Pangasius

Pangasius is a fish well known to most Bulgarians. This is because her frozen tenderloin can be purchased from almost any grocery store at a relatively affordable price.

At present, pangasius is considered one of the most popular species of freshwater fish that is harvested on an industrial scale.

This fish is not distinguished by its large size, its average weight is about 1-1.5 kg. The largest recorded pangasius fish was 130 cm long and weighed 44 kg.

The pangasius fish /Pangasius hypophthalmus/ belongs to the family Pangasiidae, which belongs to the order Catfish. Two main types of this fish are known to science:

• Siamese pangasius;
• Pangasius bocort;

Pangasius, regardless of its species, refers to omnivorous fish. This means that the food of pangasius is mainly of plant origin and includes small species of fish and shellfish.

It is interesting that this fish is called a channel catfish, as it usually inhabits river channels and natural channels in rivers. In a natural environment, pangasius is found in the rivers of Southeast Asian countries. The largest population is found in the Mekong and Chauphrai rivers.

At present, pangasius is distributed in most reservoirs in Vietnam, where it has been successfully bred. Vietnam has become a world leader in breeding this fish in artificial ponds and fishponds.

The turnover of Vietnamese fish farms is about 1 million tons of this fish per year. Pangasius is also distributed in the territories of Vietnam’s neighboring countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

The taste of pangasius meat immediately appealed to European and native consumers.

Nutritional value of pangasius fillet (100 grams)

• Proteins – 15 grams;
• Fats – 3 grams;
• Carbohydrates – 0 grams;
• Calorie content – 89 kilocalories;

Beneficial properties

Pangasius fillet is distinguished by its delicate taste and its easy preparation method. Fish fillets can vary in color and range from pale white to red.

It all depends on what the pangasius is fed in the fish farm. There are a huge number of recipes that include fillets of this fish. Pangasius is baked, fried, used to make fish soups, added to fish salads and jellied.

The low calorie content of pangasius /on average about 89 kilocalories per 100 grams/ allows it to be classified as a diet food.

This low energy value of this fish makes it possible to consume it more often, taking into account the benefits that its fillet can bring to the human body.

This is provided that the pangasius is grown in ecologically clean conditions. The chemical composition of pangasius contains larger amounts of the following vitamins – A, E and C, as well as such natural mineral compounds as potassium, sodium, magnesium and iron.

Compared to other freshwater fish, pangasius is characterized by a high content of omega-3 fatty acids and proteins.

It is believed that pangasius fillet is extremely useful for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and also of the gastrointestinal tract.

Contraindications

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about pangasius being harmful for consumption. In fact, when this fish is artificially raised in fish farms in Vietnam it can really pose a danger to human health.