Sardines

Also known asPilchards · Sardina pilchardus · 沙丁鱼

Name: Sardines — small, oily, silvery fish of the herring family, especially the European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), caught in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. Fresh sardines are grilled whole, and the canned version has its own page.

Description

Sardines are named for the island of Sardinia, where they were once abundant. They have been eaten around the Mediterranean since ancient times, and in Portugal, sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines) are a national symbol, especially at the June festivals of Saint Anthony in Lisbon, when the streets fill with the smell of charcoal-grilled fish on bread.

Sardines feed on plankton low in the food chain, so they are low in mercury, and they are one of the more sustainable choices when well managed, though stocks fluctuate with ocean conditions. They have a rich, savoury, slightly strong flavour, and their small bones are soft and edible.

Main nutrition value

Sardines is an oily fish, and a rich source of the long-chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and protein. The soft bones, which can be eaten, provide calcium, and sardines are very low in mercury.

How best to be consumed

Fresh sardines are best grilled simply, and eaten whole.

1. Grill whole sardines over charcoal or under a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, with coarse salt, olive oil and lemon.
2. Serve on grilled bread, with tomato salad or potatoes, as in Portugal.
3. Bake them stuffed with herbs and breadcrumbs, as in Sicilian sarde a beccafico, or marinate in vinegar.
4. Buy very fresh sardines with shiny skin and bright eyes, and cook the same day.
5. Eat the bones for calcium, or remove them if you prefer.

Overconsumption could cause…

Sardines are healthy in food amounts.

1. Scombroid (histamine) poisoning, causing flushing, headache, rash and stomach upset within minutes to hours, from fish that were stored too warm, so buy very fresh fish and keep it cold.
2. Fish allergy, which can be severe and is usually lifelong, so anyone allergic must avoid fish and check labels, including fish in sauces and dressings.
3. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since fish and shellfish are moderately high in purines.
4. Food poisoning and parasites (such as anisakis worms) from raw or undercooked fish, so use fish sold as suitable for raw eating, freeze it first, and take extra care in pregnancy and with weak immunity.
5. Strong smell when grilling indoors, and spoilage quickly after purchase.

GroupsOily FishFinfishHigh proteinRich in calciumRich in omega-3Rich in seleniumRich in vitamin B12Rich in vitamin DFresh

Made intoCanned Sardines

Related foodsAtlantic MackerelMackerelAtlantic SalmonEelHerringTrout

Wikipedia — Sardine, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardine