Your cholesterol count is one of the most important numbers your health-care team will use to gauge your risk for circulatory disease. This is in part because it's so easily measured and in part because it plays a large role in your risk. The best thing you can do about your cholesterol count is to understand how the food you eat, such as catfish roe, affects that count.
About Cholesterol
Your body produces two kinds of cholesterol -- high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein. It produces LDL, which is harmful to your circulatory health, when you eat foods that contain saturated fats. HDL helps your circulatory health by cleaning your blood of contaminants like LDL. Your body produces it when you take in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
About Catfish Roe
Although Russian caviar is considered the highest quality of roe, catfish eggs are enjoyed throughout the American southwest and in other regions where that cuisine has become popular. The roe is orange, with a lumpy texture and slimy feel that reminds some people of tapioca. In most cases, catfish roe is deep fried to mitigate its strong taste.
Nutrition Facts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides nutrition information for tens of thousands of kinds of food. According the the USDA, roe or all species including roe are nutritionally similar. A 3-oz. serving of catfish roe contains about 1.2 g of saturated fat and 3.7 g of unsaturated fat. Deep-frying the catfish roe often includes ingredients that bring their own fat profile to the table.
Bottom Line
A serving of catfish roe contains more than three times the healthy unsaturated fat as it does unhealthy saturated fat. This means that it's a good choice for those who want to keep their cholesterol count in a healthy range. However, the saturated fat content means that people with severely high cholesterol should check with a doctor before indulging.
