Consumer Association: most fish substitutes are not as healthy as real fish
If you’re looking for a good fish substitute, there isn’t a very big pond to fish in. That’s according to research by the Consumer Association. They examined 22 fish substitutes – which you can find in the supermarket – and ultimately recommend only 3 types as good substitutes for real fish.
Is this a complete surprise? Not really. Research by magazine Quest previously also showed that meat substitutes really aren’t that healthy. They’re often so processed that you’re better off leaving them on the shelf. And that essentially applies to most fish substitutes too.
Algae (oil)
What really makes a fish substitute a worthy replacement for fish? According to the Consumer Association, it’s whether it contains algae (oil). Algae (oil) contains healthy fish fatty acids (the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA) and the mineral iodine, which are also found in real fish. Scientific research shows that these fish fatty acids most likely protect you against cardiovascular disease.
The Consumer Association’s research into good fish substitutes shows that only 3 products contain algae (oil): Seasogood Visvrije tonijn naturel, Unfished PlanTuna in water, and Seasogood Visvrije tonijn citroen & zwarte peper. So you can confidently fish those out of the supermarket shelves.
Reasonably good substitutes
Everything else therefore didn’t come out of the research particularly successfully. The Consumer Association still labels five products as ‘reasonably good fish substitutes’. They contain the omega-3 fatty acid ALA: alpha-linolenic acid. ‘Your body can use it to produce the fish fatty acids (EPA/DHA) itself,’ the Consumer Association writes. But because this only happens in small quantities, these fish substitutes score merely ‘reasonable’ in the test.
Which five products are these? Garden Gourmet Vuna, Vivera Plantaardige zalmfilet, Unfished PlantZalmon Fillet, Iglo Green Cuisine Vegetarische vissticks, and Albert Heijn Terra Plantaardige vissticks.
Replacing fish
You can certainly eat fish substitutes if you enjoy them. But if you eat them because you want to obtain the health benefits of real fish, you may want to think twice. According to the Consumer Association, there is no other food with which you can directly replace real fish, on a one-to-one basis. When it comes to fish substitutes, those containing algae (oil) are your best choice. Or choose foods containing ALA. It’s found in many plant-based products. Linseed oil is especially rich in it, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. It’s also found in walnuts, rapeseed oil and soybean oil, as well as in smaller quantities in green leafy vegetables.
Read also:
- 25x our favorite fish recipes: from spaghetti vongole to homemade fish sticks
- 5 common fish mistakes, and how to avoid them
- 25x wonderfully vegetarian: from fried eggplant with lime sambal to loaded fries with pulled jackfruit
Source: Consumer Association
