Can Loach Be Eaten Raw? Things to Know Before Eating Raw Loach

The loach is a very common animal in the paddy fields of southern China, and in traditional Chinese medicine it is praised as the “ginseng of the water”. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that raw loach can clear the fire of the spleen and stomach, liver and gallbladder, and kidneys and bladder, and maintain the balance of cold and heat in the body. So can loach be eaten raw?

1. Can loach be eaten raw

It is best not to eat loach raw. Although there is a saying in traditional Chinese medicine about eating loach raw, with worsening pollution, eating loach raw makes it very easy to contract parasitic diseases, such as schistosomiasis and gnathostomiasis. Moreover, the folk remedy in traditional Chinese medicine of eating raw loach to clear fire was banned in the 1950s and 1960s, because it very easily causes other illnesses.

Although eating loach raw has a bad effect on the human body, cooked loach is not only very nutritious but also especially delicious. The edible portion accounts for about 80% of the whole fish body, much higher than that of ordinary freshwater fish. In addition, loach is low in fat and rich in nucleosides and other trace elements, and has a good tonic and therapeutic function for the elderly and patients with cardiovascular disease.

2. Common cooking methods for loach

Common cooking methods for loach include loach and tofu casserole and braised loach. The specific method for loach and tofu casserole is as follows: first, gut and wash the loach, slice the ginger and scallions and set aside, heat oil in a wok, add the seasonings and stir-fry the loach until the color is slightly browned, then turn on high heat, add boiling water to cook, add cooking wine, then add the cut tofu cubes, continue boiling, then turn to low heat for more than 4 minutes. A pot of delicious loach and tofu casserole is ready.

That is all for eating loach raw. Today the loach farming market is very broad, and whether on the international market or the domestic market, the price of loach is steady with a slight rise. Setting other things aside, loach farming is still a good choice today.