Are you worried about high cholesterol, heart disease and your risk of having a heart attack? Doctors recommend and persuade heart patients that eating fish can improve your health. The mercury scare from years ago is a thing of the past, as the benefits of eating fish far outweigh the concern.
The American Heart Association recommends that people consume fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids two to three times per week. The consistent servings of fish could actually lower your risk of dying of a heart condition or heart attack by over 33%. Doctors continue to support the founded evidence and encourage patients to up the fish intake in their current diet. Heart patients who have suffered from high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease have reaped the benefits of eating fish in improved overall health.
Why is Fish Good for You?
The most well-known benefit of fish is that it contains unsaturated fatty acids, which work to lower your cholesterol. Fish is full of omega 3 fatty acids, which are a type of unsaturated fatty acid thought to lower inflammation in the body that causes damage to blood vessels and contributes to heart disease.
Researchers have studied the benefits of fish for years and found it to be supportive to heart health and immunity. Omega-3 fatty acids not only boost immunity but improve symptoms brought on by arthritis, lower a person’s blood pressure, reduce the triglycerides in the body and even reduce blood clotting. In children, consuming fish two times per week has been shown to improve learning ability and focus.
There are some varieties of fish that are better for you than others. Some of the more fatty varieties of fish contain the most omega-3 fatty acids and as a result are the most beneficial to eat. These fish varieties include salmon, some tuna selections, and herring. Freshwater fish varieties offer less omega-3 fatty acids than saltwater fish, but are still beneficial to the body and heart. There are some trout that offer as many omega-3 fatty acids as the fatty saltwater varieties.
Any fish, if prepared improperly, can be bad for you. It is best to stick to broiling, grilling or baking the fish and avoid deep frying. Some fish varieties do not offer the same benefit that saltwater fish do. These fish include tilapia and most forms of catfish.
Mercury and Contaminant Concerns
There are some people who are less concerned about the benefits fish offer and more concerned with the mercury levels and contaminants found in the meat. It is important to stick to the recommended guidelines on serving size before eating fish with every meal in order to lower your cholesterol level. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends two to three servings a week of fish. The serving size is three ounces, raw weight, or approximately 85 grams of fish.
Mercury occurs naturally in minor amounts within rivers, streams and other bodies of water. Typically, industrial pollution raises the levels of mercury in water which then ends up in the fish consumed by the public. Some of the larger fish contain higher levels of mercury than smaller fish, due in part because of the amount of food they eat and their body mass. The longer a fish exists, the more mercury it can accumulate in its body. Some of the larger fish on the food chain that contain higher levels of mercury are swordfish, mackerel and shark.
The FDA has not issued any warnings about the avoidance of fish due to mercury levels that are dangerous to the body. However, doctors recommend that breast-feeding mothers, women who are pregnant, and children under the age of 12 years old avoid eating larger varieties of fish. Reasonable portion sizes of smaller fish varieties are generally better for this population and reduce the risk of mercury poisoning. Canned tuna and smaller fish varieties are beneficial but pregnant women and children should avoid shark, mackerel, tilefish and swordfish.
The evidence in favor of the benefits of fish far outweighs the risks. Unless you fall into the category of those who should avoid fish, enjoy your reasonable portion sizes and watch your cholesterol levels reduce. Fish is a healthy food for anyone trying to lose weight and keep fit.
