Caviar is unfertilized fish . Red caviar comes from salmon, black caviar comes from sturgeon. Caviar from other fish species, such as pollock, cod, and mullet, is also sold.
Let’s find out if caviar really has any health benefits.
What useful things are contained in caviar?
Red and black caviar quite a lot of protein: sturgeon – about 24 g per 100 g of product, salmon – 27 g per 100 g.
Caviar also contains a lot of fatty acids. Per 100 g there are only 4 g of saturated and as many as 12 g of unsaturated, which more beneficial for health.
Caviar also omega-3 fatty acids – about 2.7 g of eicosapentaenoic acid and 3.8 g of docosahexaenoic acid per 100 g of product. It is these nutritional components the benefits of omega-3 for various body systems.
Of course, the specific amount of fatty acids depends on the type of fish, its habitat, and the method of preparation. For example, wild cod roe about 3.05 g of docosahexaenoic acid and 1.39 g of eicopentaenoic acid per 100 g of product, while farmed cod roe contains 2.5 g and 1.4 g per 100 g of product. Dried mullet roe contains much more – 9.6 g and 6.08 g of DHA and EPA per 100 g of product.
Black and red caviar also contain and minerals.
| Substance | Quantity in caviar , per 100 g | Percent Daily for Adults |
| Vitamin A | 271 mcg | 30% |
| Vitamin D | 2.93 mcg | 19.5% |
| Vitamin E | 1.89 mg | 12.6% |
| Calcium | 275 mg | 27.5% |
| Iron | 11 mg | 61% for women, 110% for men |
| Magnesium | 300 mg | 71.4% |
| Phosphorus | 356 mg | 50.8% |
| Potassium | 181 mg | 5.1% |
| Selenium | 65 mcg | 118% for women, 92% for men |
So, caviar does indeed look healthy. However, it also contains about 1.5 g of salt per 100 g of product. And experts from the World Health Organization limiting it to 5 g per day. Otherwise, the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases will increase .
As for the less popular river fish roe, we were unable to find information on the amount of fatty acids, vitamins and minerals in its composition.
What are the possible health benefits of caviar?
The most valuable thing in caviar is omega-3 fatty acids. Our body practically them , so we need to get these substances from food. And since docosahexaenoic and eicopentaenoic acids are found mainly in fish and seafood, caviar can be a good source of omega-3.
It’s not as if it will do much to improve your health, however. Heart health has always been considered one of the main benefits of fatty acids. But a Cochrane found that consuming omega-3s only slightly reduced the risk of coronary heart disease — the kind that affects the blood supply to the heart — and death from it. The level of evidence is low.
Experts from the American Heart Association consuming 1 g of eicopentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid per day for people with cardiovascular diseases. But those who do not have such problems do not necessarily need to change their diet. Thus, it cannot be said that omega-3 fatty acids protect the heart so well. And those who do not have diseases do not need to worry about this.
Scientists also that omega-3 may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease , breast, prostate and colon cancer, dry eye syndrome and age-related muscle degeneration, and improve well-being in rheumatoid arthritis and . However, all of this has been studied much less than the effect on the heart. Some scientific studies prove the benefits of omega-3, while others refute them. And overall, there is insufficient data to make a reliable conclusion.
If you eat caviar more often, say twice a week, as is usually with fish, you may have a lower risk of some diseases. But you’ll never know.
On the other hand, if you like caviar and can buy it often, this dietary supplement will provide you with healthy fats and protein, a good dose of iron, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium. The main thing is not to overdo it with salt . So if you eat caviar, try to eat less of other salty foods that day.
Can caviar be harmful?
Caviar contain toxic substances – arsenic, insecticides hexachlorocyclohexane and DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls. The last two in countries that have signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
In one study, scientists black caviar from different countries, including Russia, and found some toxic elements in it. Given the potential health risks, the study’s authors calculated a safe dose for adults and children.
It turned out that adults without cancer can eat 150 g of caviar per day, and children – 30 g per day. But this is provided that black caviar is consumed daily. If you eat the delicacy once a week or, more likely, once in a lifetime, you can not worry about toxicity.
In another scientists tested red caviar and found that trout caviar had the highest amounts of cadmium and molybdenum, minerals that be toxic in large quantities. However, the samples used in the experiment did not contain enough metals to pose a health risk. The scientists concluded that the caviar would not cause any harm.
But pregnant women should avoid this salty delicacy. Caviar contain listeria. These bacteria severe food poisoning – listeriosis , and in pregnant women can lead to fetal diseases, miscarriage and stillbirth.
The brine that is usually used to salt caviar listeria, they are killed by high temperatures. Therefore, during pregnancy, it is better to choose pasteurized caviar, which undergoes heat treatment