lautnusantara.com For most people, eating warm rice with this fish is a pleasure in itself. Although small in size, anchovies are rich in nutrients and certainly provide health benefits. Curious about the benefits and nutrients? Come on, check out the following review!

Nutritional content of anchovies

 Anchovies have the Latin name Engraulis spp  which has a longer body shape and is generally not as big as other fish. Usually, people process anchovies into anchovy sambal, vegetable and anchovy capcai , and anchovy fritters.

In addition to its savory taste, anchovies are a favorite food because they are rich in health benefits. In 100 grams of raw anchovies, there are various nutrients, such as:

• Protein : 10.3 grams.
• ·  Fat: 1.4 grams
• ·  Carbohydrates: 4.1 grams.
• ·  Calcium: 972 mg.
• ·  Phosphorus: 253 mg.
• ·  Iron: 3.9 mg.
• ·  Sodium: 554 mg
• ·  Potassium (K): 126.1 mg.
• ·  Copper: 305.20 mg.
• ·  Zinc: 0.2 mg.
• ·  Retinol ( vitamin A ): 13 mcg.
• ·  Carotene: 28 mcg.
• ·  Thiamin ( vitamin B1 ): 0.24 mg.
• ·  Riboflavin ( vitamin B2 ): 0.10 mg.
• ·  Niacin (vitamin B3): 1.9 mg

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Benefits of anchovies for health

Here are some of the benefits of anchovies:

1. Prevent inflammation

Engraulis spp  is included in the group of oily fish other than salmon or tuna. This means that this fish contains omega 3 fatty acids . The fatty acids in anchovies consist of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are beneficial in preventing inflammation.

Inflammation is actually the body's response to fighting infection. So, when your body feels a threat from a foreign substance, the immune system will fight back and the result is inflammation.

In the long term, inflammation can increase the risk of various chronic diseases. To prevent inflammation, you can consume foods that contain anti-inflammatory compounds , such as anchovies.

In addition to anchovies, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids that you can choose are tuna, salmon, and mackerel. Omega-3 fatty acids in these fish can slow the production of substances released during an inflammatory response.

2. Maintain heart health

Chronic inflammation can lead to heart disease. This is because inflammation can occur anywhere in your body, including the blood vessels around your heart .

Well, omega 3 fatty acids from anchovies will provide benefits in the form of protection for the heart in several ways, including:

• Maintaining a normal heart rhythm reduces the risk of death from sudden heart failure.
• Prevents blood platelet clotting which often causes obstruction of blood flow.
• Reduces triglyceride levels by slowing the rate of their formation in the liver. High triglyceride levels in the blood increase the risk of heart disease.
• Prevents plaque formation in the heart arteries and keeps the lining of the arteries smooth and free from thickening, hardening, or damage.

3. Supports bone health

Every day, damaged bone cells will be replaced by new, healthy bone cells. This bone formation process in children up to the age of 30 years, runs quickly. However, after passing that age, the process of forming new bone cells will slow down. This condition causes the elderly to be susceptible to osteoporosis (bone loss) or fractures .

To prevent this bone problem, you need to consume foods high in calcium . It turns out that the calcium content in anchovies is quite high so that it can provide benefits to your bone health.

Calcium is not the only nutrient that is good for bones. There are various minerals in anchovies that also help protect bone health, such as phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, and potassium. 

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4. Maintain healthy nerves and muscles

Anchovies contain sodium, which is salt. The nutrients in anchovies provide benefits for controlling blood pressure and volume. In addition, the body also needs sodium so that muscles and nerves can function properly.

If your sodium levels are low, muscle and nerve performance and blood pressure can be disrupted. So, sodium is not entirely bad for your health, as long as the need does not exceed the limit. If you have hypertension , make sure not to choose salted anchovies.

5. Maintain eye health

Vitamin A is an antioxidant, which plays a role in fighting free radicals that often cause inflammation. Well, vitamin A in anchovies provides benefits for eye health.

First, vitamin A helps in the formation of a photopigment called rhodopsin photoreceptors. This photopigment is located in the rod cells of the retina that help you see at night. Therefore, vitamin A has the potential to prevent night blindness.

Second, vitamin A also improves the function of the conjunctiva and cornea. The conjunctiva is a thin layer that protects the white area of ​​the eye and produces fluid to keep the cornea from drying out. Meanwhile, the cornea functions to refract (bend) and focus light entering the eye.

Safe tips for eating anchovies

The benefits of anchovies are indeed unquestionable, you can try various anchovy recipes for your daily menu.

However, if you consume salted anchovies, you should not consume too much of it, it can be detrimental to your health. This high salt content can be at risk of causing health problems, such as hypertension.

In people who already have high blood pressure, eating too much salty food can worsen the condition. According to the Harvard School of Public Health , eating too much salty food can also be harmful to bones, as it can trigger osteoporosis. So, make sure you don't eat too much salted fish .

In addition to the portion, you also need to pay attention to how to process salted fish. Most people serve salted fish by frying it until dry. Although it becomes tastier, frying fish makes the fat and cholesterol content higher.

So, it is better to serve salted fish by boiling or sautéing it with vegetables to make it more nutritious. You can also use healthier oil to fry the fish, such as olive oil.

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