From salmon to sardines, from Atlantic herring to Atlantic mackerel, eating fish has several health benefits. Full of proteins, vitamins and minerals, fish is also a low-calorie, carbohydrate-free food, full of polyunsaturated fatty acids, a type of healthy fat that falls into the category of essential nutrients.
It is no wonder that fish consumption is increasing. According to the latest statistics from the United States Fisheries report, compiled by the United States Department of Commerce, Americans liked an average of 16.1 pounds of seafood per person in 2018.
“Fish is definitely a superfood, which means it’s a common food with extraordinary benefits,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, author of The superfood exchange: the 4-week plan to eat what you want without CRAP
Here, we offer five possible side effects of having fish on your plate, so don’t miss out on the 7 healthiest foods to eat right now.
When eating fish, you can feel …
According to an analysis of four international cohort studies involving more than 191,000 adults from 56 countries, consuming at least two servings (175 grams or about 6 ounces) of an oily fish per week was associated with a lower risk of suffering a major cardiovascular disease event (such as a heart attack or stroke) among those who have already been diagnosed with heart problems.
These findings, which were recently published on March 8, 2021 in JAMA Internal Medicine, reveal that the omega-3 fatty acids found in this type of fish can reduce the chances of a person suffering another cardiac episode – and possibly fatal – by almost 17%.
“Eating two servings of fatty fish a week is known to help improve heart health by reducing the risk of strokes and sudden cardiac events.” says Julie Upton, MS, RD, founding partner of nutritional communication and marketing company AFH Consulting.
She adds that the American Heart Association also recommends consuming two servings of fish per week (one serving being 3.5 ounces), with fatty fish rich in omega-3s, such as salmon, sardines, trout and albacore being the first choice. “However, most Americans fall short of that suggestion,” she says.
If your wallet – or palate – does not support some portions of fish during the week, she advises taking a supplement of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the two types of long-chain fatty acids.
In fact, research published in a 2017 edition of Circulation (a scientific journal from the American Heart Association) indicates that patients with cardiovascular disease can extend their life expectancy by adding an omega-3 fish oil supplement to their daily regimen.
“This decision must be made in consultation with a doctor,” adds Upton.
Omega-3s found in fatty fish can also help protect your brain. A 2020 study conducted by researchers at Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center in New York found that older women (average age 70) who had the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood also had higher volumes of white matter in the brain blood (the area that is made up of millions of nerve fibers).
Participants who ate one to two servings of roasted or grilled fish or seafood each week had healthier brain tests. The reason? Omega-3 probably promoted an anti-inflammatory response and, in turn, it helped the brain fight the damage caused by aging, as well as the toxins found in air pollution.
“Eating fish as part of a healthy lifestyle can also help to increase the amount of gray matter in the brain – the substance that is associated with better memory and cognition,” says Blatner. “So, every time I eat fish, I like to visualize my brain getting bigger and stronger!”
Once again, you are what you eat. The authors of the study at James Cook University in Australia looked at the eating habits of residents of two islands – one where fast food is available and one where it is not. By tracking volunteers for depression, asking about their food choices and testing their blood levels, the researchers discovered some interesting findings, which were published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.
First, islanders who had access to fast food ate more processed meals, while those on the other island ate more seafood. Participants likely to be diagnosed with major depressive symptoms were younger and more frequent fast food consumers. AND, blood test results showed that seafood lovers had high levels of omega-3s that fight depression.
“There is growing evidence that some people who suffer from depression may not have enough of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA,” said Katherine Brooking, MS, RD, founding partner of nutritional communication and marketing company AFH Consulting.
She notes that previous researchers explored the connection between omega-3s and brain health, looking at the association between people who ate fish regularly and rates of depression. “And in countries where fish consumption is high, such as Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, depression rates were extremely low, “She adds.
Salmon and sleep can go hand in hand. Research published in Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine examined the sleep patterns of men over a five-month period who consumed Atlantic fish three times a week, along with males who were instructed to eat other types of protein, such as chicken or meat.
At the conclusion of the study, the men in the fish group reported better sleep quality, as well as better daily functioning. The authors question the role that vitamin D may have played in this result.
“More and more evidence suggests that EPA and DHA are also important for improving sleep duration and quality,” says Upton. “It appears that omega-3 can affect the release of melatonin, which can improve sleep.”
Now, be sure to eat this type of fish can reduce your risk of COVID, suggests the study.
Adding sardines to your plate can help treat your stiff knees, suggests findings published in the magazine Arthritis Research and Treatment. For nearly a year, 176 adults completed a questionnaire that assessed their daily diet. Volunteers who lived with rheumatoid arthritis and reported eating fish at least twice a week, had fewer symptoms (such as swollen or tender joints) compared to other volunteers with the same condition who consumed fish once a month or less.
“If our finding is supported by other studies, this suggests that fish consumption may decrease inflammation related to rheumatoid arthritis disease activity,” said lead investigator Dr. Sara Tedeschi in a press release.
For more information, be sure to check out How to cook fish without making your whole house smell.