Red caviar is a healthy, nutritious and tasty product. It is used in its pure form, as a sandwich mass or as an ingredient in salads and other dishes. Today it is extremely popular, which affects the cost. However, in terms of nutritional value and unique composition, this product can compete with others considered the most valuable. The article gives a comparative description of the eggs of different representatives of the salmon family, their calorie content, and beneficial properties.

Differences in salmon caviar

Mostly fish caviar was divided by color: black and red. The first is obtained by catching sturgeon fish species. And the second - salmon (better known as red fish).

Did you know? It is mistakenly considered the most expensive black caviar, because in fact, today — it is golden. It has unsurpassed gustatory qualities, which not only the esthete will be able to evaluate, but it is also obtained from sturgeon fish that have reached 60 years or more.

Salmon fish live mainly in the cold waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, in the White and Baltic Sea. Every year from June to October there is a hunt for fish that spawn. During this period, large-scale work is carried out when a large number of people and equipment are involved.

Often caught:

• salmon
• pink salmon;
• sockeye salmon;
• sim;
• ketu;
• Chinook salmon;
• sucker;
• salmon;
• kunju.

Important! On an industrial scale, pink salmon, chum salmon and sockeye salmon are harvested. But coho or chinook salmon product is not isolated in a separate form and can be attributed to salmon and chum salmon, respectively.

Most supermarkets sell red salmon caviar, but the producer very rarely indicates which fish they sell. Each type has individual taste and some other characteristics, with the help of which it turns out to determine which product is in front of you.

In appearance and size of eggs

The type and fact of how large the caviar of the salmon family is is determined by the variety of fish.

The most popular types of caviar are:

1. Sockeye salmon. The inhabitant of the Pacific waters sockeye salmon swims along the coast of the American continent and is considered the most valuable breed of fish of the salmon family. The product is small, about 3 mm in diameter, because sockeye salmon is a small fish with a length of not more than 70 cm and weighing up to 2.5 kg. This species of fish is one of the first to spawn, and fishermen are already beginning to hunt in late May. And in the first month of summer, fresh product hits the shelves.
2. Pink salmon. She is the most common and desired on the tables of many. It is easy to distinguish it from others, it has a rich orange color, eggs of 3-5 mm. The main distinguishing feature of the pink salmon product from others is the “caviar juice”. If the eggs are mixed, they will burst due to the fact that the shell is not dense. Fish comes to spawn in the first 2 months of summer, once a long journey from the cold Pacific waters to the rivers of Primorye and the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.
3. Chum salmon. It is popularly called royal. It has earned its name due to the size of eggs: usually they reach 5-6 mm, but sometimes 9 mm. Each has a perfectly round shape, as a selection. The color ranges from amber to light orange and impresses with uniformity.
4. Trout. Annually gaining popularity, capturing a shelf in supermarkets, crowding out other varieties. It is in demand, despite some flaws. Main: considered the smallest in the salmon family. The size of the eggs is up to 2-3 mm in diameter. Color can be: yellow, dark gold, red or bright scarlet. The hue depends on many factors: on the place of catch, time, age of the fish, etc.
5. Coho salmon. “Silver Salmon”, “White Fish” - these are all the names of such an aquatic inhabitant. A large representative of the salmon family reaches a length of 98 cm, can weigh up to 15 kg. These are not all the achievements of the representative of seawater; he is also famous for delicious meat and unsurpassed caviar. The latter is dark red or even rich burgundy. The eggs are small, about 4 mm in diameter. The described product of this fish breed is the most valuable and useful, it is recommended to be used by pregnant women, because it contains such a valuable element as folic acid. It is also a powerful aphrodisiac: it raises the level of endorphin (the “hormone of joy”) and serotonin in the blood of men. Coho salmon inhabit the waters of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, unfortunately, the number of fish is small.
6. Chinook salmon. It is considered the most expensive among other types of reds. It is very rarely seen in store windows. The eggs have a deep red color and reach 7 mm in diameter. Chinook salmon - the largest representative of red fish, reaches about 1 m in length and has a weight of 20-30 kg.

Useful properties and calorie content

The benefits of the product are huge, and it is due to its unique composition. Each egg contains vitamins A, D, PP, B vitamins, calcium, organic iodine, phosphorus, proteins of about 70% and fats 17%, designed for optimal growth and development of future fry. In addition to the above components, red caviar is also rich in polyunsaturated acids Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are so necessary for our body to work effectively and maintain strength. Also, regular use of such a product helps prevent various diseases.

• Other positive properties include:
• Prevention of rickets. Red caviar can be given to children (over 3 years old) to prevent this disease. It will replace the pharmacy fish oil, in addition, the kids will eat it with pleasure. The vitamin D content is very high, and it is produced only when sunlight is exposed to the skin.
• Stabilization of the nervous system and mental activity. As mentioned earlier, the composition of red caviar includes polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6, which positively affect the brain and accelerate thinking. And lecithin, which is also contained in the product, maintains nerve cells in working condition and has a beneficial effect on their work. With regular use, a surge of strength and courage is felt.
• Strengthening immunity and restoration of vision. Red caviar has these healing properties, and all thanks to the vitamin A contained in it, which is so necessary for eye health. In combination with vitamin C and polyunsaturated fatty acids, this is an excellent prevention of many forms of cancer, as well as improving immunity in general.
• Potency enhancement. The use of the product has a positive effect on the health and recovery of the male reproductive system and stimulates the production of sex hormones.
• Positive cosmetological qualities. The modern beauty industry is so well developed that it will easily offer many procedures with red caviar. These are masks, wraps, and many other services that return youth and elasticity to the skin.

Daily consumption of caviar in the amount of 1 tsp. per day helps to enrich the body with useful minerals and vitamins. It also helps to slow down aging.

Despite all the positive properties, red caviar has a number of restrictions for consumption.

• It is worth giving up if you have the following diseases:
• hypertension;
• problems with the genitourinary system;
• coronary heart disease;
• impaired renal function.

Did you know? Top grade red caviar does not exist. The first is assigned to the product that is salted within 4 hours after catch, and the composition should be up to 5% salt.

Due to the high salt content, health conditions may worsen. Of course, this is possible with excessive consumption of the product. It is believed that dieters should refrain from eating red caviar because of its high calorie content. In fact, this is nothing more than a myth.

251 kcal is contained in 100 g of the product, there are no carbohydrates, and when compared with white bread, in which 242 kcal per 100 g and 49 g of carbohydrates, there is not such a big difference. Nutritionists say that eating a product in its pure form will not affect weight gain, but if you supplement it with products such as white bread and butter, then your fears are justified.

By taste

Caviar of red fish in many respects has similar good taste characteristics, but there are also differences.

Did you know? The taste of the product depends on the place of catch. The most tender product is considered to be a product made on Sakhalin, possibly due to production directly in the salt sea, which prevents the eggs from becoming rough.

The following caviar tastes:

1. Sockeye salmon. It differs from others not only in rich red color, but also in its unusual taste, it has a slight bitterness.
2. Pink salmon. Each egg is distinguished by its amazing, or, as experts say, universal taste.
3. Chum salmon. Soft, creamy taste. The eggs melting in the mouth do not need products that tone the taste (can be served without butter).
4. Trout. The product has an unusual taste with a slight bitterness and a fish aftertaste.
5. Coho salmon. It has a bitter taste.
6. Chinook salmon. It has a delicate taste, with a touch of bitterness.

At cost

The pricing policy in the world market depends on the type of fish, the volume and packaging in which caviar is sold.

The prices below are approximate, and the take-off can be 2-3 times:

• 250 g of the described pink salmon product will cost 690 rubles., And for 500 g you need to spend 1600 rubles .;
• caviar of chum salmon, of the same weight, will cost 800 rubles, and a jar weighing 500 g will cost 2430 rubles.

Did you know? About one million tons of red caviar are sold on the world market annually. This brings especially large revenue to coastal regions, including Russia.

Which caviar is better

Which caviar is better is a moot point. How many people, so many opinions. Some people like the soft and creamy taste of chum salmon, while others like the light shade of bitterness inherent in trout, coho salmon or chinook.

The article compares the eggs of several fish of the salmon family according to different characteristics. Each person chooses the right size and taste. Many say that good and expensive is not always connected. The size of the eggs is important for some, the smell is for others, the aftertaste is for the third. The main thing is that this delicacy has a special taste, and choosing the preferred option is not difficult.