What Kind of Fish Is the Snakehead? A Guide to Getting to Know the Snakehead

The snakehead is one of the most common food fish in China. Most southern families enjoy eating snakehead and regard it as an excellent choice for recovery after illness and for nourishment. So what kind of fish is the snakehead?

1. What kind of fish is the snakehead?

The snakehead is also known as the black fish, tuan yu, wu bang, sheng yu, snakehead fish, xiao yu, mo tou yu, cai yu, and more. It has few bones, a high proportion of flesh, and is rich in nutrients, containing more protein than chicken or beef. The front part of its body is cylindrical, and the rear part is laterally compressed; it generally measures 25—40 cm in length. The head is long, slightly flat and broad at the front, and somewhat raised at the rear. Its body color is grayish-black, with the back and top of the head being darker, the belly pale white, and irregular black patches on each side of the body. It has no scales.

2. What are the benefits of eating snakehead?

1. Promoting lactation: The snakehead is rich in protein and various amino acids. When a postpartum woman eats snakehead soup, it provides the body with ample protein and amino acids, supplying a sufficient protein source for breast milk production and helping to promote lactation.

2. Improving anemia: The snakehead also has an extremely high iron content. Iron is one of the main raw materials for the synthesis of hemoglobin in the human body, and the snakehead is very high in protein. Together with iron, it can synthesize hemoglobin, helping to enrich the blood, making it very suitable for people with anemia.

3. Recovery after illness: The snakehead contains a large amount of protein, with 25% of its body weight being protein. This high protein is well absorbed, with an absorption rate of over 85%, making it a high-grade nourishing food. It is very suitable for women after childbirth, patients after surgery, and those recovering from a serious illness, helping to restore physical strength and promote wound healing. This is also the main reason sick people commonly eat snakehead soup.

4. Treating edema: The snakehead has the effect of strengthening the spleen and promoting water metabolism. In folk practice, people often use snakehead soup to treat various types of edema, such as edema caused by heart disease and kidney disease, nutritional edema, edema in pregnant women, and beriberi swelling.

5. Improving brain power: The snakehead contains a certain amount of fat, most of which is unsaturated fatty acid. DHA is a key element in promoting brain power. Eating it can promote brain development in infants and young children and improve memory decline in the elderly, making it one of the brain-boosting foods.

The snakehead is rich in nutritional value and is especially suitable for postpartum women and middle-aged and elderly people. It is also very helpful for recovery after illness, so snakehead can be eaten in moderation.