You may have come across Toman Fish (also known as the Giant Snakehead Fish) at the supermarket or even in online shopping portals. Whatever the case, have you wondered about the health benefits that come with this fish. Are you ready to go on a fascinating adventure? Then, without further ado let us begin!
- Toman Fish has Antibacterial Properties
Oftentimes when it comes to health benefits, another fish that is from the same family as Giant Snakehead Fish, known as Striped Snakehead Fish or Ikan Haruan is often regarded as a food item that has many benefits. With that said, Toman Fish also comes with its own health benefits too. One of them is how Toman Fish/Giant Snakehead Fish has Antibacterial Properties.
According to research that was conducted to test the Antibacterial Properties of Ikan Haruan through testing their skin and intestinal mucus extracts, that included extracts of Toman Fish (known by its scientific name Channa micropeltes in this study), it was shown that Toman Fish, like Ikan Haruan also has Antibacterial Properties to a certain extent for a certain period of time. While the study may show that the effectiveness of the Antibacterial Properties of Toman Fish may have a short term impact and that too on certain kinds of bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the fact that Toman Fish does display Antibacterial Properties is still significant and more research should be done to better understand the Antibacterial potential of Toman Fish.
- Toman Fish can help to heal wounds
Another health benefit that Toman Fish has is its ability to help heal wounds. Like the Striped Snakehead Fish, Toman Fish also has the reputation of helping to heal wounds. This reputation is highly prevalent in its native habitat regions which includes Southeast Asia. Many ethnic communities living in Southeast Asian countries such as Indians, Malays and Chinese all highly regard the Toman Fish for its purported healing properties. Major reasons for this is the presence of Omega 6 Fatty Acids and a Protein known as Albumin within Toman Fish that is said to help your body to heal from wounds better, which has been reported to potentially be useful for people who have Diabetes Mellitus heal from wounds more effectively by helping to accelerate the process. This is especially significant because people who have Diabetes Mellitus have high blood sugar levels also called hyperglycemia because their bodies are either not producing enough insulin or are not responding normally to insulin to break down sugar. that can delay their body’s wound healing process.
- How does Albumin in Toman Fish help your body?
Let us now discuss how the protein known as Albumin within Toman Fish can help your body. According to research, the Albumin within Toman Fish has antioxidant properties that can help to accelerate the healing process. This can be seen in how tests have shown that the Albumin found in Toman Fish can help with the healing process of people with Diabetes Mellitus by reducing the impact of oxidation caused by compounds known as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) that can slow down the healing process. The Albumin in Toman Fish can bind itself to Reactive Oxygen Species and reduce its numbers during the healing process, and thus help to accelerate the healing wounds because Albumin acts as antioxidant and also helps to modulate inflammation. This will be of great benefit to those who have Diabetes Mellitus as it will help them to heal more effectively.
Apart from this benefit, Albumin is also important for the efficient functioning of your body because it helps to keep fluid in your bloodstream so that it does not leak into the other tissues of your body. Additionally, Albumin helps to carry vitamins, enzymes and hormones throughout your body. One of the major reasons why Albumin helps to keep fluid in your bloodstream without leaking into other tissues, is due to the fact that Albumin is an important modulator of fluid distribution, helping to ensure that the fluids within your body are distributed efficiently.
These positive aspects of Albumin, found in Toman Fish as described here are a good reason why Toman Fish can benefit your health.
- Other benefits of Protein in Toman Fish for your health
As we have observed, Albumin is a very potent protein that is found in Toman Fish. On top of that, you may ask what are other benefits that protein in general has for my body? Let us explore that question together. With regards to how protein can benefit the body, it does so in a few ways. For example, protein helps support our immune system by helping to create antibodies to aid your body to fight infections. Another benefit that protein provides your body is by helping to supply it with energy. Protein is also essential for your body to generate new cells that can help your body to form new tissues. Adding on to this Proteins also help with making hormones in your body. Besides that, protein also plays a major role in the creation, renewal and maintenance of the muscles in your body. On top of all of these wonderful attributes that protein has, protein can also support weight loss. This perspective was derived from a study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that showed how protein helps to facilitate enhanced energy metabolism. Furthermore, the study went on to say that protein can help people stay full longer and potentially reduce a person’s energy intake. This will in turn contribute to weight loss due to the reduced intake of food that are sources of energy, such as food that are high in carbohydrates.
Now that we have established how protein can greatly benefit your health, let us discuss how Toman Fish can factor in your diet as a potent source of protein. Based on a study conducted by researchers on the various Snakehead Fish that are found in Malaysia that included the Giant Snakehead Fish/Toman Fish and Striped Snakehead Fish/ Ikan Haruan to name a few of the fishes that were tested, it was found that the Giant Snakehead Fish/Toman Fish had a significantly high amount of protein within it. The amount of protein found within Toman Fish was listed as being 22.1 percent of its dry weight. As for Ikan Haruan, the amount of protein found within it was calculated to be 23 percent of its dry weight. Nonetheless, it must be noted that this study shows that Toman Fish has a noteworthy amount of protein and that the protein amounts found in fish may differ depending on the individual specimen.
- How Omega 6 Fatty Acids within Toman Fish can benefit your health in other ways
We had briefly discussed how Omega 6 Fatty Acids can help your body recover from wounds, but beyond that, are there any other benefits that Omega 6 Fatty Acids provide? Let us find out together. Other health benefits that Omega 6 provides your body with include supporting cognitive function, stimulating hair and skin growth, maintaining bone health, maintaining your reproductive system as well as help to regulate your metabolism. These are some of the significant benefits that Omega 6 Fatty Acids provide your body. Moreover, Toman Fish having Omega 6 Fatty Acids within it makes it a very potent source of this vital Fatty Acid that you should consider integrating into your diet.
- Toman Fish contains Amino Acids that can benefit your health
Toman Fish also contains Amino Acids which are very important for the efficient functioning of your body. We shall be discussing a few of the Amino Acids found within Toman Fish. They include Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid and Lysine. Let us begin.
Glutamic Acid
Glutamic Acid is an Amino Acid that helps to form protein. Glutamic Acid turns into Glutamate when it is in your body. It plays an important role in your brain and body’s function by helping the nerve cells in your brain to send and receive information from other cells within your body.
Aspartic Acid
Aspartic Acid is an Amino Acid that helps to create other Amino Acids. It also helps your body to produce energy and is a neurotransmitter that helps to send chemical signals through your nervous system.
Lysine
Lysine is an Amino Acid that is derived from food and supplements. This Amino Acid plays an important role in the formation of protein. Lysine also plays an important role in your body’s growth. Furthermore, Lysine also helps in the creation of a nutrient known as carnitine that helps to convert fatty acids into energy as well as lower cholesterol levels in your body.
The fact that Toman Fish has these important Amino Acids, make it a food item that you should seriously consider adding to your diet.
Where you can go to buy Toman Fish
With regards to where you can go to buy Toman Fish, there are a few options for you. You can purchase them from online shops such as Shopee, Lazada, Pickme or at supermarkets such as NTUC Fairprice or Giant.
Who should avoid Toman Fish?
It must be emphasised that those who are allergic to seafood and more specifically fish should not eat Toman Fish as it may cause adverse allergic reactions.
A Recap
Let us now recap what we have discussed thus far.
| What we have learnt |
| .We found out that Toman Fish has Antibacterial Properties. .We discovered that Toman Fish can help to heal wounds thanks to the Albumin Protein and Omega 6 Fatty Acids within it. .We explored how Albumin can benefit your health in other different ways. .We also discovered that Toman Fish has a significant amount of Protein. .We also talked about how Protein can enhance your health in various ways. .We discovered how Omega 6 Fatty Acids benefit your body in various other ways. .We also discussed the benefits that the Amino Acids Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid and Lysine that are found in Toman Fish provide to your body. |
A Learning Experience
Over the course of our exploration of Toman Fish and its many health benefits, one thing has been made clear, this fish provides a diverse variety of health benefits thanks to the many important nutrients that are within it. In addition to all of what we have learnt, it is safe to say that the importance of getting a deeper understanding about the food that we eat is very important as it helps us to make informed decisions about the food that we eat. With that said, take care and remember to cultivate a deep appreciation for the food products that you buy.