(Vinh Hoan News)

Like other fish, Pangasius fish provides source of high-quality proteins, vitamins and minerals which are essential nourishment for human. The results of the chemical and nutritional composition of Pangasius fish show that the protein content is about 23-28%, which is relatively higher than other fresh water fish. Protein in Pangasius contains sufficient amounts of all the essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of lean muscle tissue and is very easy for the human digestive tract to absorb.

In addition, fish contains less but better quality fats than meat, especially two essential fatty acids DHA and EPA (4.74% and 0.31% respectively).  These two essential omega-3 fatty acids are usually only found in cold water fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines. The total lipid content of Pangasius fish is 2.55-3.42%, in which the unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) are above 50% of total fatty acids. Oleic acid is the most predominant monounsaturated fatty acid (30.93%) while linoleic acid is the most predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid (8.43%). A significant amount of research demonstrated that the beneficial effects of unsaturated fats are the prevention of cardiovascular disease risk. These unsaturated fats also help to lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the blood, so prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease. Pangasius fillets were also characterised by low cholesterol content (21–39 mg/100 g,). From a nutritional point of view, the presence of low cholesterol levels is a favourable attribute, considering the current dietary recommendation to reduce the daily intake of cholesterol in the human diet.