Jul 2012 - Issue 5 - National Federation of Fish Friers

THE fish friers REVIEW
10
Frying Tonight -
Feeling peckish?
By Andy Gray, Marketing and Promotion, Seafish
Feeling hungry and looking for ideas for
a quick tea this evening? Maybe a
takeaway... maybe some lip-smackingly
delicious and hunger-quelling fish and
chips... but hold on, you've been
picking up various media soundings re.
fish and chips being fattening and
perhaps not the best on the health
front, and so are wondering what the real story actually is. Well,
wonder no more and appreciate that tantalizing wafting aroma of
salt and vinegar, savour the crunch of crisp batter encasing a
piece of moist and delectable flaky fish accompanied by perfectly
cooked chips with fluffy white interiors, and read on to learn the
true story of fish and chips as they relate to diet and health.
Regarded too often in media circles as being bad for your health,
fish and chips is in fact a fantastic natural, nutritional meal which is
good value for money and an excellent source of protein - far better
than most other takeaway foods. A portion of fish and chips
provides the body with carbohydrate, vitamins B6 and B12, vitamin
C, iron, calcium, phosphorous, as well as the trace elements iodine,
fluorine, zinc and some
important dietary fibre.
As is regularly stated in the
world of food and diets,
items of food on their own
won't make you fat, but
rather it is the amount of
food that one eats, in
relation to the energy that an
individual expends, that influences weight and levels of obesity. So
it is with fish and chips; if eaten in moderation and as part of a
balanced diet, fish and chips is a wholesome, nutritious meal which
contains less additives than other takeaways such as burgers and
curries, and also contains a number of essential vitamins.
Fish and chips is in fact a fantastic natural, nutritional meal.
“
fish and chips is in
fact a fantastic
natural, nutritional meal
British Nutrition Foundation statistics show that an average portion
of fish and chips contains almost three times less fat (20.6%) than
an equivalent portion of chicken tikka masala and pilau rice.
Fish and chips is one of the least adulterated prepared foods that we
can eat; wild caught fish, freshly harvested potatoes, some flour for
batter, an oil for the cooking medium, and all cooked with care and
attention, skill and expertise to produce a tasty and nutritious meal.
Plain and simple... how many other takeaway foods can ever say
that about themselves?
Issue 5 July 2012
The quick frying methods used today and
the high quality oils used by most fish and
chip shops, mean that very little oil, if any,
gets into the actual fish. The total fat
content of an average portion of fish and
chips is estimated to be 48.2g. This
compares favourably with a cheese and
ham sandwich with mayonnaise which has
51.98g fat and a doner kebab in pitta bread with salad and chips,
which has a total fat content of 57.74g.
The calorie count of an average portion of fish & chips is in the
region of 861 calories, and according to the British Nutrition
Foundation, taking information from the UK Department of Health,
estimated average requirements (EAR), for men and women is that
men (aged between 19-50 years) can consume up to 2,550 calories
on a daily basis, and women (aged between 19-50 years) can
consume up 1,940 calories. Thus ensuring that if eaten as part of a
balanced and controlled diet, you can continue to enjoy fish and
chips as a regular mealtime option.
Beyond mealtimes and
nutritional values but still
celebrating the wider world
of fish and chips, the Seafish
organised National Fish &
Chip Awards celebrate their
25th anniversary this year.
Originally established to
reward individual shops and
generate some publicity for
the independent fish and chip takeaway sector, over recent years
the competition has grown considerably in scale to encompass a
vast array of business sectors involved in fish and chips. Current
award categories range from Best Newcomer to Best Multiple
Operator through to award categories rewarding excellence for
marketing and innovation, and staff development and training.
Renamed the National Fish and Chip Awards in 2010, this
successful and ever-growing competition, while helping to raise
standards and commending excellent operators, continues to
provide an important platform for the creation of fantastic publicity
for all things fish and chips; helping to keep that most iconic of
British foods number one in the minds of the consumer.
“
Feeling peckish now? Go on you know you want some this
evening; fish and chips, salt and vinegar... and perhaps a side order
of tasty mushy peas! Heaven on a plate... or in a takeaway box!