1. The Heart Loves the Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Fish
Certain types of fish contain the heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Adding these fish into our diets two to three times a week can keep the risk of having a life-threatening heart attack much lower, even up to three times lower. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish helps to lower bad cholesterol, helps build the body's natural immunities, helps lower blood pressure and reduces the chance of a blood clot. The omega-3 fatty acids also keep the blood flowing better through the heart and reduces the risk of abnormal heart rhythms developing, therefore making the risk of a heart attack or heart disease much lower.
2. One Fish, Two Fish, Avoid the Big Blue Fish
It's important to know which fish contain the most heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids and which ones to avoid. Add more salmon, herring or oily fish into your diet for the most benefit from omega-3 fatty acids. Tuna is an excellent choice, but it's best that children and women not eat more than 6 oz. of tuna per week. They should also limit their intake of other fish to 12 oz. a week or less, because women, due to being able to become pregnant, and children are more at risk to the effects from any toxins, such as mercury, that could be in fish. Everyone's diet should avoid some fish, particularly the larger predatory fish, such as swordfish, king mackerel or shark.
3. Fish for Information on Where Your Fish Came From
To get the most heart healthy benefits from fish we eat, we need to learn more about the fish we plan to eat. Many people like to eat locally farmed or caught fish. There are state advisories that give information on the safety or risk of toxins in fish depending on where they're from. They're some rivers, some lake areas and even parts of the ocean, where there's a higher likelihood of consuming mercury from fish caught there. When buying fish in a market, ask where the fish came from and how fresh it is. There's the risk of consuming mercury when eating fish, but when we do our research and make smart health purchases, the benefits far outweigh any possible risks.
4. Supplements Don't Measure Up to Fish
We need to eat fish to obtain most omega-3 fatty acids rather than depending on getting this from supplements. Vitamin supplements do provide omega-3 fatty acids, but they aren't absorbed into the body as well as getting the omega-3 fatty acids through the foods we eat, particularly fish such as salmon, herring and tuna.
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