Ceviche Nutrition Facts

How do you describe a ceviche?

Ceviche is a seafood dish where diced cubes of raw fish marinate in a lemon or lime juice mixture, and the reaction of the citrus juices cures the fish protein and causes it to become opaque and firm while absorbing flavor.

What is ceviche and how is it prepared?

At its core, ceviche is basically fresh seafood steeped in an acidic marinade, most commonly lime or lemon juice. The acid in the citrus forms an extremely low pH condition to denature the fish protein networks, much the same as heating would. This results in the seafood becoming opaque and more firm in texture.

Is ceviche fish raw?

First off, what exactly is ceviche? At its most basic, it consists of slices or chunks of raw fish (or sometimes shellfish) tossed with an acidic marinade, most commonly plain citrus juice.

What does ceviche taste like?

What does ceviche taste like? Common descriptors of traditional Peruvian ceviche are refreshing, light, clean, bright, spicy and delightfully acidic. While the portions can be relatively small, the richness and nutritional content make for a super satisfying dish.

Is ceviche actually cooked?

Technically speaking, cooking requires heat, so ceviche (also known as seviche or cebiche), a dish in which raw fish is marinated in citrus juice, isn’t cooked. But it’s not exactly raw, either. Both heat and citric acid are agents of a chemical process called denaturation.

What makes ceviche so special?

Ceviche is marinated in a lime-based mixture with onions, aji and rocoto peppers. The citric acid from the limes “cooks” the fish so that it can be eaten straight away. While the acid of the limes will allow you to eat it raw, the acid marinade will not kill bacteria or parasitic worms, unlike the heat of cooking.

Can you get parasites from ceviche?

Parasites become a concern when consumers eat raw or lightly preserved fish such as sashimi, sushi, ceviche, and gravlax. When preparing these products, use commercially frozen fish. Alternatively, freeze the fish to an internal temperature of -4°F for at least 7 days to kill any parasites that may be present.

Is eating ceviche safe?

You may have read or heard somewhere that the lime or lemon juice in ceviche “cooks” the fish and makes it safe. This is not true. The fish in ceviche is uncooked. Raw fish can lead to food poisoning and pregnant women are much more likely to get sick than anyone else.

How healthy is ceviche?

The fresh lime juice, red onions, and aji pepper add a good amount of vitamin C, folate, B vitamins, potassium, manganese, biotin, and Vitamin A, K, and E. All are very low in calories and fat. The largest amount of calories in the meal often comes from side dishes or if a sauce is added at the end.

What is the juice in ceviche called?

lime juice

The traditional ceviche recipe uses fresh lime juice (or lemon juice) ever since the Spanish imported the lime around 400 years ago. Until the limes came around, ceviche consisted of salt, raw fish, and chili peppers. The third ingredient you need is an aji (pronounced “ah-hee”) chili pepper.

What kind of fish is ceviche?

A firm or semi-firm lean white fish is the best choice as the base for making your ceviche. Some common examples of this type of fish include bass, grouper, rockfish and sole. If you’re not well versed on different types of fish, simply ask your seafood seller for suggestions.

Is ceviche considered a salad?

For example, a spirited discussion revolves around the origin of conch salad’s cousin ceviche (also spelled cebiche). This seafood salad, made of raw fish or shellfish marinated in sour fruit juices and laced with raw onion rings and hot peppers, is one of the many gifts ancient Peru bestowed on New World cuisine.