Nutritional Benefits and Types of White Fish

Characteristics of White Fish

White fish are rich in gelatin and contain very little fat; they have white flesh with a delicate flavor and are easily digestible. At a glance, they can be distinguished by their rounded tails. This group includes species such as:

• Gallo (Megrim)

  It belongs to the family of flatfish, whose species are characterized by having eyes on the left side of the body.

• Monkfish (Rape)

  Monkfish is distributed along the coasts of Europe and also in North America. It lives on the ocean floor and moves across it through the movement of its pectoral fins to find food.

• Hake

  Hake belongs to the family of Merlucciidae (Merlúcidos). There are a number of species, but the common European hake is the one with the most exquisite meat. In fact, it has always been one of the fish preferred by consumers.

• Sole

  It belongs to the family of Soleidae, in the order of Pleuronectiformes. It is listed as one of the high-quality flatfish and can be found in the market throughout the year, although its best season coincides with the months of March and April.

• Cod

  Cod is a typical species of cold waters and inhabits depths of 500–600 meters, although it is common to swim at about 150 or 200 meters. It is located mainly in the North Atlantic, from North Carolina to Greenland, and from the Bay of Biscay to the English Channel, as well as in the North Sea and Baltic. The largest cod fisheries in the world are in the Barents Sea near the Arctic. The season for the fresh cod fishery is from late autumn to spring, but salt cod, dried, smoked, or frozen varieties are available throughout the year.

• Scorpion Fish

  The scorpion fish usually remains quiet and hidden on the seabed, between 20 and 200 meters deep, and can be found either alone or in groups. Young specimens stay closer to the shore than adults.

• Turbot

  Turbot belongs to the family of flatfish in the order Pleuronectiformes. These fish are characterized by a flat body and head, with small eyes located on the left side of the body.

• Sea Bream

  Sea bream are caught along the Atlantic coasts of Europe and, although rarer, specimens are also found in the Mediterranean. They live in small schools, and as they grow older, they are located in deep, sandy places.

• Gilt-head Bream (Dorada)

  The gilt-head bream (Dorada) is a marine fish found in shallow water, both sandy and rocky, in the eastern Atlantic—from the British Isles to the coasts of South Africa—and the Mediterranean Sea. It often swims at a depth of 5 to 30 meters, although it is not uncommon to find it at 150 meters.

• Sea Bass

  The wild sea bass is a fish that lives in the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Atlantic Ocean; it can be found from the coast of Norway to the African coast of Senegal. It is also common in the Mediterranean Sea, and its presence is less frequent in the Black Sea.