Today, the Japanese are the world's leading eel consumers, appreciating the fish for its nutrition as well as its flavor.
中國人多選擇冬令進補，以驅寒禦冷、增加體力；日本人則認為夏天因天氣炎熱，身體的新陳代謝旺盛，需要吃鰻進補，所以每年七月下旬，是日本所謂的「吃鰻節」。在食鰻方式上，國人喜歡把鰻魚和枸杞子燉湯，主要是喝湯內的養分和鮮味；日本人則愛吃烤鰻，重點在魚肉本身。