Eating a diet high in fish has been associated with a wide range of health benefits, spanning from a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, to improvements in cognitive development. The benefits of eating fish are usually credited to its long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC n-3 PUFA) content which includes the fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, fish is also a rich source of a number of other important nutrients including selenium, vitamin D, iodine, and the amino acid taurine.
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The Heart Foundation recommends that Australians eat two to three serves of oily fish a week, to reduce their risk of coronary heart disease. Oily fish are those higher in LC n-3 PUFA, and include salmon, sardines, blue-eye trevalla, blue mackerel, and some types of canned tuna.
Fish is a delicious meal option for people of all ages and life stages, and provides key nutrients for growth and development. Young children and pregnant women can safely enjoy most types of fish, and only need limit their intake of large fish species such as shark, swordfish and marlin (due to the higher amounts of mercury found in these fish).
Fish oil supplements are also an option for people who either don't like or can't eat fish. Supplements contain LC n-3 PUFA, but don't have the great range of other nutrients naturally found in fish, with emerging research suggesting eating fish has additional benefits to those seen following supplement intake.
Although increasing the amount of fish in the diet has numerous benefits to our health, people often struggle to eat the recommended two fish meals a week. Fish is not only a healthy addition to your weekly menu, but is also extremely versatile and easy to prepare.
Here are some ways to get more fish on your plate:
■ Buy it fresh or frozen: Fish is a great stand-alone meal and also works well with pasta, salad, and rice dishes. Try using fresh fillets in your next stew or curry. Having convenient frozen salmon portions on hand can also help to liven up your mid-week meals.
■ Try fish as a snack: Next time you're at the supermarket, consider buying a few tins of tuna or salmon. These are a great snack option for people on the go and are an easy addition to a salad or sandwich.
■ Fish night: There are a huge variety of fish recipes available online, with heartfoundation.org.au a great place to start. Find at least four dishes that you like and make one of these new recipes each week for a month. Set aside a night as your weekly fish meal with enough leftovers for the next day and that's two fish meals a week organised.
These health tips are provided by researchers affiliated or associated with the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, which runs the HealthTrack study. Please consult your doctor for specific medical advice.
