Sweet, delicate freshwater fish — a European classic.
Perch has sweet, delicate white flesh and is highly regarded across Europe. It is small, so fillets are modest.
White fish store their fat in the liver rather than the flesh, which
is why they are so lean and why they are not an omega-3 source. Eating cod twice a week does
not tick the oily fish box.
What they do provide is high-quality protein with almost no
saturated fat, plus B12, selenium and iodine, at very low calorie cost.
Per 100g cooked.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
It is done sooner than you think. Opaque and flaking under light
pressure. Lean fish has no fat to protect it.
Do not deep fry it and call it
healthy. Batter and reused oil undo most of the point.
Buy whole where
you can. Whole fish is harder to mislabel and easier to judge for
freshness.
Clear eyes, firm flesh, smells of the sea. Those three tests
tell you almost everything.
Lean white fish is one of the most efficient protein sources available: around 20g of
protein per 100g with barely any fat. That makes it useful for anyone eating at a deficit or
managing cholesterol.
It is also among the easiest proteins to digest, which is why
white fish is standard food for people recovering from illness or surgery. The muscle fibres
are short and the connective tissue minimal.
Pregnancy: low in mercury, so two to three portions a week is
generally advised rather than restricted. Cook it through — no raw or undercooked fish in
pregnancy.
Shellfish allergy is separate from fish allergy. They are
different proteins.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.