Can you eat crappie?
In this short article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat crappie?” with an in-depth analysis of crappie, the nutritional composition of crappie, the health benefits and dangers of eating crappie.
Can you eat crappie?
Yes, you can eat crappie. There are 2 major species of crappie that include, white and black crappie, both of which are edible.
You can fry, deep-fry, bake or grill it, just as you prefer. They are delicious in every way and have great nutritional value. Just make sure you handle them properly for safe consumption and have the deliciously flavoured crappie you can get.
What is crappie?
Crappie is a freshwater fish that is local to North America but is found all across the world. Both the white and black species of crappie are enjoyed as part of seafood courses all around the world.
There were numerous commercial markets for crappie in the past, but now there are not many commercial fisheries for crappie purchases. Crappies are quite easy to catch if you find them.
Crappies tend to hide under shelters to protect themselves from the attack of predators.
Crappie feeds upon a great variety of food. They depend mostly on smaller fish for food. But they can eat just about everything they find in the lake, ranging from small bugs to marine reptiles.
Crappie more likely feeds in the early morning or late in the day, near sunset. This helps them to remain hidden in low light and provides them with a good chance to succeed when finding their prey, also it helps them to bypass times of high human activity.
What Does Crappie Taste Like?
Crappie has a more delicate texture with a mild taste. However, the taste is mostly influenced by the water from where it comes from and also the food that they eat.
Crappie also has very little red meat so they do not have a very strong fishy flavour, also it makes them easier to clean.
Prefer eating crappie that has come from fresh, clean and cold water as this will decrease the likelihood that the meat will be extremely soft and mushy. Crappie that has come from warm and muddy water could have a softer texture.
Crappie is a good choice for people who do not prefer the fishy flavour. To avoid fishy flavour, make sure you keep your crappie breathing or on ice to help maintain the freshness of the fish.
The nutritional profile of crappie
Crappie provides a great source of nutrition. A 3 ounce serving of crappie provides:
- 103 calories
- 1.8g of fat
- 20.3g of protein
In addition, crappie also contains calcium and essential vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, B12, and vitamin D.
Health benefits of crappie
Crappie is full of beneficial nutrients. They have:
No carbohydrates
Crappie provides extremely few carbohydrates in a single serving, making it a very common choice for people following ketogenic diets and for those who focus on reducing carbohydrates intake.
High amounts of proteins
Crappie provides amazingly high amounts of protein, making them a great choice for people who want to lose weight or gain muscle mass.
In addition, our body requires protein to make the hormones and enzymes needed for the proper functioning of the body.
Beneficial fats
Crappies are full of beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids that can help with cardiovascular disease and other such problems. These are healthy fats that are known to reduce inflammation, help to improve brain function as well as keep the joints, hair and skin healthy.
Fewer contaminants
These fishes do feed upon other freshwater fish and insects, but they do not consume enough of these insects hence they do not pick up many contaminants.
Another advantage of crappie is that its excessive eating or farming will not negatively affect the environment they are found in.
Dangers of eating crappie
Similar to all other freshwater fishes, both the white and black species of crappie carry potential reserves of mercury inside them, which can lead to mercury poisoning if consumed in higher amounts. Mercury should not strictly be eaten by pregnant females.
This is why it is highly recommended to pregnant women to avoid eating any high-risk fishes whatever the type to avoid mercury poisoning.
It is advised that pregnant women and children under the age of 15 should only eat a single serving of crappie a week, because of the potential mercury content.
In addition, black crappie is particularly susceptive to diseases.
We must ensure proper handling during processing to ensure safe consumption and to avoid any harmful effects.
Other FAQs about Fish that you may be interested in.
Conclusion
In this short article, we have answered the question, “Can you eat crappie?” with an in-depth analysis of crappie, its taste, the nutritional composition of crappie, the health benefits and dangers of eating crappie.
