Types of Fish to Eat? List of Fishes and How to Prepare

What are the types of fish to eat? The fish is one of the most complementary parts of a very good dish. It is served in almost every dish and across every part of the world, as it is also very significant in various cultures.

The fish is an aquatic craniate animal with gills that lack limbs with digits.

We at Pestclue are not only concerned with disturbing pests around you, but we’re also concerned with your diet (fish diet) and how it can affect you (negatively/positively). Without further ado, let us get fishing!

 

Facts About Fishes

Before getting to know about the fish menu and knowing the types of fish to eat, we should at least know a little about the fish, know what it is, and know its method of operation (smiles).

As stated above, the fish is an aquatic craniate (with a skull) animal with gills that lack limbs with digits. Most species of fish are cold-blooded, as they can change their body temperature to be more suitable for the environment.

Among these cold-blooded fish, the white shark is an exception, as it is capable of adapting to such temperatures.

Just like most living things, fish can communicate with one another as well. The method of communication used by fish to communicate is termed “acoustic communication” (this involves the transfer of acoustic signals between fish of the same species, i.e., from one fish to another).

These sounds are mostly produced during behaviours such as aggression, courtship behaviours, and feeding. Below are the types of sounds fish produce:

• Stridulatory Sounds: This sound is produced by rubbing certain components of the skeletal system together.
• Non-stridulatory Sounds: This sound is produced by moving some specialized organs, such as the swimbladder.

The sounds produced by these fish depend on the species of fish involved and the stimulus produced.

Fish can be found on every continent in the world, as well as in every aquatic body. Fish are abundant in most water bodies, from the deep oceans to the high mountain streams.

Among all vertebrates recorded, fish exhibit a higher diversity in species (34,300 recorded species).

Fish are very important to humans, especially as food (yummy). They are reared by most farmers to be sold as pets or food.

A fish farmer would go into commercial or subsistence fish farming and raise them in ponds or cages (aquaculture).

Fish also play a huge role in culture through the ages, serving as deities, religious symbols, art, books, and movies.

Read also: What is a Group of Jellyfish Called? Key Facts About Jellyfish

 

What is the History of Fishes?

The earliest organisms that were classified as fish were the soft-bodied chordates that first appeared when practically all major animal phyla started appearing in the fossil record.

Although they weren’t vertebrates, they possessed a cartilaginous skeletal rod that supported their body. This rod, referred to as the “notochord,” allowed them to be more agile than their invertebrate counterparts.

 

Things To Note About the Fish

• What are they? Fish are vertebrates (they have a spinal cord surrounded by bone or cartilage) that dwell in the water.
• How do they breathe? Well, they have gills that extract oxygen from the water around them.
• What is their population? There are over 34,300 recorded species of fish.
• What are their hidden abilities? Some fish use camouflage to hide on the ocean floor, such as the flatfish.
• How fast are they? They can swim at speeds of up to 43 mph, e.g., the tuna fish
• How big is their brain? Relative to their body size, fish have small brains.
• How do fish move? Fish are covered in scales that are often covered in a layer of slime to help their movement through the water.
• How clean are they? Cleaner fish help out other fish by removing parasites and dead skin from their scales.
• Are all the fish fish? Although jellyfish and crayfish have the word ‘fish’ in their names, they aren’t fish.
• How has extinction affected fish? Over 1000 fish species are threatened by extinction.
• Are fish related to mermaids? Yes, they are. Mermaids are mythological creatures with the tail of a fish and the upper half of a woman.

 

How Important are Fishes to Man?

One major importance of fish to man is as a source of food, as it serves as a source of protein. Fish farming, which has been practised since many years ago by the Chinese, is becoming a very important source of income and food in many nations.

Fish is estimated to provide about one-sixth of the world’s protein. Most big nations in the world are engaged in fish trading as an important source of income. Below are important definitions related to fish you’ll want to know:

Word	Definition
1.  Fishery	This is an organized effort by humans to catch fish.
2.  Fishing	This is the process of catching fish for food or sport.

 

Into the Fish Menu

In the world, fish have served as an important source of protein and other nutrients for humans throughout history and are consumed in every region.

The increase in the consumption of fish has been driven not only by production expansion but also by the combination of many other factors, such as:

• Reduced wastage.
• Better utilization.
• Improved channels of distribution.
• Growing demand.
• Population growth.
• Urbanization.

So you see, even though most people would prefer eating meat (pork, poultry, or beef), fish still sell more in the world market.

What are the Nutritional Benefits of Eating Fish?

Fish plays a very important role in the healthy functioning of the human body, being a very good source of protein, minerals, and vitamins. Whether whitefish, shellfish, or oily fish, all serve a reasonable range of purposes for good health.

Below is a tabular representation of some classes of fish and their fat content:

Class of Fish	Fat Containment
1.  Whitefish (seer, haddock)	Usually contains less than 1% oil.
2.  Oily Fish (Sardine)	Contains fat ranging from 10–25%. Due to its high-fat contents, it contains a wide range of: Fatty Acids. Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K.

Fish is a very great part of the human diet as it aids in combating malnutrition deficiency and provides easily digestible proteins. A portion of 150g of fish provides about 50% to 60% of an adult’s daily protein requirement.

These proteins are very essential in the diet of some less populated countries and small island developing states where the total intake of protein is low. Globally, fish and fish products provide an average of only about 34 calories per capita per day.

 

Read also: How Long Do Goldfish Live? The Lifespan of Goldfish

 

What are the Types of Fish to Eat and How Can they Be Prepare?

Now to the big question of the day, what are the types of fish to eat and how can they be prepared?

• Tuna:

Tuna is very low in calories and high in vitamin and protein content. Even though this fish is safe to eat, it should be consumed at a minimum consumption as some contain more mercury than others.

A 100g dish of skipjack tuna contains 22g of protein which is very safe for human consumption. Most varieties of tuna are suffering from extinction due to overfishing, wow it seems they are very delicious, aren’t they?

How Do I Prepare the Tuna?

• Brush a tuna steak with olive oil.
• Sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
• Stir on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Your tuna is ready to be served.

 

• Mackerel

The mackerel is a delicious white fish with a strong flavour as it contains more vitamin B12 than other kinds of fish. The Atlantic and Spanish mackerel, are better choices because they contain less mercury than other large fishes.

 

How Do I Prepare the Mackerel?

• Sprinkle the mackerel with a little bit of wine, water, sliced onion, and some pepper.
• Smoke your mackerel.
• Mackerel is ready to be served.

 

• Salmon:

Salmon is a very good source of calcium and vitamin D and contains omega-3 fatty acids which are more beneficial for a healthy heart.

Among the two kinds of salmon, the wild-caught salmon is preferable to the farmed salmon in terms of higher nutrient contents.

 

How Do I Prepare the Salmon?

• Steam the salmon on a parchment paper.
• Slice some carrots.
• Spread the carrots on the parchment paper.
• Sprinkle fresh herbs over the top.
• Fold the parchment paper to seal the price.
• Bake the dish in an oven at a high temperature for 10 minutes.

 

• Rainbow Trout:

The rainbow trout is preferable to other fishes as it contains a lower amount of mercury content due to a limit in the number of chemicals used by farmers in the U.S.

 

How Do I Prepare the Rainbow Trout?

• Bake or grill the rainbow trout.
• Sprinkle with some olive oil and herbs.
• Your rainbow trout is ready to be served.

 

• Sardine:

As mentioned previously, fishes are divided into two major classes:

• The Whitefish
• The Oily fish.

The sardine is an example of an oily fish as it offers a lot of nutritional benefits (rich in calcium, protein, iron, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids). This fish is a very special delicacy as it can be taken canned or frozen.

 

How Do I Prepare the Sardine?

Since it can be taken canned or frozen they can be enjoyed with a great delicacy of salad.

 

• Cod:

The cod is very important to the human diet as it contains a great amount of phosphorus, niacin, and vitamin B12.

For those of us trying to control body weight, this fish would be highly suitable as it is low in fat and high in protein content.

 

How Do I Prepare the Cod?

• Roast or bake the cod in the oven.
• Sprinkle with roasted carrots, onions, and peppers.
• Your cod is ready to be served.

 

• Oysters:

Do you know that this fish can be taken raw or cooked? wait, you haven’t eaten it before, right? then you’re missing out.

This fish is very safe whether wild or farmed, as they are both free from bacteria that may result from overcrowding.

 

How Do I Prepare the Oysters?

• The oysters can be served raw.
• It can be cooked with soup.

 

• Halibut:

You may have heard of a fish with its two eyes on one side of its head, yeah, this is probably the one. The Halibut is the largest of the flatfish group and has more collagen than other fishes. Due to its large size, it’s mostly frozen.

 

How Do I Prepare the Halibut?

• Roast or bake in an oven.
• Season with vegetables (onions, carrot, pepper), and lime.
• Your halibut is ready to be served.

 

What are the Types of Fish To Avoid?

Even though fish are a very healthy source of protein, not all of them should be eaten as they may be harmful to human health.

Now that you know the types of fish to eat, below is a tabular representation of some fishes and why they should not be eaten:

Type Of Fish	Why They Should NOT Be Eaten
1.       THE EEL	The eel contains a lot of fat, and can easily absorb industrial wastes (such as mercury) in the water they dwell in.
2.       THE TILEFISH	Just like the eel, this has a higher chance of mercury contamination. This contamination may cause food poisoning which can be dangerous to human health.
3.       THE DOLLARFISH	This fish is not very safe for human consumption as it contains toxins (gempylotoxins) that may cause indigestion.
4.       SEABASS	Although this fish is a very rich delicacy, it isn’t much of a requirement for the human body, as it contains a great amount of mercury contents which can be unsafe for human consumption.
5.       PANGASIUS	If you’re one of those many people who flock to stores in search of this fish, you should retrace your steps, as this fish is obtained from one of the most contaminated rivers in the world, ‘the Mekong River’.

 

Read also: What Are the Best Exotic Fish for Home Aquariums?

 

Conclusion

Fish is a very great part of the human diet as it serves as a great source of protein for the human body.

You may have been searching for the most suitable types of fish to eat, and lucky for you we at Pestclue have been able to solve this pending issue of yours.

What are the types of fish to eat? well, we guess that is now a thing of the past. For more info on the fish diet, contact us and make your contributions or queries.

We’re glad to have been of great help to you and do hope that you subscribe to our services to get more info about pests, pets, and animals, as well as pest control services. Thank you!

About The Author