Is it better to eat fish with large or small bellies?

When buying fish, I usually choose those with large bellies because I think they have more meat and are more nutritious than fish with smaller bellies. Is this true? (Phuong, 32 years old, Hanoi )

Reply:

Each type of fish has different nutritional composition, whether it's a large-bellied or small-bellied fish. Typically, experts compare the amount of fish meat to assess nutritional content. The more meat, the higher the nutritional value.

From a culinary perspective, fish with slender bellies are tastier than fish with large bellies, because large-bellied fish are usually female, and if they have roe, they will have less meat and won't be as tasty because they are thin. Conversely, if a fish doesn't have roe but has a large belly, it may contain a lot of fat and internal organs.

Furthermore, the farming method also affects the taste of the fish. Fish raised naturally will taste different from those raised industrially. With industrially farmed fish, the entrails should be avoided as they are the digestive organs and are prone to heavy metal contamination or parasitic infections. The only edible fish organs are the liver, fat, and roe.

In particular, note that fish should only be used when freshly gutted and still fresh. When preparing the fish, regardless of its size, it's necessary to cut open its belly and clean the inside, especially the black membrane that causes the fishy smell and may contain many impurities harmful to health.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh
Institute of Biotechnology and Food, Hanoi University of Science and Technology

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