Can You Eat Fish Scales? The brief answer is yes, you can. Although, I do not recommend it. Fish scales are safe to eat as long as you are eating fish scales right away without injuring your mouth or throat. They must be cooked very well before eating. And they are not tasty and do not provide much nutritional value.
There are five types of fish scales – Cosmoid, Placoi, Cycloid, Ganoid, and Ctenoid. Cycloid and Ctenoid types of scales can be found on the majority of our regular types of fish with bones that we eat. Sharks and sturgeons, in contrast, have placoid types.
I was surprised to find out that the fish scales have healthy fats and certain minerals that are beneficial to our body. However, just because of this fact, do not leave all fish scales on when cooking or eating fish.
Fish without scales is excellent too with a good sufficient dose of fats and minerals. Plus, fish scales are very small, and the amount of good stuff in them just does not necessarily justify eating them.
Can you eat fish scales?
Yes, you can eat fish scales as they are generally edible and nutritious on their small scale. However, eating them right and the right size and right amount is equally essential.
Fish scales are embedded with some nutrients. If you really wish to add in healthy fats and more collagen by eating them, then try making tasty fish scale included recipes. I would not.
If you are thinking you should eat the fish scales this time for dinner then, it is not a treat. It would be somewhat like eating popcorn with stuck kernels in your teeth. It could be very annoying. Eating fish scales feels like eating the softened outer shell of sunflower seeds.
Some of the fish scales that are left after some good descaling can still serve the purpose since the fish by itself has good nutrients. When you can eat the remaining scales without hurting your mouth then yes, you can eat fish scales as they will eventually digest.
Just do not indulge yourself with large amounts of fish scales in your food for fear of hurting your digestive tract. Remember – you are NOT a cat!
Some nutritional advantages of fish scales:
Though quote unappetizing, fish scales offer some nutritional benefits. Eating them will give you the benefit of eating them.
Provides collagen – Fish scales have a small dose of collagen which is ideal for improving bones, ligaments, and joints. Adding your meal with collagen sources will assist in getting stronger hair, nails, and soft skin. Therefore, fish scales make you more pretty. But, man, you would have to eat a lot of them, which is not good for you.
Omega-3 and healthy fats – Several individuals add fish to their lunch or dinner to load healthy fats into their diet. This is particularly true for omega-3 fatty acids. To eat fish scales means consuming a little bit more omega-3 and other healthy fats to assist in the building of health to heart, brain cells and avoiding an occurrence of a stroke.
Beauty – they provide a little bit more elasticity and suppleness to your skin. Your skin becomes beautiful naturally. But again, I would rather stick with fish meat for that.
Can you eat fish scales on salmon?
Yes, it is safe to eat fish scales on salmon and its skin. In fact, you can eat salmon fish scales more nicely than scales from some other types of fish. Salmon fish scales are loaded with all the good staff present in salmon fish.
Eating skin and scales each time to get benefits is recommended by some. While others might not like eating the scales from a view of fine dining. It is not fine dining – when you eat fish scales – it is very exotic food.
By the way, I am not necessarily talking about fish skin here.
Let us distinguish between fish skin and fish scales. Fish scales sit on top of fish skin. Eating wild salmon with skin is quite healthy and I love it sometimes. You will not be able to notice the scale when salmon skin is well baked. In fact, well-baked salmon skin is crispy and tasty. The other varieties of salmon with scales you can easily eat are pink, sockeye, Atlantic, chinook, and coho.
Since the scales are not so pleasant to eat, they are often descaled prior to cooking. Owing to its tough texture, people often discard it. They are however safe to eat. Just like salmon meat itself, its skin with scales is very nutritious with omega-3 fatty acids.
Can you eat cooked fish scales?
Yes, it is fine to eat cooked fish scales, however, they are not pleasant or tasty to eat. You can prepare some tasty dishes by cooking fish with scales or fish scales into other dishes. So, you can eat cooked fish scales depending on how you cook them.
Note, that the more you cook fish scales, the more easily you can eat them. Longer cooking makes them softer. Long cooking, especially boiling or simmering, can totally disintegrate fish scales with water to make a liquid or jelly.
You can grill the fish by kiting or butterflying by splitting them but not slicing them into 2 different halves or pieces. They are called so, due to their appearance after splitting. This way you eliminate fish bones while there is no need to remove fish scales.
You can grill this fish either on the open flame or using aluminum foil. People often prefer the latter for cleaner food. This way the tougher scales burn while tender ones are not. They remain on the skin. This way even the fish flesh is protected.
You can scrape off the burnt scales off leaving the rest on the skin.
Add a little seasoning with little olive oil to enjoy the natural flavor of the fish.
This is one good way of enjoying the fish scales and taking in the benefit as well without any harm done to the throat or mouth.
Can you eat fish skin with scales on it?
Yes, as I mentioned, you can eat fish skin with scales as long as it is properly cleaned. Fish scales can be edible and so is the fish skin. Salmon is the best, in my opinion. Just note that cooking fish with its skin on takes longer no matter which method you use – grilling, baking, frying, or steaming.
Note: If you want to cook fish skin with scales on it, make sure you do it thoroughly, as long cooking disintegrates the scales. For example, grilling on low fire instead of high, but for a long time.
Baking or simmering on medium or low for hours may make scales very soft, to the point that they essentially melt with skin. Then you can eat fish skin with scales on it more safely.
Few tips on how to cook fish skin with scales
As mentioned in the previous section, grilling is one of the good ways of eating fish with scales after cooked. Baking too.
You can add in garlic, herbs, cilantro, parsley, onions, and other aromatics to season the grilled fish.
Add in a coat of barbeque sauce over the fish before grilling.
Cook the fish and then add in different sauces by cutting smaller pieces of the grilled fish.
One other way of cooking fish with scales is by popping the fish scales by pushing them with your thumb. Essentially, this is deep frying in oil on a pan.
Heat the oil to 350-400 deg F and then place the fish into the oil.
The fish scales puff up and crackle. You can check the fish being cooked using a cake tester. Use snapper or a sea bream to make these crispy fish scales.
Another way recommended is to bake the fish with its scales on and bake it well.
All the above processes protect fish flesh from high heat.
Tip: tiny fish scales are usually more eatable than large fish scales. Some fish, like Atlantic char, has tiny and eatable fish scales.
What happens if you eat fish scales?
Nothing, if you cooked skin well and if you are careful and eat just a little bit of them. You can eat fish scales provided you are supposed to eat them without hurting yourself. However, eating fish scales can be unpleasant.
Conclusion
Eating fish scales is one’s personal choice. However, eating fish scales is safe and fish scales have only a little bit of nutrients and healthy fats in them. Cooking them appropriately and eating the tender ones is one good way to enjoy them.
On the other hand, I personally do not eat fish scales as it is not quite on our regular human menu. Cats, for example, do a much better job digesting fish scales.
Still, if you want to shock your friends with the super-exotic meal, then fish scales will do it. Just cook them very well, or you may lose your friendship. Just saying.