by These are the worst douradinhos for sale in Portugal (you shouldn’t buy them for kids)
The younger ones are gobbling them up and the price is attractive given the prices the fish have reached, but not all are a good choice.
Telling kids they’re going to eat fish is almost always met with a disapproving grimace. However, if you offer them the famous hake fritters, the situation changes. They have been sold for over 70 years in Portugal, and have always been seen as a good alternative to getting young people to eat fish. With inflation and the price of hake—and other species—rising ever higher, parents have yet another reason to bet on these products. However, it may not be the best choice.
The so-called douradinhos come from England at the beginning of the 20th century, where they started as strips of real fish preserved in salt. During the Second World War, the popular fish fingers – loosely translated as fish fingers – began to be industrially produced with only small quantities of the herring species, due to the scarcity of the fish. Realizing the popularity of these products, in 1953, the North American company Gorton-Pew Fisheries began mass marketing these frozen products. Later, in 1962, McDonald’s created its Filet-O-Fish, with a type of fish breading, to later create another version with miniatures, which today is one of the stars of the Happy Meal menu.
In Portugal, where they arrived in 1947, they started calling them douradinhos, because of the color they turn after frying. The bars are made, on average, with about 55% white fish, but other ingredients also include wheat flour, water, oil, yeast, salt and breadcrumbs. The nutritional richness is questioned by several nutritionists, warning about the fat and salt levels, however, their unbeatable price makes them a frequent choice on the Portuguese table.
The proof came last November after an analysis by Deco Proteste concluded that fish-based frozen bars had reached the consumption podium, with demand increasing by 16%.
Fried, baked or microwaved, they are quick to prepare and serve. However, as nutritionist Lia Faria warns, “they are not equivalent to eating fish.”
As a result of its processing, douradinhos turn out to have a higher energy value and a lower protein content than a hake fillet ‘naturally’. “The addition of flour and bread as a crust, as well as the pre-frying process they undergo, contribute to increasing the energy value and reducing the nutritional value of this type of product.” explains the nutritionist.
“Eating fish in its natural form should always be preferred. When this is not possible, among the various douradinhos on the market, we should choose those with a lower fat content,” he adds.
To help you make the best choice in this situation, NiT has made a ranking of the worst fish for sale in supermarkets. However, beware: “it is important to choose cooking methods that do not involve adding even more fat to this product, such as in the oven and air fryer.”
Click the image to see the worst supermarket douradinhos, from the best choice to the one you really should avoid.
