Silver carp belongs to the carp family, and is represented by
three subspecies: white, variegated and hybrid silver carp.
It is a schooling freshwater fish, reaching a fairly large size,
distinguished by silvery scales and a large head. Has a valuable
commercial value. In our country, it is actively bred by an artificial
method, since it is not capable of spawning in European waters. Silver
carp is considered a genus of water bodies in China, before it was called so
– “ Chinese silver carp .” In the late fifties, Chinese
fish farms were destroyed by severe floods, and this fish got
into the tributaries of the Amur. Later, in the sixties, silver carp began to be launched
into the Volga, Dnieper, Prut, Dniester, Kuban, Terek, Don, Syrdarya, Amu Darya,
and at the end of the decade were already massively bred in fish farms for stocking the
reservoirs of Ukraine.
Fish of this species are of great benefit in their habitats
– they actively feed on phytoplankton (microalgae), cleanse the water,
rid it of excess detritus, this is especially effective
in stagnant ponds. Often, it is for the purpose of cleaning the “green”
pond that silver carp is launched there.
A fairly fast-growing fish – at the age of three it weighs about
3 kg, and an adult reaches a meter in length and weighs 16 kilograms.
How to choose a silver carp
When buying a silver carp, it is better to give preference to large fish,
weighing more than two kilograms. Small specimens have more small bones
and less fat. It is better to buy fish in places where
sanitary documents can be submitted for it , this will help to avoid infection with
opisthorchiasis.
Silver carp is usually sold fresh or chilled, and high
quality fish can be identified by a number of simple signs. These
primarily include: the smell of the river and algae, which the
silver carp should smell like; wet, straight and elastic tail; pink gills,
eyes without turbidity and sunkenness; smooth, shiny scales; dense
body, from which the dent quickly disappears when pressed with a finger.
How to store
The preservation of silver carp for a long period is ensured in the
same way as for other fish – by
freezing fresh fish in a freezer. If kept
in the refrigerator, the fish must be cooked in a maximum of 24 hours. Applying the
technologies of drying, smoking or salting, the terms of consumption of processed
fish are significantly lengthened. The general recommendation for silver carp
is to cook it right away, because freezing will inevitably worsen the quality of the
tender meat of this fish. If the fish is large, or there is a lot of it and freezing is
inevitable, silver carp can be divided into portioned pieces, placed
in separate bags and placed in the freezer – in the future, it
will be more convenient to remove and defrost the required amount of fish.
Use in cooking
Due to the high fat content of silver carp meat, there are many
ways and recipes for its preparation. By the way, silver carp fat is
similar to that of marine fish, which distinguishes it favorably from freshwater
counterparts. Very good balyk is obtained from this fish, both ordinary
dried
and cooked using a smoking chamber. Silver carp can be
baked, fried, stewed, prepared aspic, fish soup, dumplings, hodgepodge
and soup. The larger the fish, the tastier the dishes will be and the less fiddling
with bones.
Calorie content of silver carp
There are 86 Kcal per one hundred grams of silver carp. In the process of cooking
or stewing, the
calorie content decreases slightly, to a level of 77.4 kcal. Therefore,
this fish, of course, belongs to dietary products. There is
even a diet where silver carp is the only dish. This is due to
its tender, easy-to-digest and digest meat with a high
percentage of protein content.
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Proteins, g Fats, g Carbohydrates, g Ash, g Water, g Calorie content, kcal 19,5 0,9 – 1,1 79 86
Here are data for fresh fish, unprocessed. Depending
on the type of silver carp (white or spotted), its age – the fat content
and energy value of meat can vary greatly. For example,
the older the fish, the fatter it is. And the silver carp has
better meat than the white one (the reason is the ability to feed on
zooplankton in addition to algae , “fattening up” the mass much faster).
Useful properties of silver carp
The presence of nutrients
The main value of silver carp, of course, is considered to be polyunsaturated
omega-3
acids and a high protein content. This fish
contains quite a variety of vitamins – A, B, E, PP; it contains phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc,
sulfur and sodium.
Useful and healing properties
The inclusion of silver carp in the menu, given the presence of useful
trace elements and vitamins, can have a tangible positive
effect on the prevention of atherosclerosis, normalization of the work of both the
peripheral and central nervous systems. Its meat is indicated
for gout,
hypertension and rheumatism.
Diabetics will be able to fully appreciate the usefulness of this fish (helps to
reduce sugar levels).
When silver carp is consumed, its basic chemical elements will also have a positive effect on the human body
– they will improve carbohydrate metabolism, help the synthesis of hemoglobin, enhance the
antioxidant effect, and have a positive effect on the renewal
of skin cells, hair and nails growth.
For people suffering from gastritis,
especially associated with low acidity, silver carp dishes
are especially recommended. This fish is also useful for cardiovascular
diseases – scientists have proven a decrease in blood pressure when
eating silver carp meat for two weeks.
Use in cosmetology
Since silver carp contains high molecular weight collagen, it is
actively used in cosmetology in the production of creams and gels, the
action of which is aimed at combating age wrinkles and
skin aging.
Dangerous properties of silver carp
The use of silver carp is contraindicated for people who have a pronounced
intolerance to fish and fish products, as well as for those who have
allergic
reactions to silver carp dishes.
Particular care should be taken in the case of smoked fish,
it must be remembered that hot smoking forms carcinogenic
compounds that are dangerous to the body. Therefore, smoked
fish (especially hot) is acceptable as an occasional delicacy,
but not a constant product on the menu.
The dream of any fisherman is that a “flying” silver carp jumps into the boat himself!
