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Created on: July 05, 2008
Pickled Herring: A Good Source Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids And Vitamin D
Pickled herring is good for you! It is also considered to be a delicacy in
many parts of the world, including Scandinavia, Iceland, Holland and Japan, to
name just a few countries.
My initial encounter with pickled herring came about when I visited Holland,
in the spring of 1967. At the crowded market place in Groningen, in northern
Holland, there was a street-side pickled herring stall, where the herring could
be purchased and eaten on the spot.
Dozens of tourists and Dutch people, some still wearing wooden shoes, stood
in line to buy the delicacy from the elderly Dutch gentleman, behind the
counter. With their guilders (the Dutch currency at that time), tightly clutched
in their hands, they waited patiently to be served. Then one by one, they would
hold their pickled herrings up, throw their heads back and consume them. (I
wondered if some people even took the time to chew the herrings!) For me, this
was something totally new and different. It certainly sparked my interest in
herring!
The herring is a small, oily fish belonging to the genus
Clupea. The North Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, North Pacific Ocean and the
Mediterranean, are all places where herring thrive as huge schools of fish,
swimming in the shallow temperate waters. They are generally caught in the
spring, as they head towards the shore. (1)
There are approximately two hundred different kinds of herring that have a
single dorsal fin lacking a spine. In the Baltic Sea, their size is
approximately fourteen to eighteen centimeters in length. These are the ones
that I saw when I was visiting Holland. They are much larger in the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans. (2)
Herring has been a staple food in many countries of the world for over 3000
years.
Pickled herring is only one way that herring is prepared for human
consumption. Herring can also be eaten raw, fermented, or cured. (3)
"Why is pickled herring good for you?"
Pickled herring contains Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, as well as vitamin
D.
While there is growing concern about PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and
dioxin in herring, it appears that as long as the fish are small, or under
seventeen centimeters, there does not seem to be a major health risk. If they
are larger herring, then limited consumption of herring is recommended. (4)
Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in growth and development, heart
health and circulation, etc. Vitamin D is important for calcium and phosphorus
absorption, bone formation and a healthy immune system. (5)
Perhaps another reason that herring are good for people has to do with the
reality that these fish feed on phytoplankton, when they are young. It is
filtered through their gills as they swim. Phytoplankton releases oxygen and
diminishes carbon dioxide. At this time, there are an increasing number of
studies being done on phytoplankton, with respect to human health. (6)
How is pickled herring prepared? The preparation of pickled herring involves
a curing process, which uses salt to extract water. Then the salt is removed. In
the pickling stage, the flavorings consist of vinegar, salt and a sugar
solution, with spices like peppercorns, bay leaves and onions. Other flavorings
like mustard, onion and garlic, may also be used. (7)
In Scandanavia, pickled herring is served at Christmas time and Midsummer,
with dark rye bread, crisp bread, or potatoes. In Iceland, a pickled herring, or
blald, may be given to a child for a holiday treat. The Dutch have a soused
herring, or rollmops. The rollmops are pickled herring fillets rolled around a
gherkin, or onion and held together with a skewer. The Jewish use pickled
herring in a forshmak salad. In Japan, it is in the cuisine of Hokkaido. (8)
While I was In Holland, I was actually quite fascinated by the fact pickled
herring were being sold at the street-side stall, in the market place.
Gradually, I have come to understand their tradition more fully and realize that
to the Dutch, the pickled herring is a very important part of their diet and
their economy.
Pickled herring is good for you because of the Omega-3 fatty acids and
vitamin D. It was also fun to watch the Dutch people and others enjoy this
delicacy in their Groningen marketplace!
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herring
(2) Ibid.
(3) Ibid.
(4)
Ibid.
(5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid
(6)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoplankton
(7)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herring
(8) Ibid.
No
Created on: July 08, 2008
On the whole, many people would all be in agreement that pickled herring is
extremely good for you. It is high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin D and it
can be found all over the world and is considered to be quite delicious.
However, although the fish itself may be an enjoyable food to eat, and be
beneficial to the health, the manner of its preparation may also have adverse
affects on certain members of the population.
Pickled herrings contain a compound called tyramine. It is formed during the
aging of protein-rich foods and has been linked to certain factors such as
headaches and hypertension.
This compound is an amino acid and past research
has shown that consuming food containing tyramine, may trigger headaches, caused
by a lowering of the serotonin levels in the brain, and interfere with proper
dilation of the blood vessels.
With the benefit of modern research, some experts now believe that tyramine
is not the villain it has latterly been portrayed to be, however, it doesn't
hurt to be on the safe side, and it may be wise to avoid foods such as pickled
herrings and other foods containing a high concentrate of tyramine, until test
results become much more conclusive.
Certain drugs that are used for depression and Parkinson's disease (known as
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors) can interact with tyramine and cause a rapid
acceleration in blood pressure.
It is very important that when taking medication such as isocarboxazid,
phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and selegiline, that a close eye is kept on the
dietry intake. It is absolutely essential that foods such as pickled herrings,
cheese, and Chianti wine, are to be avoided when taking MAO inhibitors as it can
lead to potentially life threatening situations caused by elevated blood
pressure and intracranial bleeding.
The possibility of an interaction between some MAO inhibitors and certain
smoked, aged or pickled fish, will depend on the amount of tyramine present. It
is important to keep away from foods containing high levels of tyramine during
drug therapy and for at least a month after coming off the medication.
So in answer to the question of whether pickled herring is good for you, I
would have to conclude that although the health benefits of consuming this
delicious fish is well known and widely accepted, there is a certain section of
the population that would find it most unbeneficial to eat.
Sources:
http://w ww.medicinenet.com/s cript/main/art.asp?a rticlekey=56182
"ment al disorder." Encyclopdia Britannica from Standard Edition. (2008)
