What does smelt look like and where is it found?
A small sea fish with delicate silvery scales. Its lifespan is from one to ten years. It has an elongated body of 20-30 cm, but in some cases it grows up to 40 cm, and weighs about 350 g. This marine inhabitant is characterized by transparent fins and a green back. The eyes are bright black, and the mouth is small in size and has a large number of large teeth. An interesting feature of the fish is the smell of fresh cucumber.
The fish can be found in the northern seas and lakes, bays and estuaries of Russia, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. It often moves to cooler areas to search for food. Its diet consists of small crustaceans, planktonic algae and small fish.
Application
More recently, smelt has found its use in medicine, and is now used to treat periodontal disease. Based on many studies, scientists have concluded that the animal-derived antioxidants this fish contains can be used in the development of drugs. As a result, a drug called “Carotinoly M” was developed based on smelt.
In addition, smelt meat is used as a dietary food; it is recommended for use in the Dukan diet and the protein diet of athletes.
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Nutritional value of healthy smelt
| Proteins (g) | Fat (g) | Carbohydrates (g) |
| 15,4 | 4,5 |
Fish contains such important microelements for human life as iron, fluorine, chromium, phosphorus, as well as vitamins of groups PP, B and D, which are essential for the immune system.
| Vitamins | Minerals | ||||
| macronutrients | microelements | ||||
| A | 15 mcg | Potassium | 290 mg | Zinc | 1.65 mg |
| IN 1 | 0.01 mg | Phosphorus | 230 mg | Iron | 0.9 mg |
| AT 2 | 0.12 mg | Calcium | 60 mg | Copper | 139 mcg |
| AT 4 | 65 mg | Sodium | 60 mg | Selenium | 36.5 mcg |
| AT 5 | 0.638 mg | Manganese | 700 mcg | ||
| AT 6 | 0.15 mg | ||||
| AT 9 | 4 mcg | ||||
| D | 0.8 mcg | ||||
| TO | 0.1 mcg | ||||
Such a huge content of organic and inorganic substances significantly enhances the nutritional value of fish. Therefore, it must be included in the diet to improve health and prevent various diseases.
Important! Doctors recommend eating small healthy fish along with bones, since the ratio of phosphorus and calcium is considered a good prevention of osteoporosis.
Presence of minerals (100 g)
| Minerals | Content mg (µg) | % of daily value |
| Potassium | 291 mg | 12 % |
| Calcium | 61 mg | 6 % |
| Magnesium | 31 mg | 8 % |
| Sodium | 61 mg | 5 % |
| Phosphorus | 231 mg | 29 % |
| Iron | 0.9 mg | 5 % |
| Manganese | 0.8 mg | 35 % |
| Copper | 0.14 mg | 14 % |
| Selenium | 36.6 mcg | 66 % |
| Zinc | 1.64 mg | 14 % |
Calorie content of smelt
The calorie content of smelt per 100 grams is 102 kcal, but this figure may vary, as it depends on the time the fish was caught, its habitat, and also on the method of preparation.
| Product | Calorie content (kcal) |
| Boiled | 102 |
| Baked | 88 |
| Dried | 145 |
| Dried | 139 |
| Fried | 181 |
Moderate consumption will saturate the human body with essential substances and will not cause harm to the figure.
What are the benefits of smelt?
The benefits of smelt for the body are invaluable due to the high content of vital micro- and macroelements. It is recommended to include fish in the diet for the treatment and prevention of many diseases, since it:
- copes with problems of the cardiovascular system;
- strengthens bones and joints, supplies the body with plenty of calcium;
- improves metabolism and provides a feeling of lightness in the stomach;
- has a good effect on dental health;
- fights swelling, ridding the body of excess fluid;
- used to heal external damage to the skin.
Recommended reading: What are the benefits of pollock?
Sea fish is useful due to its rich chemical composition, since the beneficial substances it contains help to comprehensively strengthen and restore the functions of the body and stabilize the functioning of important systems. Therefore, with the systematic use of seafood products, the likelihood of forgetting about many serious diseases will significantly increase.
Contraindications and caution
Only people who are allergic to fish should not eat smelt, but everyone else should also be more careful - not all smelt can be eaten.
They say that smelt loves clean water and therefore cannot be dangerous. Unfortunately, in modern conditions she simply does not have to choose, and she continues to live where it used to be clean, but has now become unbearably dirty. For example, this applies to Neva smelt, which is often caught near sewage drains: Roshydromet, an environmental monitoring service, defines the condition of the Neva as “heavily polluted.” Lake, Siberian and Far Eastern smelt can be eaten without fear.
Calorie content of smelt
is 102 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Smelt is a species of medium-sized ray-finned fish of the smelt family. It lives in Lakes Ladoga and Onega, as well as in the Baltic and North Seas.
The body of this fish is elongated, with medium-sized scales that fall off easily. The color of the sides is silver, the back has a greenish tint, the fins are hardly noticeable, colorless. Size up to 10 centimeters, weight about 8 grams. It has an unusual smell of fresh cucumber for fish.
Composition and beneficial properties of smelt
Smelt meat contains a lot of potassium, fluorine and phosphorus, and also contains: sodium, sulfur, chlorine, chromium, calcium, magnesium, vitamins A, B and D.
Due to its rich chemical composition, eating this fish has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the kidneys (removing excess fluid from the body), as well as on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Smelt in cooking
Most often, smelt is consumed fried; it is also salted, smoked and cooked in fish soup.
Smelt BZHU per 100 grams
B - 15.4; F - 4.5; U - 0; Calories: 102 kcal per 100 grams of smelt.
Can children eat smelt?
Due to the significant content of macro- and microelements, vitamins and acids, the product is necessary for children to strengthen the musculoskeletal system and support the immune system. Before giving the product to your child, you need to remove the seeds from it and boil it. To check if your baby has an allergic reaction to fish and to protect himself from problems, it is necessary to administer it gradually in small portions. On average, complementary feeding can be started at 1.5 years of age.
Smelt is good for the bones and joints of a small organism, and can also improve or restore vision, which is quite important nowadays for schoolchildren who spend all their time near a computer monitor.
Smelt fish: benefits and harms, photos and preparation
Smelt is a small fish from the Salmon family. This seafood has an unusually delicate taste and a wide range of medicinal properties. The benefits and harms of smelt are always of interest to people who want to include this product in their daily diet. Its popularity is due to its usefulness, low calorie content and various cooking methods.
What does smelt look like and where is it found?
A small sea fish with delicate silvery scales. Its lifespan is from one to ten years. It has an elongated body of 20-30 cm, but in some cases grows up to 40 cm, and weighs about 350 g.
This sea creature is characterized by transparent fins and a green back. The eyes are bright black, and the mouth is small in size and has a large number of large teeth.
An interesting feature of the fish is the smell of fresh cucumber.
The fish can be found in the northern seas and lakes, bays and estuaries of Russia, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. It often moves to cooler areas to search for food. Its diet consists of small crustaceans, planktonic algae and small fish.
Composition of smelt
Sea fish is popular not only for its excellent taste, but also for the presence of irreplaceable healthy components in its composition. This is a high-protein, easily digestible product with low calorie content.
Nutritional value of healthy smelt
| Proteins (g) | Fat (g) | Carbohydrates (g) |
| 15,4 | 4,5 |
Fish contains such important microelements for human life as iron, fluorine, chromium, phosphorus, as well as vitamins of groups PP, B and D, which are essential for the immune system.
| Vitamins | Minerals | ||||
| macronutrients | microelements | ||||
| A | 15 mcg | Potassium | 290 mg | Zinc | 1.65 mg |
| IN 1 | 0.01 mg | Phosphorus | 230 mg | Iron | 0.9 mg |
| AT 2 | 0.12 mg | Calcium | 60 mg | Copper | 139 mcg |
| AT 4 | 65 mg | Sodium | 60 mg | Selenium | 36.5 mcg |
| AT 5 | 0.638 mg | Manganese | 700 mcg | ||
| AT 6 | 0.15 mg | ||||
| AT 9 | 4 mcg | ||||
| D | 0.8 mcg | ||||
| TO | 0.1 mcg |
Such a huge content of organic and inorganic substances significantly enhances the nutritional value of fish. Therefore, it must be included in the diet to improve health and prevent various diseases.
Important! Doctors recommend eating small healthy fish along with bones, since the ratio of phosphorus and calcium is considered a good prevention of osteoporosis.
Calorie content of smelt
The calorie content of smelt per 100 grams is 102 kcal, but this figure may vary, as it depends on the time the fish was caught, its habitat, and also on the method of preparation.
| Product | Calorie content (kcal) |
| Boiled | 102 |
| Baked | 88 |
| Dried | 145 |
| Dried | 139 |
| Fried | 181 |
Moderate consumption will saturate the human body with essential substances and will not cause harm to the figure.
What are the benefits of smelt?
The benefits of smelt for the body are invaluable due to the high content of vital micro- and macroelements. It is recommended to include fish in the diet for the treatment and prevention of many diseases, since it:
- copes with problems of the cardiovascular system,
- strengthens bones and joints, supplies the body with plenty of calcium,
- improves metabolism and provides a feeling of lightness in the stomach,
- good for dental health,
- fights swelling, ridding the body of excess fluid,
- used to heal external damage to the skin.
Sea fish is useful due to its rich chemical composition, since the beneficial substances it contains help to comprehensively strengthen and restore the functions of the body and stabilize the functioning of important systems. Therefore, with the systematic use of seafood products, the likelihood of forgetting about many serious diseases will significantly increase.
Smelt in folk medicine
The fat of this sea fish is often used in folk medicine as an antibacterial and healing agent. For various skin injuries - scratches, cuts, ulcers, burns - fat is used as a lotion to speed up healing and fight against many bacterial organisms.
Can children eat smelt?
Due to the significant content of macro- and microelements, vitamins and acids, the product is necessary for children to strengthen the musculoskeletal system and support the immune system.
Before giving the product to your child, you need to remove the seeds from it and boil it.
To check if your baby has an allergic reaction to fish and to protect himself from problems, it is necessary to administer it gradually in small portions. On average, complementary feeding can be started at 1.5 years of age.
Smelt is good for the bones and joints of a small organism, and can also improve or restore vision, which is quite important nowadays for schoolchildren who spend all their time near a computer monitor.
Is smelt good for dieting?
The seafood product does not have a high calorie content, so it is perfect for a diet menu when served with vegetables and herbs. It contains a huge amount of easily digestible proteins, which explains the benefits and nutritional value of fish. It is best to eat it baked, since the calorie content after such heat treatment is slightly reduced.
During the diet, you are allowed to eat even fried healthy smelt with the addition of a large amount of raw vegetables and herbs to the finished dish. Such a lunch will quickly fill you up, give you strength and energy, and also speed up your metabolism, which will have a positive effect on your figure.
Are there any benefits to fried, dried and dried smelt?
Sea fish retains many useful components during processing. Frying is the simplest and most common way to cook fish. Even after heat treatment, it has a positive effect on brain activity, immunity, and the support system.
Dried fish enriches the human body with essential components that prevent the appearance of wrinkles, slow down aging, reduce the occurrence of heart failure and are an excellent prevention of cancer.
Dried healthy smelt is necessary for pregnant women for the development and growth of the baby’s brain, as well as in the fight against depression.
How to cook delicious smelt
According to numerous surveys, it became known that this seafood product tastes best when fried. To do this, you just need to clean the fish, getting rid of the entrails, roll it in flour on both sides, and place it in a non-hot frying pan with sunflower oil. Here is one of the most delicious recipes for preparing healthy smelt:
But frying is not the only method to cook fish tasty and, most importantly, healthy. Healthy smelt is baked, stuffed, smoked, marinated, grilled and even stewed in white wine.
The product goes well with lemon sauce, vegetables and cheese. It is also used to prepare fish soup and cutlets.
In Scandinavia, excellent quality fish oil is obtained from it, and canned food is very common in other countries.
Harm of smelt and contraindications
Every product has contraindications, smelt is no exception. Sea fish can cause significant harm to the body in the following cases:
- diagnosing a patient with gout or urolithiasis, since it contains a nitrogenous substance with a purine base, which negatively affects the course of the disease,
- allergic reaction to sea fish,
- purchasing a low-quality marine product containing arsenic or polychlorinated biphenyl, which was caught in a contaminated area,
- poor processing of fish before consumption, as it may contain many parasites characteristic of marine fish.
Important! Being careful when buying fish and preparing it will help you protect yourself from unpleasant consequences. Also, before use, you need to make sure there are no allergies or problems with the excretory system.
How to choose and store smelt correctly
When choosing sea fish, you need to pay attention to the smell and appearance of the product. There are several criteria that will help you make the right choice:
- The smell of smelt should resemble a fresh cucumber; if it smells like fish, this means that the product is expired.
- If the belly of a sea fish is not swollen, the scales are smooth and shiny, the eyes are bulging and transparent, and the gills have a dark red tint and are characterized by the absence of mucus, then the product is fresh.
- If you have doubts about the expiration date of smelt at home, you should place the fish in water, then the fresh product will instantly sink.
- When frozen, a pale tint to the gills and drooping eyes are acceptable.
It is necessary to store sea fish in freezers, since when frozen it does not lose either its taste or beneficial properties.
But before that, it needs to be thoroughly washed and cut, removing the insides.
Without freezing, the product can be stored for no more than three days if it is dried, cleaned of entrails, rubbed with salt both inside and outside and placed in a cloth moistened with vinegar.
Dried and dried sea fish are stored for a year, wrapped in wrapping paper and placed in a wicker basket or cardboard box, which should be in a warm, dry place. When pickled, smelt should be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 days, just like fried and boiled.
Conclusion
Moderate consumption of valuable seafood in any form will saturate the body with useful components and maintain health and youth for many years. It is important to know the benefits and harms of smelt, and also to be able to choose the right fresh product.
Reviews
Marina, 32 years old, Nizhny Novgorod Delicious sea fish, which does not have an unpleasant odor when cooked, and when fresh it smells completely unusual for sea fish. Characterized by easy preparation, without spending a long time in the kitchen.
Elena, 36 years old, Kazan A healthy fish that is inexpensive, unlike other varieties of sea fish. It is prepared as quickly as it is eaten. There is always a long line for it, but how could it be otherwise: the pleasant aroma and extraordinary taste attracts customers.
Did you find this article useful? Not really
Is smelt good for dieting?
The seafood product does not have a high calorie content, so it is perfect for a diet menu when served with vegetables and herbs. It contains a huge amount of easily digestible proteins, which explains the benefits and nutritional value of fish. It is best to eat it baked, since the calorie content after such heat treatment is slightly reduced.
During the diet, you are allowed to eat even fried healthy smelt with the addition of a large amount of raw vegetables and herbs to the finished dish. Such a lunch will quickly fill you up, give you strength and energy, and also speed up your metabolism, which will have a positive effect on your figure.
Useful properties of smelt
Smelt is a small fish from the salmon family. Habitat is the Baltic, German and White Seas. The smelt has small scales on its back without color, and on its belly it is silvery. Males have a wider lower jaw. They live in large schools in the waters and are considered very prolific.
It can be found fresh, frozen, chilled, dried and smoked. This fish is also baked, fried, pickled, dried, and prepared in soups and okroshkas. After cooking, the fish is very juicy and tasty, goes well with side dishes and sauces.
Fresh smelt meat smells like cucumber.
Inside the fish has a small amount of giblets, which are easily separated. The meat is tender and the fibers in it separate when pressed, has a white or grayish color, and the skin comes off easily when peeled. The bones are thin and small; after heat treatment, you can safely eat the whole fish.
Smelt is a valuable food product, as it contains many minerals. It even contains such rare elements as selenium, zinc, copper and manganese. It also contains 115% vitamin B, which affects the quality of the body’s health, strengthens and rejuvenates it.
Nutritional value of smelt (100 g)
| proteins, g | fats, g | carbohydrates, g | kcal |
| 17,62 | 2,42 | 0 | 97 |
This fish is considered a low-calorie and dietary product for the body. Tilapia will be similar in calorie content, but crucian carp, flounder and hake have even lower calorie content.
During heat treatment, nutritional value may change. If you cook smelt on the grill, it will not be very high in calories, but if you fry it breaded in vegetable oil or treat yourself to dried or dried fish, it can waste your diet.
Calorie content of smelt (100 g)
| Product | Calorie content |
| Fried fish | 108,83 |
| Dried | 221,40 |
| Dried | 147,76 |
Beneficial features
- due to the high content of potassium, calcium and magnesium, the cardiovascular system is strengthened and blood pressure is normalized;
- Phosphorus improves brain activity and strengthens memory. Consumption of seafood high in this mineral is recommended for frequent mental stress. Mussels and oysters have the same properties; they will also help restore and strengthen mental activity;
- Unsaturated fats and vitamin D will help strengthen bones. This fish will be useful for small children, pregnant women and the elderly; it will help enrich the bones with the necessary elements and make them even stronger;
- One of the beneficial properties of smelt is its iron content, which will help fight the development of anemia. The artichoke has the same properties, only from vegetables. It will help not only increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, but also cleanse it of cholesterol;
- smelt meat improves digestion and accelerates metabolic processes;
- Frequent consumption can strengthen the immune system. You can replace fish, for example, with dogwood, which as a compote will help in the fight against colds and is also characterized by general strengthening properties;
- Fish meat has a beneficial effect on teeth, strengthening enamel and preventing bleeding gums;
- smelt improves the digestion process and intestinal motility. You can use daikon or radish as a refreshing side dish - they have a lot of fiber, which will also have a positive effect on intestinal motility;
- Vitamin A improves the quality of vision and is also involved in collagen synthesis;
- Regular consumption of smelt is good for skin and hair; minerals and amino acids found in fish have a strengthening and rejuvenating effect on the body;
- improves the functioning of the central nervous system, can overcome stress, disorders and anxious sleep.
Contraindications and harm to the body
- It is harmful to eat fried fish if you have gastritis or gastrointestinal ulcers;
- Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance or allergy to seafood;
- fish meat can accumulate toxic substances that can lead to poisoning;
- It is also necessary to take into account the level of cholesterol in the blood.
Vitamins in smelt (100 g)
| Vitamins | mg (µg) | % of daily value |
| A | 16 mcg | 2 % |
| D | 0.9 mcg | 8 % |
| TO | 0.2 mcg | 0 % |
| E | 0.4 mg | 3 % |
| IN 1 | 0.02 mg | 1 % |
| AT 2 | 0.13 mg | 7 % |
| AT 5 | 0.66 mg | 13 % |
| AT 6 | 0.15 mg | 8 % |
| AT 9 | 4 mcg | 1 % |
| AT 12 | 3.45 mcg | 115 % |
| RR | 1.44 mg | 7 % |
| AT 4 | 64 mg | 13 % |
Presence of minerals (100 g)
| Minerals | mg (µg) | % of daily value |
| Potassium | 291 mg | 12 % |
| Calcium | 61 mg | 6 % |
| Magnesium | 31 mg | 8 % |
| Sodium | 61 mg | 5 % |
| Phosphorus | 231 mg | 29 % |
| Iron | 0.9 mg | 5 % |
| Manganese | 0.8 mg | 35 % |
| Copper | 0.14 mg | 14 % |
| Selenium | 36.6 mcg | 66 % |
| Zinc | 1.64 mg | 14 % |
Are there any benefits to fried, dried and dried smelt?
Sea fish retains many useful components during processing. Frying is the simplest and most common way to cook fish. Even after heat treatment, it has a positive effect on brain activity, immunity, and the support system.
Dried fish enriches the human body with essential components that prevent the appearance of wrinkles, slow down aging, reduce the occurrence of heart failure and are an excellent prevention of cancer.
Dried healthy smelt is necessary for pregnant women for the development and growth of the baby’s brain, as well as in the fight against depression.
How to cook delicious smelt
According to numerous surveys, it became known that this seafood product tastes best when fried. To do this, you just need to clean the fish, getting rid of the entrails, roll it in flour on both sides, and place it in a non-hot frying pan with sunflower oil. Here is one of the most delicious recipes for preparing healthy smelt:
But frying is not the only method of preparing fish tasty and, most importantly, healthy. Healthy smelt is baked, stuffed, smoked, marinated, grilled and even stewed in white wine. The product goes well with lemon sauce, vegetables and cheese. It is also used to prepare fish soup and cutlets. In Scandinavia, excellent quality fish oil is obtained from it, and canned food is very common in other countries.
Recommended reading: What are the benefits of saury?
Features of cooking and eating smelt
Smelt meat is quite fatty and is suitable for both frying and steaming. You can make soup with it, you can stew it or cook it on a grill, stuff it and put it in the oven... But still, the most popular option is frying smelt, previously rolled in flour with spices. Naturally, first you need to clean and gut it (which, fortunately, is very easy to do, especially if the fish is fresh).
A very small fish can be turned into a delicious snack for beer, for which you need to generously salt it and fry it in oil. Dry smelt, which is obtained both at snow drying plants and at home, is no less popular. It is also tasty salted or dried.
It should be noted that some doctors recommend eating fried smelt along with the bones, which are tender in the spring and do not spoil the taste. They believe that this option of eating fish is an excellent way to prevent osteoporosis, as it allows you to restore the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorus in human bones.
Source https://m.iamcook.ru/products/korushka
One of the tasty and healthy fish of the salmon family is smelt. It is found, as a rule, in the northern seas, as well as in deep lakes. Fresh smelt smells like a cucumber. The size of smelt is relatively small, it can vary from 10 to 30 cm. Since smelt has quite fatty meat, this allows you to use different methods for preparing it. This fish can be stewed, marinated, smoked, baked. The easiest way to prepare smelt is to simply fry it. To do this, roll the fish, cleaned of its entrails, in flour and fry in oil on both sides for about 5 minutes. In addition, smelt produces aromatic and rich soup. Dried smelt can be a good snack for beer. The benefit of dried smelt is to preserve those beneficial properties that are lost during heat treatment.
The benefits and harms of smelt fish
Smelt meat contains a large number of various minerals and macroelements - vitamins PP, magnesium, calcium, sodium, chlorine. It is also enriched with iron, chromium, fluorine, and nickel. The calorie content of smelt is approximately 100 kcal.
Smelt can only cause harm if it is caught in a dirty pond. In this case, it may contain harmful substances that can lead to poisoning.
When choosing smelt, you should pay attention to the gills. For any fresh fish, they should be red. The whiter the gills, the more questionable the freshness of the smelt.
Source https://womanadvice.ru/koryushka-polza-i-vred
Smelt is a small fish from the salmon family. Habitat is the Baltic, German and White Seas. The smelt has small scales on its back without color, and on its belly it is silvery. Males have a wider lower jaw. They live in large schools in the waters and are considered very prolific.
It can be found fresh, frozen, chilled, dried and smoked. This fish is also baked, fried, pickled, dried, and prepared in soups and okroshkas. After cooking, the fish is very juicy and tasty, goes well with side dishes and sauces.
Fresh smelt meat smells like cucumber.
Inside the fish has a small amount of giblets, which are easily separated. The meat is tender and the fibers in it separate when pressed, has a white or grayish color, and the skin comes off easily when peeled. The bones are thin and small; after heat treatment, you can safely eat the whole fish.
Smelt is a valuable food product, as it contains many minerals. It even contains such rare elements as selenium, zinc, copper and manganese. It also contains 115% vitamin B, which affects the quality of the body’s health, strengthens and rejuvenates it.
Source https://veganpost.ru/ryba/korjushka-polza-vred
The silvery smelt fish, which smells like fresh cucumbers, is not large in size, but only those who don’t like and don’t eat fish can call it tasteless. But even “non-lovers” admit that among other types of fish known in our country and loved by connoisseurs, smelt occupies a special place: it is tastier and more desirable than many large species - it is fried in a few minutes, along with caviar, and when dried it considered one of the best fish to go with beer.
There are two common types of smelt in Russia: European, smaller in size - up to 28 cm and about 180 g in weight, and Asian, larger and fattier - up to 35 cm and more than 300 g; In Far Eastern waters, “catfish” the size of a small herring are often found.
In Central and Central Russia, smelt weighing about 30 g is better known, but the size and other features depend on the habitat. For example, smelts - small fish, which also belong to the smelt family, grow on average up to 10 g - they live in fresh water.
As a rule, smelt lives in the sea, but while the European fish does not go far from the coast, the Far Eastern fish goes much further. The same applies to the characteristics of spawning: Baltic smelts spawn in rivers a few hundred meters from the sea, Far Eastern ones - several tens of kilometers, and Siberian ones, living in the Arctic Ocean, go hundreds of kilometers into rivers. Small smelts, hatching from eggs, feed on algae, and then on plankton and very small fish; they themselves are also actively eaten by other sea inhabitants. Fortunately, smelt is not a rare or scarce fish: several hundred thousand tons of it are caught annually in the world, and in our country it is also one of the commercial species.
Harm of smelt and contraindications
Every product has contraindications, smelt is no exception. Sea fish can cause significant harm to the body in the following cases:
- diagnosing a patient with gout or urolithiasis, since it contains a nitrogenous substance with a purine base, which negatively affects the course of the disease;
- allergic reaction to sea fish;
- purchasing a low-quality seafood product containing arsenic or polychlorinated biphenyl, which was caught in a contaminated area;
- poor processing of fish before consumption, as it may contain many parasites characteristic of marine fish.
Important! Being careful when buying fish and preparing it will help you protect yourself from unpleasant consequences. Also, before use, you need to make sure there are no allergies or problems with the excretory system.
Smelt
Smelt is a tasty, small-sized predatory fish that belongs to the smelt family, a class of ray-finned fish. It is a close relative of capelin and a distant relative of salmon. Due to its large numbers, it is an important commercial fish. In the Gulf of Finland, the catch volume is second only to herring.
Smelt is a migratory fish. This means that at different stages of their life, fish carry out long migration from the seas to fresh water bodies and vice versa.
General information
The appearance of the fish is very specific, so it is easy to recognize even to an ignorant person.
Its body is elongated and the back is covered with transparent scales, so the fish has a brown-green back, while the barrels and belly are covered with silvery scales. The mouth of these fish is large.
Males differ from females by having a prominent lower jaw with teeth. Smelt is very voracious. It is unpretentious in food, feeding on plankton, caviar and fry, including its own.
There are several types of smelt. European, Asian (toothed, American) and marine (smallmouth) smelt are of great commercial importance. These species differ mainly in the body size of the fish.
In Russia, European smelt lives in river basins flowing into the Baltic, White, Barents and North Seas. There is also a smaller freshwater subspecies of this fish - smelt, which lives in Lakes Ladoga and Onega, in Valdai. Lives up to 3 years. Its length is 9-10 cm, and its weight does not exceed 8-10 g.
Smelts travel in large schools. They spawn when the water temperature reaches 4°C. To spawn, fish from the seas enter river mouths. When the water temperature exceeds 12°C, spawning stops and the fish return to their main habitat.
Chemical composition
Smelt is a healthy and low-calorie fish. 100 g of raw fish contains 15-16 g of protein and 4-5 g of fat. In terms of fat content, it belongs to fish of medium fat content.
The composition of smelt fats includes phospholipids and unsaturated fatty acids.
These compounds are part of cell walls, participate in the production of steroid hormones and have an anti-cholesterol effect, therefore they are beneficial for humans.
The meat of this northern fish contains many minerals. It contains vitamins B, D, C, A and E in small quantities, but their amount does not reach concentrations that are significant for humans.
MineralsName per 100 g of raw fish, milligrams
| Potassium | 290,0-390,0 |
| Phosphorus | 230,0-240,0 |
| Chlorine | 165,0 |
| Sulfur | 155,0 |
| Sodium | 60,0-135,0 |
| Calcium | 60,0-80,0 |
| Magnesium | 30,0-35,0 |
| Zinc | 1,7 |
| Iron | 0,7-0,9 |
| Copper | 0,14 |
| Chromium | 0,055 |
| Selenium | 0,037 |
The calorie content of this fish meat is 102 kcal/100 g.
Application in medicine
Smelt is a fish rich in extractive substances. This means that eating dishes made from this fish stimulates the appetite and improves the functioning of the digestive tract. It is entered into the menu when:
- gastritis with low acidity;
- ulcerative processes in the stomach and intestines;
- intestinal atony;
- dyskinesia of the bile ducts and bladder;
- chronic pancreatitis.
The regular presence of dishes from this fish on the menu is recommended for patients with:
- atherosclerosis and hypertension;
- coronary heart disease;
- arrhythmias;
- transient cerebrovascular accidents;
- angiopathy (diabetic, senile);
- diabetes mellitus;
- hypoparathyroidism;
- chronic kidney diseases;
- edema syndrome.
It is useful to consume smelt after serious illnesses, during exhaustion, for people with weakened immunity and anemia.
Hazardous properties
Only fish caught in a clean reservoir can exhibit beneficial properties. Neva smelt cannot currently be called useful. It has been noticed that the number of this fish in places where sewage is discharged into the water is much higher than in clean areas of the river.
This means that smelt feeds on organic decay products. Naturally, fish caught in a polluted reservoir are literally saturated with harmful compounds (salts of heavy metals, nitrates, hydrogen sulfide, urea, arsenic).
Eating such fish can cause acute food poisoning, allergic reactions, and intoxication.
Smelt is rich in nitrogenous extractive substances, which contain many purine bases. In this regard, northern fish should not be included in the diet of people suffering from gout and urolithiasis.
Allergy sufferers should consume smelt with great caution and in limited quantities.
How to choose
When buying smelt, you should give preference not to Neva fish, but to lake or Siberian fish. These subspecies are found in clean waters, so the risk of poisoning is minimal. You cannot purchase fish at spontaneous markets. In such places of unauthorized trade, products do not undergo veterinary and sanitary examination and are potentially dangerous.
Before purchasing fish you need to inspect:
- The gills of the fish should be red. If the gills turn pale, this indicates that it is rotten.
- The surface of the fish should be smooth, elastic, without ulcerations.
- Pimples on the body of a smelt indicate that the fish was caught during spawning.
- The fish's eyes should be shiny and protruding.
- The dark color of the fish's scales indicates that the fish was frozen. You should refuse to buy such fish.
Another 100% sign of the freshness of smelt is its specific smell. Fresh fish smells like cucumbers. If smelt smells like fish, it means it is not fresh.
How to cook
Smelt is prepared in a variety of ways. It is boiled, fried, stewed, salted, dried, smoked. This fish does not have sharp bones, so many of its connoisseurs eat the whole fish with bones, removing only the insides. Traditional dishes made from this northern fish are mochka and fried smelt.
To prepare it you need: small smelt, onions, vegetable oil, salt and spices to taste.
The washed and gutted fish are placed tightly in a frying pan with vegetable oil, sprinkled with onion, cut into rings, salt and pepper. Fill with water so that the fish is half covered.
Simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes after boiling. You should not simmer any longer, otherwise the fish will fall apart.
Fried smelt
Wash the fish, gut it, salt it, sprinkle with spices to taste and roll in flour. Fry in a hot frying pan with vegetable oil or deep-fry. Can be eaten with bones.
Smelt is a medium-fat fish, so for preparing fish soup it is used only together with fattier fish.
Interesting Facts
After the founding of St. Petersburg, smelt became the main food for the new population of the city.
During the siege of Leningrad during World War II, this fish saved tens of thousands of people from starvation.
In honor of this small northern fish, the “Smelt Festival” is held in St. Petersburg every year on one of the days from May 11 to 19. At this time, fish are passing from the Gulf of Finland along the Neva.
Conclusion
Smelt is a useful small fish in northern waters. It contains a lot of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and minerals. Dishes made from this fish are useful for people suffering from diseases of the heart and blood vessels, kidneys, and digestive organs. Regular consumption of it improves blood composition and normalizes the metabolism of fats and calcium in the body.
However, this fish can also cause harm to the body if it is caught from a polluted body of water. To avoid food poisoning from eating fish from such a reservoir, it must be purchased only in places of authorized trade, where all products undergo veterinary and sanitary control. People with purine metabolism disorders and allergy sufferers should use smelt with caution.
The main sign of freshness of smelt is a fresh cucumber smell, so you need to smell it when purchasing.
How to choose and store smelt correctly
When choosing sea fish, you need to pay attention to the smell and appearance of the product. There are several criteria that will help you make the right choice:
- The smell of smelt should resemble a fresh cucumber; if it smells like fish, this means that the product is expired.
- If the belly of a sea fish is not swollen, the scales are smooth and shiny, the eyes are bulging and transparent, and the gills have a dark red tint and are characterized by the absence of mucus, then the product is fresh.
- If you have doubts about the expiration date of smelt at home, you should place the fish in water, then the fresh product will instantly sink.
- When frozen, a pale tint to the gills and drooping eyes are acceptable.
It is necessary to store sea fish in freezers, since when frozen it does not lose either its taste or beneficial properties. But before that, it needs to be thoroughly washed and cut, removing the insides. Without freezing, the product can be stored for no more than three days if it is dried, cleaned of entrails, rubbed with salt both inside and outside and placed in a cloth moistened with vinegar.
Dried and dried sea fish are stored for a year, wrapped in wrapping paper and placed in a wicker basket or cardboard box, which should be in a warm, dry place. When pickled, smelt should be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 days, just like fried and boiled.
Where to store smelt
Different methods of processing fish require compliance with storage standards. We will describe how to store smelt in each case.
, how to choose fresh smelt, composition of smelt, description of smelt fish, benefits of smelt for humans, harm of smelt for humans, is it possible to eat smelt, can children eat smelt, smelt festival in St. Petersburg
In the springtime in St. Petersburg, the aroma of fresh cucumbers appears on the city streets, and all because fishermen bring tasty and healthy smelt fish
, which surprisingly has such a smell, for which it received a comic nickname from fishermen - fish-vegetable.
Smelt has become a traditional late spring dish in St. Petersburg. We loved this representative of salmon fish for the delicate taste of the meat and its quick preparation. The smelt fish is not at all large in size and not the brightest in appearance: no more than 30 cm in length, and an adult specimen reaches 350 grams of weight, colored dark and light gray, with a greenish tint on the back, with iridescent scales.
Smelt fish in nature
prefers cold waters, so it stays close to the bottom. A distinctive feature of the smelt is its wide mouth with a large number of teeth, which are quite large for the modest size of the fish itself, so don’t let yourself be bitten!
The scales of smelt are moderately shiny and quite soft, making them easy to peel off in a few movements with a simple knife. The fish themselves, unlike most of their relatives, are able to remain alive on land for up to several hours, which increases their freshness and is very convenient for fishermen and buyers.
In addition to its excellent taste, smelt also has undoubted benefits for the human body, and this is due to its very good composition, like most fish.
Smelt meat consists of proteins and fats, water and ash, and contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals shown in the table.
Smelt fish - composition: protein, fats, water and ash.
| Name | Quantity per 100 g. smelts |
| 1.5 grams | |
| Vitamins | Retinol or vitamin A (15 mcg), B1 (0.01 mg), B2 (0.12 mcg), B3 (1.45 mcg), B6 (0.15 mg), B9 (4 mcg), B12 (3 .44 mcg), vitamin E (0.5 mg), D (0.8 mcg), K (0.1 mcg), B4 (65 mg) |
| Macronutrients | Potassium (290 mg), Calcium (60 mg), Magnesium (35 mg), Sodium (60 mg), Phosphorus (230 mg) |
| Microelements | Manganese (700 mg), Selenium (36.5 mcg), Copper (139 mcg), Zinc (1.65 mcg), Iron (0.9 mg) |
| Nicotinic, pantothenic (B5) and folic |
As can be seen from the table, despite the sufficient fat content, smelt does not have a high calorie content, and even people who are watching their figure or on a diet can eat it.
Small smelt can be eaten whole, with bones; this is especially useful for people suffering from osteoporosis. Thanks to smelt you will restore the balance of micro- and macroelements.
The rich composition of smelt generally has a beneficial effect on human health, especially for the following organs and systems:
- Smelt strengthens bones and joints.
- Helps prevent cardiovascular diseases.
- Smelt increases brain productivity.
- Smelt helps reduce stress, fatigue, and improves mood [there is no arguing here, smelt is very tasty and cannot help but improve your mood, find out and try it yourself].
Such a healthy and tasty product cannot cause harm to health; it can be eaten by everyone: children, adults, and the elderly.
Smelt can be harmful in two cases: if you are unlucky enough to be allergic to it, and if the smelt was caught in a dirty pond.
Smelt caught in a dirty pond may be tasty and no different from ordinary fish in appearance, but inside it may contain heavy metals, wastewater products or industrial and agricultural products. Buy smelt in trusted places, better and cheaper from familiar fishermen. The price often depends on, it makes sense to study the issue in advance so as not to end up with a low-quality product.
As mentioned earlier, smelt is an extremely healthy product, and of course it can be given to children. Naturally, we are not talking about infants, but children who eat meat and other adult foods can be given smelt. I would not give fried smelt, perhaps it is better to just boil it, or remove the fried meat and give only pieces of meat free from bones.
Smelt will only strengthen the bones and joints of a young body and can even improve vision, this is especially true for schoolchildren who spend a lot of time reading and on the computer.
Give children smelt for the first time in small quantities to assess whether the child has an allergy and, if something happens, take action, because the less allergen gets in, the easier it is to deal with the consequences.
Smelt can be Baltic, Neva and Ladoga, and even Far Eastern [but this is a completely different smelt]. In the Baltic, in the Neva and on Ladoga, the smelt is the same, only in a different time period of its migration route. There is an opinion that the current in the Neva is stronger and the strongest and largest fish end up there, and judging by the stalls, this is true.
You can choose fresh smelt like any other fish based on appearance and smell.
For fresh smelt:
- There should be no fat or mucus on the carcass.
- The gills should be bright red.
- There should be a smell of fresh cucumbers.
- The eyes should not be cloudy; they become cloudy after freezing [which is typical, the smell of cucumbers does not disappear after freezing].
- The pupil should be narrow; if it is dilated, then the fish has already laid down.
Smelt is highly cultivated in St. Petersburg, and is almost a symbol of the city in late spring - early summer. St. Petersburg residents fell in love with smelt so much that they even came up with Smelt Day: mass celebrations are organized in Lenexpo, with cooking and tasting of smelt, mass entertainment, competitions and a fish market.
The love story of St. Petersburg and smelt is shrouded in all sorts of legends and secrets. There is an opinion that Peter I initially fell in love with smelt and he popularized it among the people and even supported fishermen, and gave it the name Tsar Fish. The second story talks about the life-saving smelt during the siege of Leningrad, which saved many city residents from hunger in the spring. To believe or not to believe in legends is everyone’s business.
The main thing is that the fish is smelt
healthy and tasty and will perfectly diversify your table, both adults and children will like it and there is something for every taste and budget.
Smelt (Osmerus eperlanus)
Description
A genus of fish in the smelt family, order smelt-like. This is a small silver fish, its body is elongated, covered with easily falling scales. There are Asian toothed smelt, European and its freshwater form - dwarf smelt or “smelt”. This fish is widespread in the northwestern part of Western Europe, in the basins of the Baltic and North Seas, in Lake Ladoga and Onega. It lives only in clean water and prefers deep, cool waters, in summer it stays in the lower layers of cool water, and in winter it is found in shallow water. Smelt is a migratory fish; it goes to rivers and streams more than 100 km from the sea to spawn.
Smelt is not a large variety of fish; its usual size is about 10 cm, the maximum does not exceed 35 cm. This fish does not gain more than 350 g of weight.
Properties
The flesh of smelt is tender and fatty. The fish itself is very easy to clean; it has very few scales. Smelt has very tasty caviar. Smelt meat contains a high degree of useful minerals and trace elements: iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, molybdenum and fluorine. 100 g of smelt contains 15.5 g of protein and 4.5 g of fat.
Application
Smelt is the main commercial fish of the Neva and part of the Gulf of Finland, in which smelt ranks second in fishery (the first belongs to herring). Most of the catch is dried in special snow drying plants, after which it goes on sale in dried, salted, dried and smoked form. A smaller amount is marketed chilled and frozen.
Due to its fatty pulp, smelt is good for frying and for more gentle cooking methods. The simplest and, as is commonly believed, the most delicious way is fried smelt. To do this, you need to clean the fish, remove the entrails, bread it in flour and fry in oil.
During the spawning season, smelt is often sold with caviar. And in order not to deprive yourself of the pleasure of eating such a fish, there is no need to gut it and cut off its head. It should be rolled in breadcrumbs, which are pre-mixed with salt and spices (then the fish does not need to be salted), and fried in vegetable oil quickly enough, 3-4 minutes on each side.
During the season, there is nothing unnecessary in smelt and everything is edible. It is used to make soups, bake in the oven with vegetables, fry on a grill and deep-fry, cook smelt in batter and stew. Small smelt is fried with a lot of salt and served as a snack with beer.
Interesting Facts
Fishermen have a joke that the smelt fish is not really a fish, it is partly a vegetable, more precisely, a cucumber. The thing is that freshly caught smelt gives off an aroma that is surprisingly similar to cucumber. The smell is very intense and can fill the streets along rivers where smelt live at this time.
Smelt is a symbol of St. Petersburg. At the end of May, when it passes through the Gulf of Finland, the city organizes a “Smelt Festival”. The smelt season is a special gastronomic event in St. Petersburg life.
Calorie content and nutritional value of smelt
Calorie content of smelt —
102 kcal.
Nutritional value of smelt: proteins - 15.4 g, fats - 4.5 g, carbohydrates - 0 g
Do you know that smelt is a “vegetable”?
Such a categorical statement is used by fishermen who catch this wonderful fish, which emits a smell that is very similar to the aroma of fresh cucumbers. It is so concentrated that in its habitat it can fill the streets located near a reservoir. The smelt is a symbol of St. Petersburg, and in May there is even a holiday dedicated to this fish, which is timed to coincide with its entry into the Gulf of Finland.
