Nutrition Facts - Diet And Nutrition - Free Diet Plans

Fish I

September 2nd, 2005

Australia’s leading health research body, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), suggests that Australians should eat more fish. This is because fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Researchers worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly - one or two serves weekly - may reduce the risk of diseases ranging from childhood asthma to prostate cancer. Healthy ways to enjoy fish include baked, poached, grilled and steamed.

Health benefits of eating fish
Regular consumption of fish can reduce the risk of various diseases and disorders. Selected research findings include:

* Asthma - children who eat fish may be less likely to develop asthma.
* Brain and eyes - fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids can contribute to the health of brain tissue and the retina (the back of the eye).
* Cancer - the omega 3 fatty acids in fish may reduce the risk of many types of cancers by 30 to 50 per cent, especially of the oral cavity, oesophagus, colon, breast, ovary and prostate.
* Cardiovascular disease - eating fish every week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing blood clots and inflammation, improving blood vessel elasticity, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood fats and boosting ‘good’ cholesterol.
* Dementia - elderly people who eat fish or seafood at least once a week may have a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
* Depression - people who regularly eat fish have a lower incidence of depression (depression is linked to low levels of omega 3 fatty acids in the brain).
* Diabetes - fish may help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
* Eyesight - breastfed babies of mothers who eat fish have better eyesight, perhaps due to the omega 3 fatty acids transmitted in breast milk.
* Inflammatory conditions - regular fish consumption may relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and autoimmune disease.
* Prematurity - eating fish during pregnancy may help reduce the risk of delivering a premature baby.

Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids
The recommended daily amount of omega 3 fatty acids from fish is 200-600mg and from plants it is 1-2g.

The following are approximate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids per 60g serve of varieties of fish:

* Salmon (fresh Atlantic) 1,200mg
* Smoked salmon 1,000mg
* Canned salmon 500mg
* Sardines 1,500mg
* Trout (fresh rainbow) 350mg
* Gemfish 300mg
* Blue-eye, shark (flake), salmon, squid 250mg
* Scallop or calamari 200mg
* Sea mullet, abalone 170mg
* Canned tuna 145mg
* Orange roughy or sea perch 7mg.

The following are approximate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids per 60g serve of other foods:

* Two slices of fish oil enriched white bread 27mg
* Lean beef or lamb 40mg
* One fish oil enriched egg 200mg
* Fish oil enriched margarine (10g) 60mg
* One regular egg 40mg.

The best source of omega 3 fatty acids is fish, rather than fish oil capsules.

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