Why Is Eating Fish Good For You?
Fish is one of the best foods you can get into your diet. This is the case for several reasons. For one, it’s extremely high in protein. Also, it’s high in healthy fat. However, it’s low in unhealthy fat. It’s lower in fat than any other source of animal protein. Because the body is incapable of producing any significant amount of essential fatty acids, it’s important to get it through food sources. Fish just happens to be one of the best food sources for it.
Smoked Salmon is a great fish and a reputable supplier is Lambton & Jackson.
Why Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids Good For You If They Are Fats?
A lot of people think it’s a contradiction to label any type of fat as healthy. However, that’s exactly what Omega-3 fatty acids are for your body. They offer numerous health benefits including:
- Help with maintaining your cardiovascular health. They can help regulate your body’s blood clotting and vessel constriction
- Help with protecting your brain during both pre and postnatal development
- Reduce inflammation throughout your body including having the ability to minimize symptoms associated with arthritis
- Help with reducing the risk of developing depression, suffering from a mental decline caused by aging, and even by helping with an irregular heartbeat
The Omega-3s that are found in fish include both EPA and DHA. Both of these things prove to have the most significant health benefits. You will find numerous different fish that have high levels of this essential fatty acid. These include fish that have a lot of fat on them including:
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Anchovies
- Atlantic Mackerel
- Farmed Rainbow Trout
What About Supplements? Are They Good?
While you can get a diet full of fish, you can also get Omega-3 fatty acids through supplementation. By getting Omega-3 supplements, you can add more essential fats to your diet without having to constantly eat fish. These supplements typically come from food-grade fish and fish that are meant for animal feed.
Keep in mind: You will find the various contaminants that are present in fish also in these supplements. Therefore, you want to ensure that you are only purchasing fish oil that has been purified.
What Are Some Other Sources Of These Fatty Acids?
While you can get a lot of your requisite Omega-3 consumption by getting fish into your diet, there are other food sources that you can incorporate into your diet. You will find that seeds and nuts typically have a lot of essential fatty acids. This is especially true with flaxseed, walnuts, and even wheat germ. However, the Omega-3 fatty acids that you get from these sources are nowhere near the quality you can get from consuming fish or fish oil supplements.
Do The Health Benefits Of Fish Consumption Outweigh The Risk Of Consuming Too Much Fish?
You’ve likely heard about the perceived dangers of consuming too much fish. After all, fish can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. Because of this, you may not want to pack your entire diet full of fish. However, fish is generally considered a healthy food source and it’s no problem to consume it regularly. However, you may want to avoid eating fish or too much fish depending on your age and health circumstances.
You may want to consider the following:
- You’re pregnant.
If you are pregnant or for young children, it is best to avoid consuming too much fish. Excessive consumption of fish that contains heavy metals can negatively impact a child’s brain development.
- High Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease
If you are someone that is at high risk for this disease, you need to consider and weigh the risks associated with eating too much fish. For some, the benefits that come with increasing your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids and their role in your heart health can outweigh the potential risks of consuming harmful chemicals that can increase your risk of developing cancer.
There is good news when it comes to fish consumption. You don’t need to consume a lot of contaminated fish. There is plenty of low-contaminant fish in the marketplace. You don’t need to fill your diet with fish that have harmful heavy metals and contaminants just to get optimal levels of Omega-3 in your diet.