Cod fish family with description and photo

a brief description of

Cod belongs to the Cod fish family. According to one version, it got its name because of the unusual crackling sound that schools of this fish make when going to spawn.

What does it look like?

The appearance of cod is quite memorable: an elongated spindle-shaped body with a large head and a single antennae located on the chin. The body is covered with small serrated scales. On the back it has a greenish-olive, slightly yellow or brown tint with small brown spots that help distinguish cod from other types of fish. The lateral parts of the body are lighter, as they are covered with whitish-yellow scales. Cod has a pair of anal fins and 3 dorsal fins.

Fresh and frozen cod look the same.

Dimensions and weight

Cod grows throughout its life. On average, by the 3rd year it reaches a length of 40-50 cm, and the maximum size of cod known today is 1.8-2 m.

The weight of the fish depends on the species. Small varieties of cod, such as pollock, weigh on average 3-4 kg, and large varieties (Atlantic cod) can gain weight of 90 kg.

Is this a sea or river fish?

An interesting question is the type of reservoir where the cod is found. It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of whether it is a sea or river fish. Most species of cod are found in seawater (the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Bering Sea), but some subspecies, such as burbot, are found only in fresh water bodies.

Where does he live?

The habitat of cod depends on the type of fish. © https://ydoo.info/product/treska.htmlAtlantic cod can be found in the Bay of Biscay and the Barents Sea. Pacific fish are caught in the northern parts of the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of ​​Japan, the Bering Sea and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Greenland cod, as the name suggests, lives in the waters of Greenland. Pollock can be found in the icy waters of the North and Pacific Oceans.

Is cod bony and fatty?

Cod is one of those beautiful fish that doesn't have many bones. It has only a backbone and rib bones, which, when properly cooked, soften and are easily removed.

As for fat content, cod belongs to the category of low-fat fish, because the total percentage of fat in its fillet does not exceed 4%.

Taste

The taste of cod is intense. The meat has a pleasant fishy flavor, it is tender and lean.

Smell

Cod, whether raw or frozen, or cooked, has a rich fishy smell.

What kind of fish is cod and where does it live?

Description

All codfish have characteristic, similar external features that distinguish them from other marine life. They have a classic spindle-shaped body, almost always have 2-3 fins on the back, two gill fins and two anal fins.

Cod fish do not have sharp, spiny bones on their fins. Almost all specimens have an unpaired long or short antennae growing on the chin. Fish scales are round, small, and easy to clean, so their bodies are covered with protective mucus.

Characteristic

Cod fish need fairly icy water from 1 to 10° Celsius, so representatives of the family can be found in almost all sea waters of the northern World Ocean. However, Northern European, Asian and North American rivers and lakes are preferable for burbot.

The largest number of cod are found in the Barents, Bering, Norwegian, White, Japanese, and Okhotsk seas, that is, in the Eastern Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans. The Baltic Sea is habitat only for Baltic cod, and the coast of Greenland is habitat for Greenland cod. Some species of cod also live in the Black and Mediterranean Seas.

Several species of this family are also found off the South African, South American, and New Zealand coasts.

Varieties of cod

There are 4 known varieties of cod:

• Atlantic;
• Pacific;
• Greenlandic;
• pollock.

Despite the fact that the listed fish belong to the same species, there are significant differences between them. For example, the Atlantic fish is considered the largest, as it can reach up to 2 m in length and 90 kg in weight, while the Pacific fish grows up to 1.2 m, but its body weight does not exceed 20-23 kg. The two fish are similar, although Pacific cod has a larger and wider head.

Greenland fish is even smaller - it reaches no more than 77 cm in length, but pollock, with a maximum length of 90 cm, weighs no more than 4 kg.

Another subspecies – red cod – is considered a valuable fish species. It is somewhat smaller in size: a maximum of 80 cm in length and 600 g in weight. Like white cod, it is found in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Bering Strait and the Bay of Biscay.

Some confusion about the types of fish and their differences has arisen due to different names for the same species. Thus, Pacific cod is called “Far Eastern”, and Atlantic cod is called “Murmansk”.

Cod nutrition

Representatives of the cod family are predatory fish. As a rule, fish up to three years old feed on various crustaceans and plankton. Then they move on to small fish, such as capelin, herring, sprat and saury. Cod fish are characterized by the phenomenon of cannibalism, when fish eat each other. The inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean feed on navaga, mollusks and worms. Fish can also eat small invertebrates that live on the seabed.

How is it different from other fish?

Due to the variety of fish, it can be difficult to distinguish cod from others. What signs will help with this?

From pollock

Pollock belongs to the cod family. Unlike larger fish of this family, pollock has a narrow body, which is covered with black scales, and the side parts of the fish are yellowish-white.

It is easy to distinguish cod from pollock. This can be done by:

• body size (in pollock it is smaller);
• scales (lighter color for cod);
• spots on the body (pronounced in cod).

From navaga

Navaga is another representative of the large cod family. Unlike cod, which has a large, spindle-shaped body, navaga has an elongated, medium-sized body, tapering from the head to the tail. The fish have a similar color: a light belly, a dark back and even similar dark spots on the body. But still, navaga is a smaller fish. Its length does not exceed 50 cm, and the maximum possible weight is 1 kg.

From haddock

The main differences between cod and haddock are that:

• cod is covered with small scales that are easily separated from the body, while haddock has large scales that fit tightly to the body;
• the scales on the sides of cod are light in color, while haddock has dark, almost black scales;
• Dark spots can be seen near the pectoral fins of haddock, which are not found in cod.

From saury

To distinguish cod from saury, you need to remember their appearance. They have the same number of fins and both have a barbel on their chin. However, in cod it is large, while in saury it is short and almost imperceptible. In addition, on the caudal fin of the saury you can see a deep notch, which cod does not have.

From pike perch

The distinctive features of cod and pike perch are that the color of cod scales can vary from light olive with a yellowish tint to brown. As for the pike perch, it is also characterized by an elongated body of a gray-green color, but the belly is lighter. On the body itself, the pike perch has several vertical stripes - this is a distinctive feature that cannot be found in cod.

From hake

You can quickly distinguish hake from cod by its antennae: hake does not have one. You can also be convinced that you are right by the color of the body. While cod is a rich, dark olive color with spots all over its body, hake is covered in gray scales that darken on its back.

Marine and freshwater cod fish

Literally all representatives of the cod fish family are marine saltwater fish. They can live in waters of varying degrees of salinity. However, there is still one freshwater representative. This fish is called burbot, as well as lake and river cod. Burbot has perfectly adapted to living in freshwater reservoirs and rivers. It is found most often in rivers and lakes of Europe, America and Asia. In Siberia, this fish is caught on a very large scale.

Men (Burbot)

How to choose?

How to choose a fresh product? To do this you need to evaluate:

1. Skin and scales of fish (they must be intact, shiny, without damage or defects).
2. The smell of cod (it should be fishy, ​​natural and free of foreign aromas). You can tell that cod has gone bad by the smell, which will become unpleasant and rotten.
3. Transparency of the eyes (this is the factor that indicates the freshness of the fish).
4. No plaque or cloudy ice on the surface of the cod.
5. If the product is packaged, the packaging must be intact and contain a production time stamp.

How to store?

Newly purchased cod that cannot be cooked immediately must be stored in accordance with all rules.

Conditions

Purchased cod should be stored in the refrigerator. It is better to place fresh fish in a bowl and cover with a lid, but packaged fish can be left in vacuum packaging.

For longer storage, the cod is sent to the freezer. But it is important to remember that you cannot freeze and thaw it more than once.

Term

A whole cod or a cut carcass can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. But in the freezer this period is extended to 7-10 months.

How to prepare?

Preliminary preparation of cod consists of cleaning it from scales and cutting it into fillets or portioned pieces.

How to clean?

Cod must be cleaned before cooking. It’s easy to do this at home: the fish’s scales are small and do not fit tightly to the body. You can easily separate the scales with a regular tablespoon or knife, moving against the scales in the direction from head to tail.

How to cut into boneless fillets?

The last step in preparing the fish is cutting it. To properly cut cod, you need:

1. Place the fish on its side, cut off the tail and all fins.
2. Make a deep incision along the ridge, reaching the spine as far as possible.
3. Moving parallel to the table, cut the meat from the spine along the entire length of the body.
4. Turn the fish over to the other side and repeat the previous step.
5. Cut off the rib bones of 2 cod fillets.
6. If desired, the skin can be removed. To do this, lay the fish meat side down, pry the skin with a knife and pull it in the opposite direction, carefully removing it from the entire fillet.

How to defrost?

Frozen fish must be thawed before cooking. This cannot be done at room temperature. The optimal temperature for this process is considered to be -3…-5 °C. Therefore, the cod fillets are placed in a deep bowl, covered with a lid and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

There is another way to quickly defrost cod. Since it is wrong to simply leave the fish in the kitchen and wait for it to melt, you can use the microwave. This kitchen device usually has a standard “Defrost” mode, which will do the job perfectly.

To defrost fish, separate fillet pieces from each other, place in a deep plate and place in a microwave oven for 3-5 minutes. After this the fish is taken out. If it is defrosted unevenly, the pieces of cod are turned over and put back in the microwave for the specified time.

How to marinate?

To prepare aromatic fish with a spicy taste, the cod should first be marinated.

For baking

Mustard sauce is considered the best marinade for baking in the oven. It is prepared like this:

• 3 tsp. Dijon mustard mixed with 1.5 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• add 4 tbsp to the mustard and sugar mixture. l. olive oil and 1.5 tbsp. l. white wine vinegar;
• All ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and then the sauce is poured over the cod (steaks or whole) for 30-59 minutes.

For frying

Usually fish is fried without prior marinating. But it has long been known that pickled cod after frying will have a juicier taste. For marinade, kefir, a weak solution of vinegar or cucumber brine are often used:

• pieces of cod are placed in a thick plastic bag;
• pour any of the above products inside;
• leave for 60 minutes in the refrigerator;
• drain the marinade, dry the fish and start cooking.

For grilling

Here's how to marinate cod for grilling: Mix a clove of crushed garlic, the juice of 1 lemon, a little salt and pepper in a deep bowl. Dip the fish into this bowl for 15-20 minutes, after which they begin to grill it.

Predator or not

Cod fish are predators or carnivores. But they become such only by adulthood, that is, by 3-4 years. Until this time, the young swim in the bottom space and eat microplankton and small crustaceans.

Just as shellfish are a source of food for cod, so young cod serve as a diet for shellfish.

What does cod eat?

What does cod eat? Her favorite delicacy is live fish. She chooses food depending on the seasons. Thus, in winter the food consists of small herring, in spring - cod, capelin, and in summer crustaceans and sedentary elasmobranch mollusks, which are numerous at this time of year, are added to its diet.

Cod fish often have cases of anthropophagy - eating smaller fish of their own or another species.

Methods for preparing cod

There are a lot of ways and secrets of cooking cod. It is baked, fried, grilled or cooked in a slow cooker... And so that the cod is not tough when cooked and gives off a pleasant smell, it is marinated in a sauce in advance.

How to bake in the oven?

Cod baked in the oven is considered a fragrant and very tasty dish. There are many recipes for preparing fish. This fish can be baked either whole or in steaks.

Steaks

The start of cooking cod depends on the form in which it was purchased. A whole fish must first be cleaned, all entrails removed and the carcass cut into steaks. If you are lucky enough to buy chopped fish in the store, you can immediately start cooking.

First of all, fish steaks are washed under running water and then blotted dry with a napkin. Separately prepare foil for baking: the sheets are cut into pieces in an amount equal to the number of steaks.

The next step is to place a steak in the center of each piece of foil, onto which spices are poured on top: ginger, salt, pepper, coriander. Add garlic passed through a press, a few drops of lemon juice and a piece of butter.

Wrap the foil tightly and leave for 30 minutes, allowing the meat to marinate. Cod is baked in the oven at a temperature of 200 °C; this process takes no more than 20 minutes.

Entirely

The method of baking cod in the oven is entirely similar to the previous recipe. First, the fish is marinated in mustard or any other sauce, after which they begin cooking.

Place the cod on a piece of foil, sprinkle salt, pepper and your favorite spices on top. Separately, grind a clove of garlic, which is sprinkled on the fish. The last step is to sprinkle the cod with lemon juice and a teaspoon of dry wine. If desired, you can add olives, potatoes, tomatoes or bell peppers to the fish, which will be baked with it.

The foil is wrapped so that air cannot get inside. After this, the fish is placed in an oven preheated to 200 °C for 20 minutes.

You should know! To avoid the hassle of removing all the bones, it is enough to make shallow cuts along the entire length of the fish. This will soften the bones during cooking.

You can watch the video on how to cook cod fillet in the oven.

How to fry in a frying pan?

Frying delicious cod in a frying pan is very simple. The 2 most popular options are cod with and without breading.

Before cooking, the fish is cleaned and cut into pieces, and frozen cod is first defrosted. Then you can marinate it or start cooking it without marinade.

The recipe for how to properly fry cod in a frying pan without breading looks like this:

• mix 1 tsp. various spices (salt, pepper, marjoram, ginger);
• heat a frying pan with a small amount of vegetable oil;
• roll each piece of fish in spices on both sides;
• fry over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on 2 sides.

When frying fish this way, sometimes the cod falls apart. This may be due to the large amount of moisture in the fish. To definitely avoid these troubles, you can use the recipe for cooking cod in batter:

• mix 1 egg, 1 tbsp. l. flour and spices;
• roll cod fillets in batter;
• fry in a pan for 3-4 minutes on both sides.

How to stew in a slow cooker?

Stewing cod in a slow cooker is a great way to cook fish for dinner. To do this, first prepare a spice mixture by mixing a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, coriander, ginger, sesame and lime juice. Cod steaks are rolled in spices and left to marinate for 20-30 minutes.

When starting cooking, fill the multicooker bowl with a small amount of butter. Then put pieces of fish on the bottom of the bowl, close the multicooker with a lid and set the “Stew” mode, cooking the cod for 20 minutes. After the kitchen device signals the end of cooking, the mode is changed to “Frying” and cooking continues: fry the cod on one side for the first 10 minutes, and then turn it over and wait another 10 minutes. The dish is ready and can be served.

How to steam?

Steamed cod is considered a dietary dish. In addition, it is prepared simply and quickly, and it turns out delicious:

• divide the cod into steaks, rinse and dry with napkins;
• Grease each piece with salt, lemon juice, olive oil and, if desired, spices;
• Place the fish on the bottom of a steamer bowl or a special multicooker container for steaming.

Regardless of the device (be it a double boiler or a multicooker with the appropriate mode), steamed cod takes 20-30 minutes.

How to cook in a saucepan?

Another option for preparing dietary fish is to cook cod in a saucepan. For this:

• frozen fish is thawed, and fresh fish is immediately cleaned, the entrails are removed and the carcass is cut into medium-sized pieces;
• pour water into the pan and add a little salt;
• The liquid is brought to a boil, and then the fish is placed in the water.

Cook the cod for 15-20 minutes: small pieces will take 12-15 minutes, and larger pieces should be cooked for at least 20.

To give boiled cod a special taste, add a tablespoon of olive or any other vegetable oil to the water.

How to cook in the microwave?

Cooking cod in the microwave takes no more than 20 minutes. First of all, the fish is cleaned, gutted, washed and dried with a napkin. Then, according to the recipe, the cod is cut into portions, each of which is sprinkled with lemon juice, and placed in a microwave bowl.

At the same time, peel a medium onion, cut into rings and place on top of the fish steaks. Add a little water to the dish, cover with a lid and place in the microwave for 8 minutes, turning on full power.

While the fish is cooking, make the sauce: a glass of sour cream (can be replaced with milk, cream or tomato paste) mixed with salt, pepper and your favorite seasonings. After 8 minutes, take out the dish, pour the prepared sauce over the fish and put it back into the slow cooker for 10 minutes.

How to make it in an air fryer?

To make cod in an air fryer, the fish is first cut into portions, washed and dried. Each piece is brushed with lemon juice and spices (for example, Italian herbs) and left for 5-10 minutes.

Before you start cooking, grease the steaks with vegetable oil, and then place the cod on the grill of the kitchen device. Pour water into the pan, set the temperature to 250 °C and cook for 20-25 minutes (until a golden brown crust forms).

An alternative option for cooking cod in an air fryer can be seen in the video.

How to pickle?

You can also salt cod at home. To do this, you will need slightly frozen fish, which will be easier to cut into thin slices. Therefore, it is better to first put fresh fish in the freezer, and, on the contrary, slightly defrost frozen fish.

Recipe for salting cod fillets:

1. Cut the fish into thin pieces, moving along the ridge.
2. Mix dry dill and bay leaf, ground into a homogeneous mass.
3. Place in layers in a plastic container, glass jar or any other container: cod fillet, salt and pepper and a mixture of herbs. The number of layers will depend on the number of fish.
4. Fill each layer with vegetable oil.
5. Place a press on top of the vessel and leave for 12 hours at room temperature.
6. After the specified time, close the jar or container with a lid and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

How to smoke?

You can enjoy delicious smoked fish by preparing it yourself.

Hot way

Hot cod is easy to cook. First, the fish is defrosted, scaled and gutted. After this, wash, dry and start preparing:

1. The cod is cut into pieces, rubbed with coarse salt, pepper, herbs and left for 3-5 hours in the refrigerator to marinate.
2. Prepare the smokehouse: lay wood chips on the bottom (alder or its mixture with fruit sawdust is best), moisten it with water, and place a tray on top for fat, which will drain from the fish.
3. Grease the grate with vegetable oil and place pieces of cod on top.
4. Cover the smokehouse with a lid and cook the fish over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
5. When white smoke appears, remove the lid and continue smoking the cod for another 20 minutes.

Cold way

It will take at least a week to prepare cod using the cold smoking method. First, the fish is prepared (the scales are removed, the belly is gutted) and only then the salting begins. For the latter, a solution is prepared from 100 g of salt diluted in a liter of water (you can also add your favorite spices there). The fish is dipped into the solution and left for 4 days in the refrigerator.

The next stage of preparing fish is soaking. To do this, place the cod in clean, cool water for 12 hours, remembering to change the liquid from time to time. Then the fish is tied with twine and hung in a well-ventilated place for 8 hours.

After the above steps, you can begin direct smoking. The cod is placed in the smokehouse for at least 2 days. In this case, the temperature should be kept within 28-30 °C. After two days, the fish is taken out of the smokehouse and placed in a dark, dry room for 12 hours for final drying.

How to cook on the grill?

Cod can also be cooked in nature. Cod shish kebab on the grill turns out incredibly tasty.

Recipe for cooking fish on the grill:

1. The cod is cut into pieces of 2-3 cm, washed and dried each piece.
2. Rub the steaks on both sides with sea salt, black pepper, and sprinkle with a small amount of lemon juice.
3. Take pieces of foil, grease them with vegetable oil and lay out layers of bell peppers, potatoes and tomatoes. Pieces of fish are placed on top, on which onions cut into half rings are placed.
4. The foil is wrapped and placed on the grill.
5. Cook cod on coals for 15 minutes on each side.

What spices and seasonings go well with cod?

Almost all known spices are suitable for cod, as well as for other fish. It does not matter how the fish is cooked: in the oven, in a frying pan or on the grill. Spices in this case are universal.

Most often, cod is prepared by adding:

• salt;
• black pepper;
• allspice;
• Bay leaf;
• saffron;
• cumin;
• coriander;
• basil;
• star anise;
• rosemary;
• fennel;
• ginger;
• curry;
• marjoram;
• paprika;
• thyme.

Character and lifestyle

Cod fish usually move in compact schools. The single freshwater burbot is the only exception of its kind.

Habitats directly affect the lifestyle of cod. Thus, Pacific cod practically does not migrate, and the Atlantic species (the largest cod) moves up to one and a half kilometers back and forth in one season to spawn.

Cod drifts in deep cold waters, but when chasing prey, it rises to the upper layers of water. Not being essentially a schooling fish, it gathers in large schools during spawning or in places where large amounts of food accumulate.

What side dishes should I serve with?

Cod should be served with plenty of side dishes that will help bring out the flavor of the fish. Cod cooked in the oven will go well with potatoes baked along with the main dish. Vegetables and cereals are served with fried cod.

A varied assortment of vegetable crops allows you to choose a side dish for fish prepared according to any recipe. An excellent flavor combination is obtained by combining cod with beets, carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage, sweet peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, green peas and spinach.

In addition to vegetables, you can serve fish with pasta or porridge, for example, rice, buckwheat, barley or pearl barley.

Health benefits and harms

Cod is considered one of the fish that brings the greatest benefit to the human body. The positive effect of cod fillet on the nervous system has been scientifically proven. This fish promotes the conduction of impulses along nerve fibers, improves memory and thought processes. In addition, salted or cooked cod in any other way will protect against depression, anxiety disorders and bad mood.

Cod, as well as its caviar and milt, prevents changes in joints, so this product is recommended for patients with rheumatism and arthrosis. Among other things, cod is good for hematopoiesis and blood clotting.

Cod liver, rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, helps reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, which prevents the development of atherosclerosis and, as a consequence, many diseases of the cardiovascular system. The benefit of the liver, or more precisely, the fish oil obtained from it, lies in the therapeutic effect for rickets and thrombophlebitis.

There are not many contraindications to eating cod, but you should not forget about them. These include:

• cholelithiasis;
• urolithiasis disease;
• individual intolerance to the product;
• acute and chronic kidney diseases;
• high levels of vitamin D in the body;
• hypercalcemia;
• hyperthyroidism;
• hypotension.

Women

The benefits of cod for women are due to the presence of sulfur, zinc and selenium in the chemical composition of the fish. These elements strengthen hair and nails and stimulate their growth. With regular consumption of cod, the appearance of facial skin improves: it becomes soft, silky and elastic.

At important stages of a woman’s life - during pregnancy and breastfeeding - cod is allowed. Pregnant and nursing mothers should not worry about this, because cod is beneficial for both the woman’s body and the baby’s body.

Men

Cod is also good for men. It normalizes blood pressure, stimulates the nervous system, strengthens the immune system and the musculoskeletal system. And cod liver is important for potency: the substances it contains fight sexual impotence and increase desire.

Children

The positive effect of cod on a child’s body begins in the prenatal period. Later, beneficial substances enter the child’s body with mother’s milk. Both then and in adulthood, cod fillet is useful for:

• formation and strengthening of the musculoskeletal system;
• development of the nervous system;
• strengthening the immune system;
• increasing resistance to infectious diseases.

You can give cod to a child, gradually introducing fish into the children's diet, from the age of 3. To ensure that your child likes the fish, cod is cooked deliciously: steamed, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. Cod fillet can also be boiled - any child will also appreciate the fish in this form.

Although an allergy to cod is not a very common phenomenon, we must not forget about the likelihood of an undesirable reaction, so they begin to feed the child cod in small quantities.

Cod liver

The content of useful and nutrient substances in cod liver is richer than in the fish itself. The most important vitamins for the body, micro and macroelements, essential polyunsaturated fatty acids - all this is in the offal. They are complemented by the excellent taste of tender liver. Nutritional value is 613 Kcal

per 100 grams of product.

Consume cod liver in canned form. It is prepared in its own fat and is not subjected to heat treatment. Therefore, the composition and properties remain 90% unchanged. The liver is used to prepare many different salads, snacks, sandwiches, and rolls.

They prepare delicious stuffed eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, tartlets. A large amount of vegetables, herbs, canned corn, avocados, olives, hard cheese and other products are added to salads and snacks. Therefore, the dishes are tasty and not oversaturated with fat.

Beneficial effects on the body of vitamins, microelements and polyunsaturated fatty acids in cod liver:

• vitamin A improves the quality of vision, skin, nails, hair;
• vitamin B6 is involved in the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, therefore eliminating anemia;
• vitamin C strengthens the immune system;
• vitamin D is involved in the absorption of calcium in the body, which is important for strengthening bone tissue;
• magnesium, in interaction with calcium, improves bone growth, has a positive effect on coordination of movements, and relaxes muscles;
• Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids remove bad cholesterol, improve the quality of blood vessels and blood circulation, brain function, and stimulate the functioning of the immune system.

Fish liver also helps normalize hormonal levels, activates testosterone production in men, and increases strength and energy. It is a raw material for the production of fish oil and preparations containing it.

In small quantities as part of a vegetable salad or sandwich, the offal is useful for weight loss. It significantly increases metabolism. It is important not to overeat and not to forget that liver is many times fattier than fish, and use it carefully.

This product is contraindicated in people with thyroid disease, hypotension, allergies to the product, or kidney or gallstones.

Weight loss and diet

Cod is rightly called the ideal fish for weight loss. It does not contain many calories (about 70 per 100 g), but the protein level is very high. All this makes cod a popular diet product. It is baked, stewed, steamed and grilled, boiled and added to all sorts of dietary recipes.

In addition to its known beneficial properties, this fish is nutritious. It eliminates the feeling of hunger for a long time, filling the body with energy and saturating it with all the necessary substances.

Haddock

The habitat of haddock is the salty cold waters of the seas belonging to the Atlantic and Arctic oceans: the Norwegian, Barents Seas, the coast of Iceland.

This is a large sea cod, growing more than half a meter in length and weighing about 3 kilograms. Rarely are larger individuals more than 1 meter long and weighing about 15 kilograms. The body of the haddock is flattened on the sides, the fins are black.

Cod for diseases

All products have an individual effect on the body during illness. For what diseases is cod allowed, and for what diseases should it be avoided?

Gastritis

For gastritis, cod becomes an indispensable food product. Since with this disease doctors advise giving up meat in favor of fish, cod will be a good choice for the patient’s diet, because it:

• does not irritate the gastric mucosa;
• easier to digest;
• Being an antioxidant, it helps restore damaged gastric epithelium.

Oncology

Cod, in particular its liver, rich in vitamin D, is extremely useful both for prevention and during dietary nutrition for cancer. Studies confirm that substances in cod prevent the proliferative and pro-apoptotic actions of tumor cells, thereby slowing down their growth.

Pancreatitis

Cod occupies an important place in the diet of patients with pancreatitis. During an exacerbation, it is allowed to be eaten in the form of boiled or steamed pieces from the second week of the disease.

During the period of remission in chronic cases, it is allowed to consume cod in its various forms, with the exception of fried foods, canned food, salted fish, broths and aspic.

But you should avoid cod liver if you have pancreatitis: this part of the fish has a high fat content.

High cholesterol

Cod with high cholesterol is allowed. It is recommended to use it in dietary form and in small quantities. The benefit for this pathology lies in the ability of this fish to stabilize cholesterol levels in the blood.

Gout

Fatty foods can provoke the development and exacerbation of gout. Cod is considered relatively safe in this plan, as it contains only about 4% fat.

Therefore, it is allowed to use it, but no more than 2-3 times a week and in small quantities.

Diabetes

For type 2 diabetes mellitus, cod is allowed. This useful product will have a positive effect on the body: it stabilizes metabolism, helps in the fight against atherosclerosis, and prevents the development of diabetes complications.

Properties

Due to its beneficial properties, pollock helps:

• strengthen the natural protective functions of the body, since it contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals;
• support the functions of internal organs;
• strengthen teeth, bones, improve the condition of skin, hair and nails;
• reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, reduce the risk of developing atherosclerotic disease;
• increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, relieve spasms, increase their permeability, clear cholesterol plaques;
• improve the functions of the organs of the reproductive system and endocrine system.

Meat contains a large number of valuable elements. Therefore, it is recommended to include it in the diet of children, adults and the elderly. Harm from this product can only occur if a person suffers from an allergic reaction to fish or has an individual intolerance to substances that make up the meat.