Why it is necessary to have carp and herring at Christmas Eve dinner is unclear, but Professor Wacław Mozolewski, head of the Department of Meat Technology and Chemistry at the University of Warmia and Mazury (UWM) in Olsztyn, encourages Poles to extend the fish menu to include salmon and rainbow trout, which contain the highest levels of astaxanthin – the best-known antioxidant.

Carp has been bred in Poland for eight centuries. As for herring, the oldest sources state that it was popular food since the 10th century. There were plenty of them and, when salted in barrels, herrings could be stored for a long time, and transported far away. In addition, herring and carp were fasting food, and people used to fast a lot. The Christmas Eve dinner, although plentiful, was always fasting in Poland,” says Prof Mozolewski in an interview with Wiadomosci Uniwersyteckie.

The Olsztyn scientist argues that carp is worth eating, as it contains a particularly high amount of lysine, which is not produced by the human body. Lysine is a constituent of proteins and participates in the production of hormones, antibodies, enzymes and also contributes to the production of collagen.

According to Professor Mozolewski, herring is an undervalued fish.

It contains a lot of protein and essential unsaturated fatty acids (EFAs). “If we have a choice, it is better to choose Atlantic than Baltic herring, because it is fattier, which means it contains more beneficial EFAs and is less threatened by parasites and contaminants than Baltic herring”, explains Prof. Mozolewski, and recommends in certain circumstances eating only herring in oil.

“If we choose herring for a snack, it is important that it is not a vinegared herring, because the human body metabolises acetic acid in a similar way to alcohol, and the result of this metabolism is aldehyde. This is a poison that causes hangover symptoms. Drinking vodka and snacking on pickled herring only makes the hangover bigger”, warns Professor Mozolewski.

Adrian Andrzejewski