What is an eel?
The eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a species of Anguillidae family. Sometimes the female can exceed one meter in length, while the male is much smaller.
What are the nutritional properties of eel?
100 g of raw eel contains about 131 Calories:
- 68.26 g of water
- 18,44g protein
- 11,66g of lipids, of which:
- 2,358g saturated fat
- 7,190g of monounsaturated
- 0.947g of polyunsaturated fat (of which approximately 653 mg of omega 3 and 196 mg of omega 6),
- 126 mg cholesterol
- 4 mg of vitamin E
- 3.5 mg to niacin,
- 0,150 mg of thiamine
- 0.067 mg to vitamin B6
- 0,040 mg of riboflavin
- 3477 IU vitamina
- 932 IU vitamin D
- 15 micrograms of folate
- 3 micrograms of vitamin B12
- 272 mg potassium
- 216 mg phosphorus
- 20 mg calcium
- 51 mg of sodium
- 30,50 mg iron
- 20 mg of magnesium
- 1.62 mg zinc
- 13.3 micrograms of selenium
When should you not eat eel?
There are some interactions between the consumption of eel and drugs or other substances. If in doubt it is good to seek advice from your doctor.
The availability of eel
Eel is available year round from fish farms. However, some regions ban fishing during specific periods (in Lombardy and Veneto from 1 October to 31 December).
Possible benefits and drawbacks of eel
Eel is a good source of lipids, particularly monounsaturated fats and omega 3, both allies of cardiovascular health. They are also a good source of vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties, vitamin D which is an ally of bone health, vitamin A important for eyesight and for the development and the immune system, and vitamin B12, which is involved in the synthesis of nucleic acids and hemoglobin, in the metabolism of fats and in the functioning of the nervous system. Eel also provides large amounts of phosphorus, important for the health of bones, teeth, kidneys, muscles and the heart, for the proper functioning of the metabolism and for the nervous impulse transmission.
Unfortunately, however, eel is a source of high doses of cholesterol.
