Caviar: Healthy or just fancy? Some shocking facts

Caviar is the preserved eggs of the sturgeon, a fish that belongs to the Acipenseridae family. Its name is derived from the Persian word "khyah", which means eggs. Caviar, as food traditionally originated from the Russian and Persian empires, and is among the most expensive foods in the world.

Only the roes obtained from sturgeon can be defined as caviar, so cheaper substitutes of the highly-priced food are extracted from beluga, American hackleback, American white and white paddlefish.

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Caviar has a subtle briny-buttery taste that is prized by gastronomes the world over. The colour of caviar can range from black to dark purple and even bright red or orange.

It can be eaten on its own or paired with bland accompaniments like crackers or creme fraiche.

Owing to its rarity, popularity and complex production process, caviar is not exactly cheap. In fact, a 100gm of caviar is worth 399 pounds (Rs 40,050). Shocking, right?

While caviar is expensive, it does have some impressive health benefits like most seafood do. If you are ready to create a big dent in your bank account, you can avail yourself of some high-quality nutrients from caviar.

Health benefits of caviar

Caviar is a high-quality food, densely packed with a variety of fatty acids, amino acids and minerals. The nutrient profile of caviar has always interested the scientific community who believe that the lipids derived from the fish eggs are quite important for human health, serving different biological functions.

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It provides a massive dose of vitamin B12 or cobalamin, almost 333% of the daily value in a serving of 100gm.

It contains high levels of fatty acids, including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). It's also a good source of selenium.

Here are some of the benefits.

1. Could improve male fertility: Omega 3 fatty acids could have a key role to play in sperm quality. A diet rich in the same could improve sperm motility, structure and shape, improving its chances of fusing with the egg.

2. Beauty benefits: Chockfull of skin-healthy fatty acids, caviar is an elixir for skin health. It has amazing anti-ageing qualities thanks to its adipocytes that help in skin repair and regeneration. Red caviar, mostly derived from salmon, is high in carotene. It helps to repair the UV ray damaged skin. Osetra caviar does the same with a much higher price point. Many high-end beauty brands boast of having caviar extracts in their skin products.

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3. Improves mental health: Since caviar is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, it helps in boosting brain and mental health. It provides nutrients that could help in keeping depression and other mood disorders at bay.

4. Keeps heart healthy: Caviar contains healthy fats that lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and prevent clots.

Protects nerves: Since it provides an impressive dose of vitamin B12, caviar intake could help improve nerve health by preventing neural tube defects.

Other health benefits of caviar

Boosts red blood cell production
Could prevent birth defects
Supports bone health
Improves vision
Provides energy
Keeps skin, nails and hair healthy

Nutritional Benefits of Caviar

Per 100g caviar contains the listed nutritional elements.

Nutrients	Measurement
Total Fat	18g
Sodium	1,500 mg
Potassium	181 mg
Total Carbohydrate	4 g
Magnesium	75% of DV
Sugar	0 g
Protein	25 g
Vitamin A	18% of DV
Calcium	27% of DV
Vitamin D	29% of DV
Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)	333% of DV

Caviar price and other incredible facts about the expensive fish roe

Caviar is not an everyday food meant for us common folks. You may have to burn a hole in your wallet to sample a small teaspoonful of it. Speaking of teaspoons, did you know caviar can't be served in your regular metal ware?

1. Caviar can react with metal cutlery, changing its flavour. So if you must have caviar, serve it in glass or crystal ware mounted on ice.

2. The first mention of caviar in history is attributed to Aristotle in the 4th century BC.

3. Vegan caviar is also a thing. Substitutes that resemble caviar can be made from plant-based ingredients like eggplant and black eyed peas.

4. China produces 60% of the world's caviar production. Kaluga Queen, the world's largest caviar producing company, is situated in China. The country has been trading caviar since the 10th century AD.

5. Caviar is extracted by performing a "C-section" on sturgeon fish.

6. A single spoonful of caviar is enough to give you the daily require amount of vitamin B12.

7. European Union, Switzerland, United States and Japan are the biggest consumers of caviar, accounting for 95% of the imports.

8. There's a National Caviar Day and it's on July 18.

9. Price has nothing to do with the taste of the caviar. Sometimes, the most expensive varieties may not be as delicious as the cheaper ones.

10. No two batches of caviar or even tins within the same batch taste the same.

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