Many health organizations, including the American Heart Association, Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services (HHS), the FDA, and the American Diabetes Association recommend that you eat at least a portion of fish every week.
Fish contains a lot of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acid.
If you clean and prepare fish properly, it can be an incredibly nutritious and delicious addition to your diet.
Why do some people avoid eating the skin?
Some people dislike the texture or taste. It is usually due to the method of cooking. The skin of fish that is boiled or steamed can become slimy and yucky.
Grilling or pan-frying at high temperatures will produce a crispy and tasty skin.
Some fishes have a better tasting skin than others, for example:
salmon
bass
flounder
snapper
Some fish skins, however, are considered less desirable.
swordfish
tuna
monkfish
skate
Many people don’t eat fish skin because it is considered unhealthy and contains heavy metals and toxins. This may be true sometimes, but toxins such as mercury can also be found in the flesh of the fish.
Limit or avoid the following foods to reduce your risk of exposure to mercury:
mackerel
marlin
shark
swordfish
tilefish
tuna
Get your weekly seafood recommendation with fish low in mercury
anchovies
catfish
clam
cod
crab
crawfish
flounder
haddock
herring
lobster
oyster
perch
salmon
sardine
scallop
shrimp
tilapia
trout
whitefish
The risk of eating skin from fish is very low. If you don’t want to eat it, or prefer not to, then remove the skin. You may be missing out valuable nutrients.
The Health Benefits of Eating Fish skin
Eating fish skin has many of the same health benefits as eating fish.
Fish, both the flesh and the skin, is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids .
Omega-3s have many health benefits, including:
Reduced risk of heart disease and increased heart health
Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration
increases brain cell growth and memory for learning, remembering and a decisive way of thinking
improves depression and other mental conditions
Reduce chronic inflammation and inflammation related disorders
improved liver function
improved skin condition
The skin contains a high concentration of antioxidants, vitamins and protein. These nutrients can help to promote good health.
By removing the skin from your chicken before cooking you can lose out on some of its health benefits.
