It was pleasantly salty... but eating the broth with the fish cake sharply raises sodium levels

"Blanch Before Eating or Cook with Vegetables Like Onions"

Interest is focused on the analysis result that it is healthier not to consume the 'broth' commonly eaten with fish cake, a popular winter snack. Consuming fish cake broth or soup may lead to excessive sodium intake.

On the 14th, the Korea Consumer Agency disclosed the results of an investigation into the quality, safety, and labeling compliance of a total of 12 types of fish cakes sold on the market, including 6 types of square fish cakes and 6 types of assorted fish cakes.

Fish cake soup. Photo by Pixabay

The nutritional content of the fish cakes surveyed was analyzed as follows per 100g: protein 8?14g (15?25% of the daily nutritional reference intake), carbohydrates 14?32g (4?10%), fat 1.7?5.8g (3?11%), saturated fat 0.2?1.0g (1?7%). Most fish cakes had relatively high protein content and low carbohydrate, fat, and saturated fat content.

However, the sodium content in fish cakes is a point of caution. The sodium content per 100g ranged from 689 to 983 mg (34?49% of the daily nutritional reference intake). Eating just 2?3 pieces of square fish cake easily exceeds the recommended sodium intake of 667 mg per meal.

Therefore, when preparing and consuming fish cakes, it is advisable to drink less broth. The Consumer Agency stated, "If you blanch the fish cakes for about 30 seconds before cooking, you can reduce sodium intake," and added, "If you dip fish cakes in sauces such as soy sauce or gochujang, you may consume even more sodium than the amount indicated on the product label, so please keep this in mind."

They continued, "Consuming 2?3 pieces of fish cake along with the broth (one soup packet) can result in sodium intake comparable to that of ramen soup powder," and recommended, "Drink less fish cake soup broth and consume only a small amount of sauces like soy sauce. Since potassium helps expel sodium, it is advisable to cook fish cakes with vegetables high in potassium such as onions and potatoes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.