Icelandic cod is the Atlantic Ocean cod species known as Gadus morhua, caught fresh in the waters surrounding Iceland. Atlantic cod, according to SeaChoice, is a deep-water ground fish that lives on the ocean floor. Cod is a firm, lean white-meat fish and a good low-calorie source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Basic Nutrition
According to the USDA Nutrient Database, a 3-oz. serving of Icelandic cod contains 70 calories, 15.14 g of protein, 0.57 g of fat and 37 mg of cholesterol. This makes cod a good option for a low-calorie and low-fat protein choice for your lunch or dinner.
Minerals
Minerals are essential for your body to build and maintain bone health, produce hormones and regulate your heartbeat. A 3-oz. serving of Icelandic cod provides 14 mg of calcium, 0.32 mg of iron, 27 mg of magnesium, 173 mg of phosphorus, 351 mg of potassium, 46 mg of sodium, 0.38 mg of zinc, 0.024 mg of copper, 0.013 mg of manganese and 28.1 mg of selenium.
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for optimal growth and health. Vitamin deficiencies are becoming more common in the United States. According to a 2009 report in the “Archives of Internal Medicine,” 77 percent of Americans are vitamin D deficient. Atlantic cod provides 31 international units, or IU, of vitamin D, as well as 0.8 mg of vitamin C, 0.065 mg of thiamin, 0.055 mg of riboflavin, 1.754 mg of niacin, 0.130 mg of pantothenic acid, 0.208 mg of vitamin B-6, 6 mcg of folate, 55.4 mg of choline, 0.77 mcg of vitamin B-12, 34 IU of vitamin A, 0.54 mg of vitamin E and 0.1 mcg of vitamin K.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are organic compounds that form and work with proteins to become the building blocks of life. They break down into three groups known as essential, nonessential and conditional. You must acquire essential amino acids through your diet while your body makes nonessential amino acids. Conditional amino acids are necessary in times of stress or illness. A 3-oz. serving of Icelandic cod contains 0.445 g of histidine, 0.698 g of isoleucine, 1.230 g of leucine, 0.448 g of methionine, 0.591 g of phenylalanine, 0.664 g of threonine, 0.169 g of tryptophan, and 0.779 g of valine, which account for all of the essential amino acids.
References
- USDA Nutrient Database: Fish, Cod, Atlantic, Raw
- Icelandic Fisheries: Cod
- SeaChoice: Cod -- Atlantic
- Cookery Online: Fish and Seafood Dictionary
- MedlinePlus: Minerals
- MedlinePlus: Vitamins
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Demographic Differences and Trends of Vitamin D Insufficiency in the US Population, 1988-2004; Adit A. Ginde, MD et al.; March 23, 2009
- MedlinePlus; Amino Acids; February 8, 2011
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