Anchovies deliver health benefits.

Anchovies deliver health benefits.

Anchovies pack big flavor for such small fish. They’re so strong that only a small amount of anchovy is needed to add flavor to sauces, salad dressings, pasta and pizza. That same small amount also delivers health benefits in the form of essential fatty acids, protein and other nutrients.

Basics

When anchovies are used in sauces and dressings, they impart a salty rather than fishy flavor. Four anchovy fillets are enough to season about 1 cup of Caesar salad dressing, and five or six fillets suffice for enough clam sauce to serve four. Nutritional values are for 20 grams of fresh anchovies or about five fillets. This serving size has 26 calories and 4 grams of protein, which means that men get 7 percent of the recommended daily value of protein and women get 9 percent.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy unsaturated fats that lower inflammation and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating one or two 3-ounce servings of oily fish each week reduces your risk of dying from heart disease by 36 percent, according to research published in the October 2006 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Oily fish were named to reflect the fact that they carry healthy fat throughout the fillet, which makes them a rich source of omega-3. The Natural Resources Defense Council categorizes anchovies as fish with the least mercury that are safe to consume. Twenty grams of fresh anchovies have .3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. This represents 19 percent of the recommended daily requirement for men and 27 percent for women.

Strong Bones

Twenty grams of fresh anchovy fillets have 2 percent of the recommended daily intake of magnesium, 3 percent of calcium and 5 percent of phosphorus. All three minerals are essential for the growth and maintenance of strong bones. Calcium and phosphorus combine to make the primary mineral used to build bones called hydroxyapatite. Magnesium forms the matrix that supports hydroxyapatite.

Heart Health

In addition to forming bones, calcium and magnesium have important roles in the cardiovascular system. Calcium stimulates muscles in the heart and blood vessels to contract, and magnesium makes them relax. They maintain your heart beat and regulate blood pressure. The same serving of anchovies also provides 19 percent of the daily intake of niacin, 4 percent of vitamin B-12 and 2 percent of vitamin B-6. Vitamins B-12 and B-6 remove a substance from the blood that contributes to heart disease. Niacin lowers levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and may reduce the chance of dying from a heart attack, according to Oregon State University.

Iron

Anchovies are a rich source of iron, with 20 grams of fresh fish containing 12 percent of the recommended daily intake for men and 5 percent for women. Iron is well-known as the transporter of oxygen throughout the body, but it's also necessary for cells to make energy and to help white blood cells kill bacteria.

Considerations

Anchovies are frequently purchased in cans or jars, which means they’re high in sodium. Prepared anchovies are first preserved in salt and then packed in oil or more salt. Even when the product states it’s packed in water, it’s usually in salty brine. Twenty grams of fresh anchovy fillets have 21 milligrams of sodium, but the same serving of prepared anchovies can have more than 700 milligrams, depending on how the fish were processed. Daily intake of sodium should be limited to 1,500 milligrams, according to the Institute of Medicine. Eliminate some of the excess salt by rinsing the fillets or soaking them in cold water for 30 minutes.

References

• USDA Agricultural Research Service -– Nutrient Data Laboratory: Fish, Anchovy, European, Raw
• American Heart Association: Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Journal of the American Medical Association: Fish Intake, Contaminants, and Human Health – Evaluating the Risks and the Benefits
• Purdue University: Omega-3 Fatty Acid Content in Fish
• National Resources Defense Council: Consumer Guide to Mercury in Fish
• Oregon State University: Niacin
• USDA Agricultural Research Service -– Nutrient Data Laboratory: Fish, Anchovy, European, Canned in Oil, Drained Solids
• Oregon State University: Essential Fatty Acids
• Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes
• SeafoodSource.com: Seafood Handbook -– Anchovy

Bilis Crackerz Packaging

Ikan Bilis: Protein-Rich

Ikan Bilis: Protein-Rich

The humble ikan bilis (anchovies) may be a tiny fish, but it’s surprisingly chockfull of nutrients: It’s got iron, healthy polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 fatty acids) and calcium (credit the bones present in the fish), says Sheeba Majmudar, a dietitian from Verita Advanced Wellness. It’s also packed with heaps of protein. According to the Health Promotion Board (HPB), ikan bilis has up to 53g of protein, with only 6g of fat.

 

High Sodium Content

Here’s the kicker, though: Dried ikan bilis is literally swimming in salt. “Its sodium content is 52 per cent,” says Majmudar. According to the HPB, that’s 2,616mg of sodium per 100g of ikan bilis, and almost 150 per cent more than our recommended daily intake. However, because it’s so potent in flavour, it’s often used sparingly in cooking recipes. When presented with a plateful, limit your intake to half a palm’s worth, or less. To lower the salt content, soak and wash them before cooking. Or, even better, buy the fresh variety.

 

Safer Choice
The small size gives it one more advantage over other fish: Because it has a shorter life cycle, it’s less prone to heavy metal contamination in the ocean, says Majmudar. As such, it’s possibly a safer choice, compared to larger types of fish with the propensity to accumulate heavy metals like mercury. Also, don’t worry about consuming ikan bilis whole, as some believe that plucking the heads off will give it a lower cholesterol content. “That’s a myth, as even eating high cholesterol foods like eggs and shellfish do not significantly increase cholesterol levels,” says Majmudar. “Only eating high amounts of trans or saturated fats will increase cholesterol levels.”