Can red carp offered to Tao Quan be eaten?

Reply:

Carp is a very healthy food and medicine. Every 100 grams of fresh carp meat contains 17.6 grams of protein; 4.1 grams of lipid; 25 mg of vitamin A; 2.7 mg of vitamin... With sweet white meat, few bones, and delicious flavor, carp is a very popular dish in daily family meals.

In terms of nutrition, red carp is similar to white carp. People can process large red carp to eat. Small carp does not taste as good or fragrant.

However, red carp is associated with the legend of crossing the dragon gate and becoming a dragon, and is offered on the day of the Kitchen Gods (December 23). Spiritually, many people advise against eating this type of fish. In addition, red carp is usually only sold on the occasion of the Kitchen Gods' worship, not sold in large quantities like white carp. Therefore, people rarely use red carp for cooking.

However, depending on needs, conditions and preferences, each person has their own choice.

Note, when processing, people need to clean, remove the mucous membrane on the fish skin and the black membrane in the belly, do not eat the bile and intestines to avoid poisoning.

Physician Bui Dac Sang
Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi Oriental Medicine Association