other Properties and Benefits of Herring
This fish is one of the main sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 protects the body against many diseases, including:
- Reducing inflammation and autoimmune reactions.
- Effects of intracellular signaling pathways and operating factor activities.
- Effects of gene expressions.
- Reducing levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine.
Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of this substance, eating foods rich in omega-3 is associated with a lower chance of contracting the following diseases:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Depression
- Signs of aging such as joints pain
- Different types of cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Autoimmune diseases such as lupus
A report was published in the American College of Nutrition in 2012, and its summary is as follows:
Many clinical trials have been conducted that have evaluated the benefits of dietary supplements containing fish oil in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in humans, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and migraine headaches.
Many trials show that the use of fish oil in chronic inflammatory diseases has benefits, including reducing disease activity and reducing the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Herring is Rich in Many Vitamins and Minerals
One serving of herring (or sardines) provides more than 100% of the body’s daily need for vitamin D. This issue is important because few foods contain this vitamin. Herring also has a good amount of selenium and other minerals, including calcium, potassium and iron. A regular serving of herring even provides the body’s daily need for vitamin B12.
Vitamin D is a nutrient that acts like a hormone in the body and is useful for supporting the immune system and improving mental health.(king fish)
Vitamin B12 is essential to prevent fatigue, weakness and mental confusion.
But in many diets that contain low-quality protein, such as vegetarian diets and diets that lack animal proteins, its deficiency is felt.
Selenium is needed to support bone health, thyroid gland, cognitive health and cardiovascular function.
Reducing the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
Considering that omega-3 fatty acids help control inflammation and regulate the body’s hormones, research has proven that consuming more foods containing omega-3 can help reduce the risk of developing diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.
One study found that feeding diabetic rats with different types of fish (including sardines, mackerel, herring, and whiting) improved several health-related parameters, including serum glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
Compared to the control group (a group of diabetic mice that took insulin), the mice that were fed herring and other fish and benefited from their benefits showed significant improvement in blood sugar regulation, kidney functions and Liver function, especially when they were frequently fed with fish containing a lot of omega-3.
A Good Source of Protein as a Meat Alternative
Herring is an inexpensive source of protein and is a good alternative to other expensive types of fish, especially those that contain a lot of mercury, dairy products or meat.
If you want to reduce your meat consumption and lower your grocery budget, choose sardines or Herring, which are usually cheaper.
Fish that contain omega-3 fats are preferred protein foods over processed meats or red meat, especially for people who have a high chance of developing heart disease. Instead of using grilled chicken on Caesar salad, enjoy the benefits of Herring in this salad. Or marinate this fish in lemon and olive oil and grill it on the barbecue and eat it with vegetables.
Low Level of Mercury in Herring
As a general rule, fish that are smaller and closer to the bottom of the food chain contain less mercury. Considering that these fish are not predators, they usually contain much less mercury than larger fish such as tuna and swordfish. However, there may be small amounts of mercury in this fish, depending on the maturity and size of the fish.
Water pollution also affects the amount of mercury in the body of fish. But experts believe that this concern is not significant in the case of sardines or herring. In general, the smaller the fish, the less mercury it contains.
Low Impact on the Environment
Overfishing has created serious concerns for species such as cod and salmon. Therefore, there is less environmental concern about this fish, especially since research has shown that its population has increased in recent decades.
The reason for this is that some of the predators of these fishes have decreased and therefore Herring and Sardine have more chances to survive and their reproduction is also done more successfully.
Nutritional Value of Herring
Eating Herring meat is one of the best ways to get omega-3 fatty acids naturally. This substance has many benefits, including the following:
- Reducing inflammation
- Mental health
- Normal brain development
- Helping the overall growth of the body
- Help improve the symptoms of autoimmune diseases
- Improving heart health
Omega-3 is a type of unsaturated fat that has strong immunological activities.
Omega-3 includes types of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are found in fish and seafood.
Herring fish is not only rich in omega-3, but also a good source of various vitamins, including group B vitamins, such as:
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin
- Vitamin B3 or Niacin
Other nutrients found in Herring meat are phosphorus, calcium, potassium, iron and selenium.
Half of a large Herring fillet (about 75 grams or nearly 3 ounces) includes:
• 145 calories
• 16 grams of protein
• 8 grams of fat
• 1,585 mg of omega 3 fatty acids
• 1,384 IU of vitamin D (about 346% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 9 micrograms of vitamin B12 (more than 150% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 33 micrograms of selenium (about 48% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 5 mg of niacin (about 15% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 0.2 mg of riboflavin (about 12% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 0.2 mg of vitamin B6 (about 12% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 300 mg of potassium (about 9% of the body’s daily requirement)
If you use this fish in a canned form, a one-ounce serving of it includes the following:
• 73 calories
• 2.7 grams of carbohydrates
• 4 grams of protein
• 5 grams of fat
• 411 mg of omega 3 fatty acids
• 190 IU of vitamin D (about 48% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 16.4 micrograms of selenium (about 23% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 1.2 micrograms of vitamin B12 (about 20% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 241 IU of vitamin A (about 5% of the body’s daily requirement)
• 0.9 mg of niacin (about 5% of the body’s daily requirement)
Herring Fillet
After removing the head and tail, as well as waste such as the back bone, small bones, fins and skin, the Herring fish is turned into a uniform fillet.
Since the meat of fresh herring fish is completely white, its fillet is also completely white and has no bone. You can easily buy and prepare it for various purposes such as frying, grilling and even boiling.
Fish fillets are very popular among consumers. One of the reasons for this is that fillets often have no waste and the chef can cook a wide variety of dishes with them. Also, they do not worry about using these products for children or the elderly. So if you want to get someone interested in seafood, it’s better to start with fillets first.
In any case, you should add fish and seafood to your diet in any way you can to benefit from their wonderful and countless benefits. These types of foods provide essential vitamins and minerals to the body and their consumption is mandatory.
Therefore according to the points mentioned Herring fish is one of the most useful and least harmful types of fish, and adding it to the diet has many benefits for the health of the body.
Due to the antiquity of fish farming in the world, this activity in Iran began with the proliferation of Sturgeons in 1922 and the rainbow trout in 1959. Economic and industrial growth, as well as the need to feed the growing population and superior quality of aquatic protein compared to other meat, increased attention to aquatic animals and fishing in the seas and water resources, resulting in a decrease in water reserves.(salmon trout benefits)
