# Sprats as a regular protein source ???



## msowerby18 (Jun 8, 2008)

I bought a kilo of Sprats (small oily fish) for £1.50 today and could happily eat these things all day long, grilled with a bit of mustard dressing.

Was just thinking to myself what a cheap, clean source of protein they are. Does anybody use these as a regular protein source, do you think that the fat content could be too high to be a main protein source?


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## Squeeeze (Oct 2, 2007)

Aren't the little feckers full of bones. I like sardines but can't eat em for that reason - full of fine bones and snotty guts :wacko:


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## msowerby18 (Jun 8, 2008)

Yeah, sounds like the ones - i took all the snotty guts out but love a little bit of crunching the bones - thats got to be good for ya!


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## Mr.GoodKat (May 18, 2010)

My nan used to make me these when I was a kid (Rolled in flour and then fried).

Not sure I'd eat them now.

Have you checked out the nutritional value?


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## Prodiver (Nov 14, 2008)

Sprats were and are a known source of high protein - nitrogen - hence they were dumped all over British farmland as fertilizer before artificial types arrived.

Brightlingsea ("Brittlesea") here in Essex was for 150 years the Sprat harbour, sending off thousands of tons by rail. Course, the local fishermen and farmers knew how good they were to eat too.

If you fillet and clean them carefully, open them out and cook them just enough you can strip out the backbone and ribs in one go...

Delicious! :thumb:


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

I eat a fair bit of oily fish and sometimes buy them and think they are fine.

I tend to rotate the fish I buy though; sardines, mackeral, sprats, trout, salmon etc.


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## msowerby18 (Jun 8, 2008)

Gsedge1 said:


> My nan used to make me these when I was a kid (Rolled in flour and then fried).
> 
> Not sure I'd eat them now.
> 
> Have you checked out the nutritional value?


They are delicious fried like that..but perhaps not the healthiest!

I've had a look but can't seem to find nutritional breakdown for fresh sprats, all the result i can see seem to be for tinned or fried...I guess they are probably very similar to something like herring


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## msowerby18 (Jun 8, 2008)

Prodiver said:


> Sprats were and are a known source of high protein - nitrogen - hence they were dumped all over British farmland as fertilizer before artificial types arrived.
> 
> Brightlingsea ("Brittlesea") here in Essex was for 150 years the Sprat harbour, sending off thousands of tons by rail. Course, the local fishermen and farmers knew how good they were to eat too.
> 
> ...


I think i might need to go and cook some more right now!


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## Prodiver (Nov 14, 2008)

They're the same as fresh herrings.

Nothing wrong wih fried food - you need oil/fat including saturated fat.

You only need the merest drop of olive oil in the pan for frying them, and the oily fat thay contain is excellent for you.

You can also grill them, or do them in greaseproof envelopes/microwave bags in the micro, with chopped garlic, butter, capers, black pepper and lemon or lime juice and wedges.

Brilliant cheap food to offer guests too!


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## Mr.GoodKat (May 18, 2010)

I like whitebait which I believe are young herring?


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## Jem (Mar 5, 2009)

Prodiver said:


> They're the same as fresh herrings.
> 
> Nothing wrong wih fried food - you need oil/fat including saturated fat.
> 
> ...


My ex's mother makes trays of them on a sunday morning - roasted in the oven - I never tried them but the kids love them


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## Prodiver (Nov 14, 2008)

Jem said:


> My ex's mother makes trays of them on a sunday morning - roasted in the oven - I never tried them but the kids love them


MMMMMMMMMMMM! 

Get 'em down ya! Great bodybuilding food!


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## jonesy1234cas (Jan 1, 2009)

i also oven roast them whole, eat the guts n everything, no heads or tails though


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