Akami-zakana and Shiromi-zakana (赤身魚と白身魚 – Fish with Red Flesh and Fish with White Flesh)
In Japan, fish is often classified into two categories; akami-zakana (赤身魚 – fish having red flesh) and shiromi-zakana (白身魚 – fish having white flesh).
(Strictly speaking, the classification is based on the amount of hemoglobin or myoglobin contained in the flesh.)
赤身魚と白身魚
Akami-zakana, such as scads, mackerels, sauries and tunas, have a deep taste, contain a lot of fat, and are rich in iron.
日本では、魚はよく赤身魚と白身魚に分類されます。
（厳密には、身に含まれるヘモグロビンかミオグロビンの量で分類されます。）
（厳密には、身に含まれるヘモグロビンかミオグロビンの量で分類されます。）
On the other hand, shiromi-zakana, such as porgies, flatfishes, pufferfish and salmons, are balnd in taste, low in fat and rich in protein.
赤身魚は身が赤い魚のことで、味が濃く、脂質や鉄分を多く含みます。
Salmons are often misunderstood as akami-zakana because of the reddish color of the flesh, but it’s because they eat plankton called krill containing red pigment.
例えば、アジやサバ、サンマ、カツオなどです。
Incidentally, fishes having blue back, such as scads and mackerels, are also called “ao-zakana” (青魚 – blue fish).
一方、白身魚は身が白い魚のことで、味は淡白ですが、低脂質高タンパクであり、消化にも良いです。
