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Fish as food

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A close-up of halibut and salmon fillets, showing the clean, prepared fish ready to be cooked.

Fish as Food

Fish is a yummy food that people eat all around the world. It gives us good protein and other important nutrients we need to stay healthy. Many kinds of fish are caught and eaten. Unlike meat from land animals, English does not have a special word for cooked fish.

Fish is very popular. Since 1961, more and more people have been eating fish. As cities grow bigger and people have more money, they choose to eat fish more often. In the past, countries like Europe, Japan, and the United States ate most of the world’s fish. But now, Asia eats more than two-thirds of all the fish because people there catch a lot of fish and their markets are growing quickly.

There are more than 32,000 species of fish! Fish are one of the most diverse animal groups with backbones. Along with many types of shellfish, fish are a popular food choice. But only about 20% of all fish species are eaten by people.

Fish can be prepared in many tasty ways. It can be eaten raw, like in sashimi. It can also be cured by marinating, like in ceviche, or by pickling, like pickled herring. Fish can be smoked, like smoked salmon. It can also be cooked by baking, frying (like fish and chips), grilling, poaching (like court-bouillon), or steaming.

Fish is an important food all over the world. It helps people get good protein and nutrients. Eating a small piece of fish can give a person almost half the protein they need for the day. In places where there isn’t a lot of food, fish helps make sure people get enough protein.

Fish also has vitamins and minerals that are good for the body. Some fish, like haddock, have very little fat. Other fish, like sardines, have more fat and this fat helps the body stay healthy.

Eating fish with omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce swelling and lower the chance of heart problems. Experts suggest eating about 140 grams of this type of fish once a week.

Fish is softer than meat because it has less connective tissue. This makes it easy to cook in many different ways. People all around the world enjoy fish in many dishes, like Fish and chips, Sushi, and Smoked salmon.

Images

A delicious catfish dish, popular in West Bengal, India.
A fish stuffed with Thai herbs, ready to be steamed on banana leaves – a traditional Thai dish.
Fish arranged in colorful baskets at the Dubai Fish Market.
A beautifully plated Japanese Fugu dish — a special and carefully prepared delicacy from the ocean.
A delicious seared tuna dish served with a wasabi sauce at a restaurant in Hawaii.
A colorful platter filled with various kinds of seafood, including shrimp, clams, and fish.
A delicious piece of smoked salmon, perfect for a tasty meal!

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This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Fish as food, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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