Pheasant: benefit and harm to the human body

Carp is a beautiful fish from the carp family, which has a second name - ordinary carp. She loves freshwater reservoirs and prefers to live in one place. Compared to other fish, carp can live up to 38 years, which is rare for other freshwater representatives. The growth of common carp lasts until the age of seven, then stops.

What does carp look like and where is it

Sazan is considered a freshwater representative of the carp family of fish, although it can also be found in the seas, such as the Black, Azov, Caspian and others. Its main habitat are rivers, ponds, reservoirs and lakes. It can be found in the Far East, in Central Asia, in Kamchatka. He does not like the fast flow and prefers to live in one place where there is a lot of plant food, but he will not refuse eggs of other fish or amphibians.

Sazan is not difficult to recognize by its memorable appearance. He has a beautiful “golden” scales with a bluish tint. On the belly, the scales are lighter, on the back - darker. Features of common carp:

1. The scales have a specific ornament, and each has its own: on the base there is a dark spot, and the edge is edged with a dark strip. Thus, a peculiar pattern of rhombuses is obtained on the body of a carp.
2. The fin in the fish is long and well developed. It runs all over the back.
3. The carp head is large with a retractable mouth and small eyes. Has antennae located on both sides of the upper lip.

Worth to know! The carp fins have spikes (they are popularly referred to as the “file”). They are spiky with notches, so you must be careful when cleaning fish.

In length, the fish on average reaches 30 cm, but sometimes grows up to a meter. This rarely happens, but it also happens.

Maximum fish parameters:

• length - 100 cm;
• weight - 40 kg.

If we talk about the usual fish, they weigh no more than 3 kg, and their length does not exceed 40 cm.

Types of carp

There are two main subspecies of carp:

• Amur;
• European.

The first species is found in the reservoirs of the Far East and in the south of Asia, the second one lives in the basins of the seas, such as the Aral and Caspian.

What is the difference between carp and carp

There are some features of home carp. They can be either scaly or completely “naked”, i.e. without scales. There may be species that are half covered with scales.

1. Scale carps are completely covered with scales.
2. In naked fish, scales are absent. Such carps are called leathery, as their body is covered only with skin.
3. There are specular fish that have large scales. Carps got this name because the scales resemble a small mirror.

Composition and calorie content

Sazan meat is classified as dietary product, since its calorie content per 100 g does not exceed 100 kcal. To be more precise, it is only 97 kcal. There are no carbohydrates in fish, but there are:

• fats
• proteins;
• ash;
• water.

If we talk about vitamins, then carp is rich in vitamins of the group:

• A;
• IN;
• FROM;
• E;
• D;
• PP

There are retinol, lecithin and niacin in meat.

From micro- and macrocells it should be distinguished:

• calcium;
• sulfur;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• iodine;
• iron;
• chlorine;
• sodium;
• zinc;
• chromium;
• fluorine and others

As you can see, in the carp there is a sufficient amount of valuable substances necessary for the full functioning of a person.The fish contains beneficial acids, which are also important for the human body. Of these, omega-3 is worth highlighting. For example, some fatty acids are good for vision. They are able to stop the development of degenerative changes in the eyes, in particular in the eyeballs.

Some people think that carp is tastier than carp. But this is not so. Even a foodie will not be able to tell the difference between the two members of the family. In varieties, meat has exactly the same taste. It is boneless, very juicy, mouth-watering and tender. The fillet is piquant, slightly sweet.

Useful properties of carp

General benefit

Fish is equally useful for young children and the elderly. It will not only saturate the body with the missing valuable and important substances, but it can charge a person with energy, improve cerebral blood circulation, and make it possible to normalize metabolic processes in the body.

Sazan will be especially useful for patients suffering from ulcers or gastritis. There are no carbohydrates in the fish, so it is recommended that patients include it in their diet.

For people who are prescribed special diets, common carp meat will be of particular benefit. In addition to general properties, the acids contained in fish fight inflammation, which is especially important for people on therapeutic diets or leading an active lifestyle.

I especially want to note that the valuable micro- and macro-elements contained in the meat of the carp, as well as fatty unsaturated acids prevent the development and formation of cholesterol plaques, which can cause cardiovascular diseases. This is especially important for older people. Thanks to omega-3, which is part of fish meat, blood supply improves, pressure normalizes, and the heart muscle and vascular system begin to function properly. This reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

For women

A sufficient amount of fatty acids, vitamin E, lecithin and retinol, which beneficially affect the condition of the skin, improve its color, is smeared in meat. They have a positive effect on the growth and condition of hair and nails, which is especially important for a woman. Due to its composition, carp meat is not only able to restore cells, but also regenerate them.

Meat is considered delicious and dietary. It has few calories, but many substances useful to the woman’s body. For ladies who are watching their figure, eating fish fillet will be ideal for weight loss and maintaining their shape.

Fillet of carp is advised to take with problems with veins and metabolic processes in the body, defective gastrointestinal tract.

For men

Minerals and vitamins in meat, such as potassium and calcium, support muscle tissue and affect the musculoskeletal structure of the body. Especially for lovers of an active lifestyle, it will be useful to include ordinary carp in your diet.

In the carp there is a sufficient amount of proteins that will support the muscles. Fish meat normalizes blood pressure, recommended for problems with the heart and blood vessels.

During pregnancy

Meat of carp is advised to be taken by pregnant women. Its composition will have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the mother, will raise the mood, which will undoubtedly positively affect the development of the fetus. Fillet will saturate with the necessary substances the body of not only the future mother, but also the baby.

When breastfeeding

During lactation, the use of common carp meat will be appropriate. It has been proven that fillets have a positive effect on the production and quality of breast milk. It contains a sufficient amount of iron, which is necessary for the baby to develop. The meat is easily absorbed by the body, so there can be no problems with it.

For kids

The meat of ordinary carp should be given to children gradually. It is necessary to see if they are intolerant to the fillet. If everything is in order, then it can be included in the children's menu. Thanks to the useful elements that are contained, regular meat consumption will have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the child: immunity will increase, vision will be strengthened, health will improve, and the work of the gastrointestinal tract will normalize. The child will be able to replenish energy, normalize mental performance, improve memory.

When losing weight

As we said, meat is low in calories. Take it during fasting days and during diets will be the best option. Fillet is suitable for salt or protein diets.

The calorie content of carp fillet does not exceed 100 kcal per 100 g, so it is used in diets. It has a sufficient amount of connective tissue, due to which meat is easily absorbed and digested in the body. This is especially important for people with a sedentary lifestyle. It has a lot of protein compounds, which is important with proper and rational nutrition.

What is useful caviar

Common carp caviar is saturated with lecithin. This substance stimulates the development and growth of cells in the body. The main positive properties of caviar:

1. It prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases, an excellent tool for the prevention of diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
2. Lowers cholesterol.
3. Strengthens and normalizes nervous activity, helps with stressful situations.
4. Increases brain activity.

Is carp useful for pancreatitis and gastritis?

The meat of ordinary carp is recommended for patients with pancreatitis and gastritis. It has no carbohydrates, so you can safely include it in your diet. But there are a sufficient amount of other useful substances in the carp. They will be able to replenish the patient’s body with the missing minerals, macro- and microelements, vitamins, and improve metabolic processes.

Harm and contraindications

Carp has virtually no contraindications. The only exception to the rule is an allergic reaction to fish products or individual intolerance. It is important to comply with the measure and not abuse the product. In addition to beneficial substances, fish may contain elements that are harmful to health. This is due to the nutrition of the fish. It can take not only plant foods, but also contaminated from water bodies. Therefore, it is not advised to catch it in places that are doubtful from an environmental point of view. For example, in areas of industrial production, where there may be waste water. Toxins that can be found in fish enter the human body. And this is poisoning. It will not be so simple to remove harmful substances from the body, and such substances can have a negative effect on the human condition.

How to choose and store

When choosing fish in a store, you should first of all pay attention to the shelf life. Even once frozen fish will not be as useful as fresh, therefore, if possible, it is better to buy it only in fresh or chilled form. What should be paid attention first of all:

1. Eyes. It is necessary to pay attention to the eyes of the carp. They should be bright, not cloudy. Cloudy eyes are evidence that the fish is not the first freshness and may have already deteriorated. Such a product is best avoided.
2. Scales. If the scales are covered with mucus, then the carp was left in the store for a long time, or the rules were violated during its storage. That is, the fish was not stored properly, and it could become unsuitable for consumption in food. One more thing about scales: in a fresh carp, it is wet.
3. Gills. Fresh common carp have no mucus on their gills; they have a rich red color. Clean and bright gills are proof of the freshness of the product. This is evidence that the fish has recently been caught and is quite suitable for cooking.
4. Meat. Often caught carp is large, so in the store it is sold in pieces. In order not to make a mistake in choosing a fish, you need to smell it. Recently caught fish smells like a river and natural freshness. If there is no way to do this, you need to press on the meat with your finger. In fresh common carp, the flesh will immediately recover, leaving no indentations. This will serve as evidence that the fish is suitable for consumption, you can safely buy it and cook your favorite dishes from it.

Storage
In a refrigerator. If it was not possible to cook fish immediately after purchase or fishing, then it should be removed to the refrigerator. But it is necessary to take into account several points and observe the temperature regime.

To start, you need to prepare the carp, regardless of whether you freeze it or temporarily put it in the refrigerator. To do this, wash the fish, dry it and gut the insides. This will make it possible not to spoil the carp when freezing and extend its shelf life.

If the fish was purchased in a refrigerated state, then it should be stored at a temperature of -2 degrees. Errors can be, but not more than +2 or -2 degrees. In the refrigerator, the temperature will be higher, so you can not store fish for more than one day.

It is better to use a storage container or any other capacity, put ice there and put fish in it.

In the freezer. The storage process in the freezer will be the same as in the refrigerator. Fish should be washed, dried and gutted. It is better to put the carp in a vacuum package or container. If you need to send the carp for long-term storage, then the best option would be to sprinkle the carcass with salt or treat it with lemon juice.

Important! In order for the fish in the freezer not to lose its useful qualities, it is impossible to remove the skin from it. So it does not dry out, and the meat after defrosting will remain fresh and healthy.

Fish can be stored in the freezer for up to 7 months.

How to quickly clean a carp

Cleaning ordinary carp is not a particularly difficult process, as it may seem. It is divided into stages:

1. Cover the table with thick paper. You can use newspapers or do everything in the sink. But it is worth remembering that the fish has a lot of scales, and it can get into the drain, thereby clogging it.
2. Cutting is best done with rubber gloves. First, cut the fins of the fish using scissors or a sharp knife. You need to take a scraper and begin to scrape off the scales from the tail. This can be done with a knife, but a scraper will be more convenient. Pull the scraper to the fish head. It may not be possible to remove all the scales the first time, but it’s not scary. The process can be repeated or cooked with them. A pair of scales on the skin of the fish will not do any harm.
3. After removing the skin, cut the belly and get rid of the insides. You need to be careful when gutting fish, in no case can you touch the gall bladder so that the bile contained in it does not get on the meat of the carp. Otherwise, the fish will be bitter. If this happened, it is advised to rub the place where the bile got with salt, let it soak a little and rinse with running water.
4. The head of an ordinary carp can not be removed. Many find it especially delicious. But from the eyes and gills it is necessary to get rid of.

How to deliciously cook carp: recipes

The carp is juicy, appetizing and tender meat. It can be used as a separate dish or served with a garnish. Great cutlets, soups, fries, pies, etc. are made from fish. There are many recipes for cooking dishes from ordinary carp, which will be discussed later.

In the oven

This is a recipe for making whole fish. For this we need:

• carp - 2.5 kg (you can slightly more or slightly less);
• butter - 80 g;
• onion - 2 pcs. medium size;
• dill - 1 bunch;
• Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc.;
• salt, pepper, paprika - at the discretion of the hostess.

Cooking:

1. We cook fish: wash it, dry it and get rid of the insides.
2. Rub the fish with salt, pepper and paprika.
3. Finely chop the onion, chop the greens.
4. Prepared greens, butter and onions are placed inside the carp.
5. We put the fish on a foil and decorate it with chopped rings of bell pepper on top. We wrap so that it is completely covered with foil.
6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and send the fish to cook.
7. Bake carp for 40 minutes.

In the pan

Pan-fried sazan is a very tasty and simple dish. To prepare it, we need:

• carp - 1.5 kg;
• milk - 120 ml;
• lemon - 1 pc.;
• egg - 2 pcs.;
• sour cream - 60 g;
• vegetable oil (for frying) - 80 ml;
• salt and pepper - to taste;
• flour - 200 g.

Cooking:

1. My fish, dried, gutted inside, clean the scales. Cut into large pieces.
2. Pour over the lemon juice or sprinkle the fish, rub it thoroughly so that all the juice can be absorbed and give a little time to marinate the meat.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add sour cream and pour in the milk, if necessary, salt and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly so that there are no lumps.
4. Dip the prepared pieces into the prepared batter and fry in a pan on both sides. Cooking time - 5 minutes for frying on each side.

Fish according to this recipe always turns out successful, tasty and tender. Eat on health!

In a slow cooker

We will need:

• carp - 1.5 kg;
• onion - 1 onion medium size;
• carrots - 1 pc. medium size;
• hard cheese - 70 g;
• cream (fat content of at least 11%) - 250 ml;
• salt - 1 teaspoon without a hill;
• vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons;
• pepper to taste.

Cooking:

1. We remove the scales from the fish, gutting the insides, wash, then dry. Cut into small pieces. Sprinkle them with pepper, if you wish and salt. You can use additional seasoning to taste.
2. Grate carrots with large teeth. Finely chop the onion.
3. We put the slow cooker on the baking mode. Pour the oil to the bottom of the multicooker bowl, add chopped onion there and fry for a couple of minutes.
4. Then add carrots to the onion and turn on the multicooker again for a couple of minutes.
5. We put the fish pieces in a multi-cookware, on top of them lay the fried carrots and onions. Fill everything with cream.
6. Grate the cheese with large cloves and sprinkle them with fish.
7. Close the lid and turn on the multicooker again for 40 minutes. Leave the mode as before.

Fish in a slow cooker is not only tasty, but also healthy. It retains all its valuable qualities, since all the nutrients in the cooking process do not evaporate, but remain in the fish.

On the grill

Shish kebab turns out to be especially piquant and mouth-watering. The main secret to successful cooking is a properly prepared marinade. For cooking, we need:

• fish steaks - 1.5 kg;
• lemon juice - 40 ml;
• oil - 50 ml;
• pepper and salt to taste.

Cooking:

1. For starters, pickle steaks. We will do this in a very simple way - in lemon juice. Fill them with fish pieces and leave for half an hour. We will cook kebab on the grill.
2. Pickled slices salt and pepper.
3. We spread them on the prepared grid.
4. We fry each side for 7 minutes.

Pretty simple and economical. We did not need any other marinade products. The pieces do not fall apart and are especially aromatic and tender.

Grilled

We will need:

• sazan - whole carcass;
• lemon juice - 1 tablespoon;
• onion - 2 onions;
• soy sauce - 50 ml;
• lemon - 1 pc.;
• sunflower oil - 50 ml;
• dill greens - 1 bunch;
• parsley - 1 bunch;
• pepper to taste.

We do not use salt in this recipe, since we have soy sauce in the ingredients, and it is quite salty in itself.

Cooking:

1. We remove the scales from the fish, cut off the fins, remove the insides. Wash and dry the carcass.
2. We make cuts on the body of the fish on both sides, so that they are located across the body.
3. Squeeze the juice from the onion. There are many ways to do this. Add soy sauce to it. All pepper and mix thoroughly.Add juice squeezed from lemon and chopped greens.
4. Lubricate the carcass with the prepared marinade, not forgetting the inside of the fish. In this recipe, you can not use soy sauce, but serve it separately to the table. Then salt will need to be added to the marinade.
5. Cut the onion in half rings, lemon in rings.
6. We mix the onion rings with lemon, salt them a little and put everything inside the carp.
7. Top with fish oil and spread the carcass on the grill.
8. We fry the fish on each side for at least 7-10 minutes.

How to salt salted caviar at home

Salting Tips:

1. Gut the fish and open the abdomen carefully. It is unacceptable to touch the bag with caviar, so that the insides of the fish could not get on the eggs.
2. If the caviar is fresh, then you will need to remove the film from it.
3. For ease of extracting caviar from the bag, it is necessary to make a small incision on the film and pour boiling water with salt there. Helping with a fork, wrap the film on it and remove it from the caviar.
4. The caviar must undergo a thorough treatment to destroy harmful bacteria and possible parasites.
5. Do not salt the product in a metal container. Enameled or glassware without chips and cracks is suitable.
6. The container must undergo sterilization before salting.

Method 1

We will need:

• fish caviar - 600 g;
• salt - 80 g;
• water - 1.2 l;
• ghee - 90 g.

Cooking:

1. We prepare the solution: mix the salt with water, put on fire and bring the liquid to a boil. The salt should completely dissolve.
2. Caviar is removed from the film. Place the eggs in a colander, then gently immerse everything in boiling salt water for 3-4 minutes. You can stand longer so that the eggs are salted and heat-treated.
3. We sterilize the jars and lay eggs on the bottom of the container.
4. Pieces of ghee put on top of the eggs.
5. We close the container tightly with lids and send it to the cold for a day. After 24 hours, you can eat caviar.

Method 2

We will need:

• caviar - 600 g;
• salt - 110 g;
• water - 1.4 l;
• vegetable oil - 80 g;
• Lavrushka - 2 leaves;
• peppercorns - 4 pcs.

Cooking:

1. We will need a saline solution. To do this, add salt in an amount of 20 g in 250 ml of water and bring the liquid to a boil.
2. Put caviar in a film in a separate dish and fill it with a solution that boiled on the stove.
3. Then we rub the eggs in a colander to remove the film.
4. We prepare the next solution. To do this, mix the salt that remains, mix with water and put on fire. Bring the brine to a boil. Add the lavrushka and peas of pepper to it. Boil for 10 minutes.
5. Turn off the gas and let the solution cool.
6. We take out the dishes with caviar and fill the eggs with brine.
7. We sterilize the jars and put caviar with brine there.
8. We close the lids and send for a day in the refrigerator.
9. We take out the container and drain the liquid from the cans, leaving only the caviar.
10. Put butter on top of the eggs (it is better to use ghee), cover with lids and store the caviar in the refrigerator.

What can be prepared from carp: recipes

Ear

To prepare this recipe, we need almost all parts of the fish:

• carp head, fins and tails - 500 g;
• carrots - 1 pc. medium size;
• potatoes - 3 pcs.;
• Lavrushka - 1 leaf;
• celery - 1 bunch;
• tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
• vodka - 50 ml;
• salt, herbs and pepper - at the discretion of the hostess.

Cooking:

1. Boil the fish head and other parts (fin and tail) for 15 minutes.
2. Add bay leaf to the broth, salt and, if necessary, pepper.
3. We send chopped greens there. In addition to celery, you can use parsley and dill.
4. Cut vegetables into arbitrary pieces and send to the pan.
5. Stew soup for about 15 minutes. A couple of minutes before cooking, pour vodka into the broth.

Enjoy a delicious and healthy ear!

Cutlets

Cutlets from ordinary carp are always juicy, rich and soft.

We will need:

• carp - 3 kg;
• potatoes - 2 pcs. medium size;
• onion - 2 pcs.medium sizes:
• Lavrushka - 1 leaf;
• oil - 60 g;
• green onions - 5 arrows;
• salt, herbs and pepper - to taste;
• flour - 80 g.

Cooking:

1. We cut fish. Separate the meat fillet from the bones and put it in a separate bowl.
2. In a meat grinder we scroll fish meat, potatoes and onions.
3. Mix everything, salt and pepper if necessary.
4. Add finely chopped onion (green) and chopped lavrushka to the minced meat.
5. We form the patties, roll them in flour and fry them in a pan, preheating the oil in it.

Balyk

This method makes the meat saturated and stores in it all the important substances important to humans. We need to make a balyk:

• carp - 5 kg;
• sugar - 80 g;
• salt - 300 g.

Cooking:

1. We remove all the insides, the ridge, the bones and the film from the fish.
2. Cut the fillet into pieces, at least 3 cm.
3. The belly of the carp is notched. An incision is made along the body. We turn the fish.
4. Before drying, we lay the fish meat in layers, fill each layer with sugar and salt. We place the prepared pieces in the cold under the press and leave there for three days.
5. We take out the fillet pieces and rinse them.
6. We thread the thread through the pieces (it is better to use kapron) and hang it to dry.
7. We dry in the open air for at least 2 days.

Interesting Facts

1. Carp are sensitive to weather, especially to its differences. When weather conditions worsen, the fish descends to the very bottom of the reservoir and there it waits for better weather.
2. Puzzled like bears, in the fall they go to bed at the bottom of the pit. They wake up in early spring, when the sun begins to warm.
3. Carp has excellent hearing. He recognizes loud sounds, hears a creak or rattle. Hearing incomprehensible voices or other sources of sounds, the fish quickly leaves its habitat and goes to a depth.

Photo of carp