Are kippers good for you?

A favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, a plate of grilled kippers with a knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon for breakfast is about as British as it gets. But with its reputation as “stinky” and “bony” the traditional smoked fish had fallen out of fashion. But this year Waitrose reported that sales of this relatively cheap and omega-3 rich fish is up by 45 per cent compared to last year

As a 20-something millennial more used to breakfasting on avocado and poached eggs, I can’t think of anything worse for a morning feast. “I’m nearly 90 and kippers have kept me going,” a farmer and Telegraph reader told me when I confessed that I’d never tried them. So am I missing out on an easy way to turbo-charge my diet?

Kippers are a great way to add more variety to our diets, says Emer Lowry, a nutritionist. It’s also cheap, costing only £2 for fresh or tinned varieties. “They provide a range of nutrients including essential omega-3 fatty acids which can help keep our heart healthy and vitamin D to help keep our bones and muscles healthy.” Here’s why we should be eating more of them.

What exactly are kippers?

“Kippers are simply a fat herring that’s had its gut and gills removed, and then been opened up like a butterfly,” explains Azmina Govindji, an award-winning dietitian at Azmina Nutrition.

It’s then smoked in brine, which reduces its water content, and cold-smoked before it is sold as a kipper, she says.

Kippers are often a bright, vibrant orange colour, which is typically a result of a dye that’s added to enhance the appearance, Govindji notes. Without added colouring, kippers should be pale golden in colour.

The health benefits of kippers

They are plentiful and include the following:

1. A source of omega-3s for heart health

“The biggest health benefit of kippers is their omega-3 fatty acid content,” says Govindji.

These are a family of fats that include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both of which are found in kippers as well as other oily fish, and have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

It’s thought that this effect is down to EPA and DHA reducing levels of triglycerides (a fat) in the blood, improving circulation and lowering blood pressure, Govindji says.

Omega-3s can also help to reduce inflammation and support good mood, as well as our eyes, brain, skin and sleep, Farzanah Nasser, a nutritionist, says. “We cannot make omega-3 ourselves and are required to get what we need from our diet,” she notes.

Each 100g serving of kippers contains around 1.4g of omega-3, she adds.

2. They are rich in protein to keep you feeling full

“Kippers are a good protein source,” says Nasser.

Each 100g serving of kippers has around 20g of protein, providing a sizeable contribution to our recommended daily intake of approximately 45g for women and 55g for men (or around 0.75g per kilo of body weight).

“It’s really important to have a good source of protein with your meals to help keep you fuller and more satiated for longer,” she explains. “It will also help with a steadier glucose curve which means more attention, focus and energy during your workday.”

3. They contain vitamin D for bone and muscle health

“Fish like this is also full of essential vitamins, minerals and it’s one of the very few sources of vitamin D,” Nasser notes. This is a vitamin needed to keep our bones, teeth and muscles healthy but one in six people in the UK have low levels of it in their blood.

Oily fish like kippers are the richest food source of vitamin D, though egg yolks, red meat and liver also contain it.

While a 100g portion of kippers contains around 10 micrograms of vitamin D, which is the recommended daily intake, it is difficult to get this much in our diet every day.

Most people in the UK should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight between April and September but are advised to take a supplement in the colder months.

What is the healthiest way to eat kippers?

When it comes to cooking the fish, Govindji recommends grilling them to allow excess fat to drain off. For kippers that are “boil in the bag”, she suggests removing the bag so that some of the salt content is lost in the water during cooking.

Nasser recommends having them for breakfast with spinach, mushrooms and baked beans. “It’s a great way to get lots of goodness, protein, fibre and plants,” she says.

Alternatively, flake the kipper, remove any bones, and add to a bowl with chopped up salad vegetables such as cucumber, carrot, celery, lettuce and olives. “Add a spoon of yogurt and mayo, mix and use it as a sandwich or baked potato filling,” Nasser suggests. The fish also works as an alternative to tuna in a niçoise salad.

Kippers also pair well with cooked vegetables, for example broccoli and carrots, for an easy lunch or dinner. “Team them up with half a plate of unsalted vegetables or salad to add fibre, potassium and vitamin C,” Nasser says. “Or you can make a snack plate with some kippers, chopped raw carrots, cucumber, bell pepper and hummus.”

Tinned kippers vs tinned sardines

“Both tinned kippers and sardines are good examples of oily fish, though kippers are higher in omega-3 fats,” Govindji notes.

Per 100g, tinned kippers contain around 2.4g of omega-3 fats, while tinned sardines have 1.8gm, though sardines contain more protein with (23g compared to 19g in tinned kippers).

“Canned tuna is very low in omega-3 and canned salmon has some but it’s still around a quarter of the amount you’d get in canned kippers,” she says.

Nasser notes that the most important thing is to choose a fish that you enjoy eating. “That way, you will eat it consistently and gain benefits,” Nasser says.

Verdict: Are kippers good for you?

“Kippers are great as part of a healthy diet,” says Nasser. “Including oily fish three times a week allows us to get important nutrients like omega-3, protein, vitamins and minerals.”

However, Govindji notes that they can be high in salt. “You could be getting almost half your daily salt limit in just one kipper,” she says. “So it’s best to make sure you’re not eating salty snacks or processed or cured meats on the same day.”

FAQs

How many times a week should you eat kippers?

We should eat two 140g portions of fish per week and one of these should be oily, according to UK health advice. Kippers can count as our recommended portion of oily fish, Govindji says.

Are kippers a processed food?

“Kippers are considered a processed food because the fish has been cut open, salted or brined and then smoked,” Nisser notes. “But it is not considered an ultra-processed food (UPF) as the food is not entirely altered and is minimally processed,” she says.

It’s also worth noting that not all UPFs are bad for us, Govindji says.

“We need to consider the whole food – cakes, biscuits, sausages and pies are all unhealthy examples of UPF foods,” she says. “All fish is good for you and herrings are minimally processed to make them into kippers. I wouldn’t class them as a UPF.”

Are kippers bad for cholesterol?

Saturated fats are known to raise levels of “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, which can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

However, “the predominant type of fat in kippers is the healthier unsaturated fat,” so they shouldn’t contribute to increasing our cholesterol, Govindji says.

Additionally, the omega-3 content in kippers raises “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lowers triglycerides (a blood fat that can increase your risk of heart disease) which boosts our heart health, Nisser adds.