Fish Sauce vs. Fish Oil – What’s The Difference?

Fish oil or sauce is not something that we use randomly on a daily basis; that’s why many people don’t know what fish sauce and fish oil are and their origin. The common fact about both is that it’s made from fish. Moving on towards the differences to make things clearer.

Mainly what makes the fish sauce and fish oil different is that both of these are consumed differently. Fish sauce is consumed along with dishes to enhance the taste, while fish oil contains omega-three fatty acid and is consumed in capsule form as a nutritional supplement.

For your better understanding, let’s dig deep into fish sauce and oil details, their nutritional properties, and their health benefits.

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is utilized in Asian cuisine mostly. Fish sauce is made from fish that is fermented and salted for a long time period (at least two to three months up to a year). Those fishes which contain high oil content, such as mackerel or anchovy tuna and many more, are mostly consumed in the processing.

The sauce can also be prepared from shrimp with the addition of salt and water and herbs and spices.  Due to the fermentation process, the color of fish is changed into brown or black, which gives a savory appearance. Some extra color is added to give an appealing appearance, such as caramel or roasted rice.

In the end, the sauce prepared is salty, clear and watery.  The fish sauce is also called dipping fish sauce used or consumed along with snacks. Some people also consumed fish sauce as an alternative to soy sauce. It is mostly used in marinades, pasta,  fried potato, roasted and fried chicken, salad dressing etc.

Nutritional Value

For the serving size of one person, which includes 18 grams of fish sauce, the nutritional value it includes are:

• 0 g Total Fats
• 0 mg Cholesterol
• 1413 mg Sodium
• 52mg Potassium
• 7 g Carbs
• 0 g Dietary Fiber
• 9 g Proteins
• 1% Vitamin C
• 6% Calcium
• 8% Iron

Fish Sauce Taste

The taste of the fish sauce is salty and savory. Talking about the flavor, which is funky and strong and is used as a side dish to enhance the taste of your dish.  To get a strong flavor and aroma from fish sauce, one can add ingredients like lime juice.

Fish Sauce Procedure

Fish sauce is made with key ingredients, which are salt, fish, water and anchovies. All these ingredients add intense taste and flavor. The making of fish sauce is a long process that takes a lot of time and processing.

The fish needs to be fermented first, and then anchovies are mixed in to make the sauce salty and flavorful. There come varieties of fish sauce made from shrimps and krill.  Later on, sugary substances such as molasses and caramel are also added in.

Health Benefits

Some of the health benefits involved with the consumption of fish sauce are: It is a good source of iron, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6. It contains omega-three fatty acids, which are good for maintaining healthy body status.

Fish sauce is a nutrient-dense and high-calorie diet. The fish sauce contains approximately five to eight essential amino acids such as valine, methionine, lysine etc. As we learned about fish sauce, let us move towards fish oil.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is simply oil or fat which is extracted from the tissues of fish like tuna, anchovies etc. fish oil is an enriched source of omega-three fatty acids and has many health benefits. Fish oil contains many nutrients, but Eicosapentaenoic acid and Docosahexaenoic acid are the two main ones.

Fish oil is simply extracted from fish and is a very enriched source of nutrients, and provides many health benefits discussed later on. The doctor often prescribes fish oil to treat high triglycerides levels.  Fish oil is especially given to pregnant ladies in last trimester so that they could improve their and babies’ health status.

Nutritional Value

Th fish oil is mostly consumed in the form of supplements. The overall consumption of two capsules of fish oil supplement provides:

• 25 Kcal Calories
• 0 g Proteins
• 2 g Fats
• 0 g Carbs
• 0 g Fiber
• 0 g Sugar

Health Benefits

If we start talking about the health benefits of fish oil, it’s a never-ending list, but some of the health benefits are mentioned as: Fish oil is good for heart health as it helps reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, it also reduces blood pressure and helps prevent arterial plaque.

Fish oil helps improve mental illnesses such as depression, headaches etc. and improves brain functioning. As fish oil contains omega-three fatty acid, which improves vision and prevents from getting eye diseases. Fish oil also has anti-inflammatory properties and it is even said that consuming fish oil helps overcome pains such as menstrual cramps along with kidney diseases are also treated from consuming fish oil.

So, What’s the Difference between Fish Oil and Fish Sauce?

The points mentioned above must have helped you a lot by summarizing the article into key points to figure out the difference between fish oil and sauce.

1. Fish sauce is a side dish that adds more taste to the main dish, while fish oil is used as a supplement to provide omega-three fatty acids mainly.
2. Fish sauce has a thick consistency, while fish oil is liquid.
3. The taste of the fish sauce is salty, but the fish oil taste is fishy with an odorless smell.
4. Fish sauce mainly provides NA, K, and proteins, while fish oil is the main source of omega-three fatty acids.
5. Another main difference is that fish sauce is prepared from the fermentation of fish; on the other hand, fish oil is extracted by fish tissues.
6. The functions of the fish sauce and fish oil make them different from each other, while the origin of both remains the same, which is the fish.

Sources:

• Cookingchew
• Foodsguy
• Webmd