Benefits of Eating Small Fish Whole
The nutrients in small fishes’ bones and organs help protect women against death from cancer and other causes, as discovered in a study conducted in Japan.
The findings of this study were published recently in the journal Public Health Nutrition.
It is widely recognized that fish is a nutritious food due to its omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins. The study suggests that consuming entire small fish is even more beneficial than consuming fillets from larger fish.
“Nutrients and physiologically active substances unique to small fish could contribute to maintaining good health,” she added.
Just 1–3 Times a Month
The researchers at the university utilized a food frequency questionnaire to assess how often the participants consumed whole small fish. Over the nine-year follow-up period, 2,482 individuals in the study passed away, with about 60 percent of them succumbing to cancer.
Women who reported consuming small fish even just monthly to thrice a month had lower chances of dying from cancer and all other causes compared to women who rarely consumed small fish.
In the male subjects, the reduced risk of mortality from all causes and cancer was similar to that of women but did not reach statistical significance, as reported by the researchers. They suggested that this could be due to the smaller number of male subjects (34,555 compared to 46,247 women) or other unmeasured factors in the study, such as fish portion sizes and sex-specific cancer types.
Various factors were associated with the frequency of small fish consumption. Individuals who consumed small fish more often tended to be older (with a mean age of 54.7 years), non-lean, non-smokers, current drinkers (among men), physically active, and had hypertension.
Small Fish, Big Nutrition
“Small fish offer a unique advantage in that they can be consumed as a whole,” according to the researchers, in contrast to large fish that are typically processed to remove bones and organs, leaving only the fillet.
When consumed whole, small fish contain bones and organs that make them “a good source of micronutrients such as calcium, vitamins, and fatty acids.”
Who Eats Small Fish?
Fish consumption preferences are partially influenced by cultural factors. Consuming small fish is more common in regions like Japan and Europe compared to the United States. In Japan, popular options include whitebait, Atlantic capelin, Japanese smelt, small dried sardines, small horse mackerel, and young sweetfish, as noted by the researchers. These fish are consumed raw or prepared through marination in vinegar, simmering in soy sauce, deep-frying, or drying.
Lead researcher Ms. Kasahara mentioned in the university statement, “I have had the habit of consuming small fish since childhood, which sparked my interest in this topic. I now feed these to my children as well.” She emphasized that the findings are not limited to Japanese individuals but are relevant across different cultures.