Big Versus Small Fish
Learn What Accounts For Seafood TasteSeafood is nutritious and should be part of any balanced diet. However, taste is also important. Seafood lovers often wonder whether size has anything to do with taste. In other words, do large fish taste better than small fish of the same breed?
It has often been stated that large fish is tastier because large size gives more space for the nutrients to spread. But ultimately it boils down to what accounts for fish taste. The factors that determine the taste of fish are many.
For instance, does the fish live in saltwater or freshwater? If they reside in saltwater, for instance, than they will produce amino acids (such as glutamate and glycine) to counterbalance the effects of salinity. This gives them a different flavor profile than fresh water fish.
Activity is also a key factor here. ‘Less active’ fish tend to have a sweeter taste because glucose accumulates in their body. Examples include red snapper and catfish. Likewise, fish that get a lot of physical activity have greater pigments that give off a distinct flavor.
Moving on, ‘fatter’ fish have a lot of polyunsaturated fats, giving them a distinct taste. Red herring is a good example in this regard. The time and place where the fish is caught also affects taste. The fish’s habitat and the kind of food present in the surrounding water directly influences taste. It is also matter whether the fish is caught during spawning season or not.
Finally, remember that it is not always easy to describe the flavor of the fish, which can be subjective. What accounts as great taste vary with each person. So it is not about the size per se. You need to find fish that is nutritious and whose taste appeals to you.
Fatima M.
Freelance Blogger
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