4 Types of Fish You Should Avoid, Even If They’re Cheap, to Protect Your Health

Fish is a highly nutritious food source, enriching family meals. However, not all types of fish are safe and healthy. Here are four types of fish to avoid buying, even if they are inexpensive, to ensure nutrition and food safety for your family.

1. Stale Fish After Prolonged Death

During transportation, fish may die and be "refreshed" with fresh fish blood to look more appealing. Fish that has been dead for a long time without proper preservation becomes an ideal environment for bacteria and parasites to thrive. Consuming such fish can lead to food poisoning and lacks nutritional value. When shopping, avoid fish showing signs of losing freshness, with mushy flesh and pale color.

2. Fish with Cloudy Eyes and Blackened Gills

The eyes and gills are critical indicators of fish freshness. Fresh fish typically have bright, clear eyes and reddish-pink gills. In contrast, fish with cloudy eyes and blackened gills indicate they are either dead or have been stored for too long. Their meat becomes mushy and less firm, compromising taste and potentially impacting health.

3. Fish That Lacks Firmness When Pressed

To check for freshness, press gently on the fish’s body. If the flesh is elastic and leaves no dent, the fish is still fresh. On the other hand, if the body is limp, lacks elasticity, and leaves an indentation, the fish may have been dead for a long time, losing its quality and posing a risk of food poisoning.

4. Fish Frozen for Too Long

Fish stored in freezing conditions for an extended period may lose its nutritional value and exhibit white, icy flesh, hard as stone. When thawed, such fish can develop bacteria, posing significant health risks. To ensure food safety, choose freshly frozen fish with no signs of discoloration or off odors.

Tips for Choosing Fresh Fish at the Market

• Choose live fish that swim actively, with clear eyes, red gills, and shiny scales.

• Avoid fish with strange colors, weak swimming, or bloated bodies.
• Prioritize fish with firm, elastic flesh when touched.

Family health begins with safe meals. Therefore, don’t overlook these signs when selecting fish for your daily meals!