You probably have heard that fish is one of the healthiest foods on the planet, but do you know why and what major benefits you could gain by adding just one serving of fish a week to your diet? Over the coming months we will be going into more detail about how fish is a valuable addition to your menu. Here is a quick list of the major reasons why fish is such an amazing superfood!
Heart Health – Fish is generally considered to be one of the best foods to help cut the risk of heart attack and stroke – two major causes of premature death. In one study of more than 40,000 male health professionals in the U.S., those who regularly ate one or more servings of fish per week had a 15 percent lower risk of heart disease. Researchers believe that the fatty types of fish are even more beneficial for heart health, because of their high amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
Mental Health – Depression is currently one of the world’s biggest health problems. Studies have shown that people who eat fish regularly are much less likely to become depressed. Numerous controlled trials have also found that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial against depression, and significantly increase the effectiveness of antidepressant medications. (Source: EcoWatch)
Essential Nutrients for a Healthy Diet – Fish is high in important nutrients that most people don’t get enough in their diet. Proteins, Vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids are among the nutrients that are packed in most types of fish. For example, a single 4 ounce (113 gram) serving of cooked salmon contains around 100% of the recommended intake of vitamin D.
Autoimmune Diseases – Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissues. A key example is type 1 diabetes, which involves the immune system attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Several studies have found that omega-3 or fish oil consumption is linked to reduced risk of type 1 diabetes in children, as well as a form of autoimmune diabetes in adults.
Vision Health – A disease called macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness, and mostly affects older individuals. There is some evidence that fish and omega-3 fatty acids may provide protection against this disease.
