Is fried fish healthy if......

[minniebride]

Is fried fish healthy if you remove the battered part before eating??

We re going to a friend's house for dinner tonight and they are making fried hake fish. I know they bought the fish from a high quality seafood place and they are frying it in beer batter.

I am pregnant in my first trimester so I am trying to be healthy. I looked up hake fish and it is in the category of "lowest mercury" so it's considered safe to eat.

Do you think if I removed the batter part before eating, it would be healthy?

Thanks!!

 

[LeslieLou]

From a personal dietician dot com
A Sea of Butter

You can ruin the benefits of fish and other seafood very quickly by eating these foods swimming in butter! Breaded and fried fish, or fish served with rich sauces are really of very little benefit, you may as well have eaten red meat. Here are some good tips for making sure your fish and seafood is served in ways that retain the benefits of eating this great food.

In restaurants, always ask if seafood pasta dishes can be served with a tomato-based sauce instead a cream sauce. Don’t be fooled by the words “light cream sauce” – the sauces are usually still quite rich if they are cream based.

2. Use cocktail sauce instead of tartar sauce. You can make your own seafood sauce low in fat by using low fat or nonfat plain yogurt, add dill and a little pepper for a refreshing light sauce for seafood.

3. Batter-coated fish or breaded fish that is frozen is typically pre-fried in oil, so even if you “bake” this fish, it was already fried before it was packaged. To be sure, read the labels for fat added in cooking, there should be very little fat and very little saturated fat in a frozen fish product.

4. If you get stuck eating fish that is batter-coated and fried, try to remove the outer coating of batter to get rid of the fat trapped in the batter during deep-frying.


That being said, my mom always said "everything in moderation".

 

[luvmy3]

Is fried fish healthy if you remove the battered part before eating??

We re going to a friend's house for dinner tonight and they are making fried hake fish. I know they bought the fish from a high quality seafood place and they are frying it in beer batter.

I am pregnant in my first trimester so I am trying to be healthy. I looked up hake fish and it is in the category of "lowest mercury" so it's considered safe to eat.

Do you think if I removed the batter part before eating, it would be healthy?

Thanks!!

No, its still cooked in oil, however removing the batter may make it just a little less unhealthy.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

 

[joviroxx]

I would remove it because of the flour, not the oil. Im not big on processed white flour. Natural oils, in moderation, are real foods and actually good for you.

When eating "healthy", I just stray from processed foods and stick with real food. White flour, preservatives, processed sugar are the things I get rid of in my diet.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

It completely depends upon which of the many, many nutritional perspectives you follow, or choose to "believe."

If the oil is one of the "good" oils, then in and of itself, it won't pose a problem.

The batter is another story. Carbs will spike your blood glucose levels, often to unhealthy highs. You'd need to be aware of what your levels are though to determine if this applies to you (it does apply to many, many people).

Do you eat desserts? Other "unhealthy" things right now like un-pasturized cheese, peanuts/peanut butter (all of these choices are frowned upon in pregnancy depending upon the advice you follow)? If so, having a portion of fried fish won't be disastrous.

 

[disykat]

IMO, a little bit of fried fish won't kill you. Enjoy a small piece of it and fill up on whatever salad, fresh fruit or vegies they have available.

 

[minniebride]

Thank you for all the input so far. I have been doing pretty well with my food choices so far, except I'm struggling to get my veggies in due to the nausea. I've stayed clear away from processed foods and actually this would be my first time eating fish since I found out I was pregnant. I have been taking my prenatals of course. I'm 8 weeks along. My only other choices at our friend's house are salad and spinach and tomato pizza. I do plan to have the salad but i will need something more to go with it. I'm not sure what the lesser of the two evils is-the fish or the pizza. They are a family who only buys organic and high quality foods.

Eta-my doctor told me peanut butter was fine to eat and I have had a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the past few weeks-with organic peanut butter, natural jelly, and multi-grain high fiber bread. Should I stop eating the peanut butter?

 

[mdsoccermom]

Thank you for all the input so far. I have been doing pretty well with my food choices so far, except I'm struggling to get my veggies in due to the nausea. I've stayed clear away from processed foods and actually this would be my first time eating fish since I found out I was pregnant. I have been taking my prenatals of course. I'm 8 weeks along. My only other choices at our friend's house are salad and spinach and tomato pizza. I do plan to have the salad but i will need something more to go with it. I'm not sure what the lesser of the two evils is-the fish or the pizza. They are a family who only buys organic and high quality foods.

Honestly, you are going to have a miserable pregnancy if you obssess over every single thing you eat. Yes, of course, eat healthy. But having friend fish occasionally is ok, too.

 

[Southernmiss]

Honestly, you are going to have a miserable pregnancy if you obssess over every single thing you eat. Yes, of course, eat healthy. But having friend fish occasionally is ok, too.

I agree. I guess I don't get which part of eating the fish are you concerned about--the possible mercury or other things in the flesh or the fat content of the fried fish or the sugars of the flour breading.

I am a mom of 4 very healthy and smart snowflakes and ate in moderation in my pregnancies, but didn't obsess over what I ate. If if I felt like eating it, I ate it. I think I drank a beer before I knew I was pregnant with DS #1 and worried about that possibility--but he's fine.

The only thing I remember truly giving up during my pregnancies (aside from alcohol) was caffeine and sodas.

What happens when during the ninth month and you crave Supersize Big Mac Meals with a super size fry and soda and DH better not take a fry or sip of your soda? And nothing cures the craving except the same? ((Voice of experience here))

I craved canned tuna fish with DD (Weird) . And ate it when I/she wanted it.

Don't stess over it! Enjoy your pregnancy and all things in moderation.

Edit: Just saw the "beer" batter. If that's what you are worried about, the alcohol of the beer should cook out when frying...

 

[disneychrista]

IMO, if you enjoy beer battered fish, eat a small portion. Eating anything in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. If you do not enjoy beer battered fish then take off the batter or skip the fish all together.

I do not eat fish, so I would skip it entirely and enjoy the veggies or other available side dishes.

 

[cornflake]

I too am kind of confused as to what it is you're eating in general, heh.

What in the world is wrong with spinach and tomato pizza?

Removing the coating from the fish will, yes, remove most of the oil, though if they fry correctly, and since they sound like foodies, seems likely, there's very little oil in the coating either. If something is fried properly, it doesn't absorb much oil at all. And it's fresh fish in a light batter.

I... don't understand what it is you're eating in general if these are both choices you consider bad.

 

[sookie]

Is fried fish healthy if you remove the battered part before eating??

We re going to a friend's house for dinner tonight and they are making fried hake fish. I know they bought the fish from a high quality seafood place and they are frying it in beer batter.

I am pregnant in my first trimester so I am trying to be healthy. I looked up hake fish and it is in the category of "lowest mercury" so it's considered safe to eat.

Do you think if I removed the batter part before eating, it would be healthy?

Thanks!!

I understand that you are trying to be healthy. The removal of the batter itself does not make it much better - because the rest of the fish will have been fried in oil as well.
However, if you like fried fish, and it is a low mercury food, I would tell you to eat the fish. An unhealthy entree even once a week will not hurt you while pregnant.

 

[padams]

Honestly, you are going to have a miserable pregnancy if you obssess over every single thing you eat. Yes, of course, eat healthy. But having friend fish occasionally is ok, too.

I agree. Eat a small amount of the fried fish or the pizza, and forget about it. If you eat as healthy as you can for most of your meals, then you don't have to worry about the occasional dinner at a friend's house.

You can cause much more harm to your baby by being stressed out throughout your pregnancy over every bite you eat than by having a few bites of fried fish in your 8th week. Relax! Enjoy your pregnancy.

 

[minniebride]

Thank you. I don't mean to sound paranoid-it's my first pregnancy and my doctor let me know the first trimester is the most critical in terms of nutrition and being kind to my body.

As mentioned in my first post, I am not concerned about the mercury or the quality of fish. Just the batter and the beer factor.

Just trying to figure out the lesser of the evils.

 

[Southernmiss]

Thank you. I don't mean to sound paranoid-it's my first pregnancy and my doctor let me know the first trimester is the most critical in terms of nutrition and being kind to my body. I would take that statement to mean don't eat a bunch of junk food--fried fish on occassion is certainly not junk food. You know some people think pregnancy is the excuse to eat in abundant amounts for 2. This meal doesn't sound like that.

As mentioned in my first post, I am not concerned about the mercury or the quality of fish. Just the batter and the beer factor.

Just trying to figure out the lesser of the evils.

Some fried fish and some spinach pizza sounds delish. Go enjoy dinner with your friends IMHO this is not a meal to worry about.

 

[shortbun]

Look, you pass on fats today and tomorrow and you can eat it as they have prepared it-which is polite. Your host has informed you of the menu anad you should be able to make allowances. Beer battered fish is delicious. Just don't over eat, if there's a salad ask for your dressing in a little dish and dip your fork in it rather that soak it. Tomorrow, you can eat fat free and drink lots of water. have fun and relax! The alvcohol from the beer will be cooked off so no worries at all there. It simply provides flavor. All cooking removes the alcohol.

 

[padams]

Thank you. I don't mean to sound paranoid-it's my first pregnancy and my doctor let me know the first trimester is the most critical in terms of nutrition and being kind to my body.

As mentioned in my first post, I am not concerned about the mercury or the quality of fish. Just the batter and the beer factor.

Just trying to figure out the lesser of the evils.

I suspect your doctor tells all of the patients about nutrition because some women (obviously not you) don't have healthy pre-pregnancy diets or they use the pregnancy as an excuse to eat for 2 and double up on Big Macs and dessert. I doubt the doctor intended for you to stress over a few bites of fish or pizza. You'll be fine. If you are still worried, eat before you go to the dinner, eat the salad at the friend's house, and use the nausea as an excuse not to eat more. Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope this will be your biggest issue during your pregnancy.

 

[minniebride]

I too am kind of confused as to what it is you're eating in general, heh.

What in the world is wrong with spinach and tomato pizza?

Removing the coating from the fish will, yes, remove most of the oil, though if they fry correctly, and since they sound like foodies, seems likely, there's very little oil in the coating either. If something is fried properly, it doesn't absorb much oil at all. And it's fresh fish in a light batter.

I... don't understand what it is you're eating in general if these are both choices you consider bad.

I've been sticking to lean meats, eggs, fresh fruits, cereals fortified with folic acid and iron, high fiber whole grain breads, unsalted nuts, yogurt, low fat milk, the occasional grilled cheese sandwich, and the occasional PBS and J. So, pretty healthy and making good choices so far. Again, I don't mean to sound paranoid, just trying to make good choices for a very important pregnancy.

 

[minniebride]

Look, you pass on fats today and tomorrow and you can eat it as they have prepared it-which is polite. Your host has informed you of the menu anad you should be able to make allowances. Beer battered fish is delicious. Just don't over eat, if there's a salad ask for your dressing in a little dish and dip your fork in it rather that soak it. Tomorrow, you can eat fat free and drink lots of water. have fun and relax! The alvcohol from the beer will be cooked off so no worries at all there. It simply provides flavor. All cooking removes the alcohol.

Thank you for the info-the beer in the batter was also a concern for me. I am not into cooking and have never prepared-or eaten-anything with beer batter so I wasn't sure.

 

[SandrA9810]

Does your friend know of the pregnancy? Is there any way to politely ask her to pan cook a peice of fish for you?

One dinner isn't going to hurt. But if you're that worried, I'd just ask to change the cooking method.