Fish is among the healthiest foods on the planet.
It’s loaded with important nutrients, such as protein and vitamin D. Fish is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are incredibly important for your body and brain.
Here are the reasons why:
High in Important Nutrients
Fish has many nutrients that most people are lacking.
This includes high-quality protein, iodine, and various vitamins and minerals.
Fatty species are considered the healthiest. That’s because fatty fish, including salmon, trout, sardines, tuna, and mackerel, are higher in fat-based nutrients.
This includes vitamin D, a fat-soluble nutrient that many people are lacking.
Fatty fish also boost omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for optimal body and brain function and strongly linked to a reduced risk of many diseases.
To meet your omega-3 goals, eating fatty fish at least once or twice a week is will be the most ideal. If you are a vegan, opt for omega-3 supplements made from microalgae.
May Lower the Risk of Heart Attacks
Heart attacks are most common causes of premature death.
Fish is considered one of the most heart-healthy foods you can eat.
Unsurprisingly, many large observational studies show that people who eat fish regularly have a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease.
Many believe that fatty types of fish are even more beneficial for heart health due to their high omega-3 fatty acid content.
Contain Nutrients That are Needed for Brain Development
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for growth and brain development.
The omega-3 fat is especially important for brain and eye development.
For this reason, it’s often recommended that pregnant women eat enough omega-3 fatty acids.
However, some are high in mercury, which is linked to brain developmental problems.
Thus, pregnant women should only eat low-mercury fish, such as salmon, sardines, and trout, and no more than 12 ounces per week.
Pregnant women should also avoid raw and uncooked because it may contain microorganisms that can harm the fetus.
Boost Brain Health
Your brain function often declines with aging.
While mild mental decline is normal, serious neurodegenerative ailments like Alzheimers disease also exist.
Many believes that people who eat more fish have slower rates of mental decline.
Prevent and Treat Depression
Depression is a common mental condition.
It’s characterized by low mood, sadness, decreased energy, and loss of interest in life and activities.
Although it is not discussed nearly as much as heart disease or obesity, depression is currently one of the worlds biggest health problems.
Fish and omega-3 fatty acids may also aid other mental conditions, such as bipolar disorder.
A Good Dietary Sources of Vitamin D
Vitamin D functions like a steroid hormone in your body and a whopping 41.6% of the U.S. population is deficient or low in it.
A single 4-ounce (113-gram) serving of cooked salmon packs around 100% of the recommended intake of vitamin D.
Some fish oils, such as cod liver oil, are also very high in vitamin D, providing more than 154% of the Daily Value in a single tablespoon.
If you don’t get much sun and don’t eat fatty fish regularly, you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement.
Fish May Improve Sleep Quality
Sleep disorders have become incredibly common worldwide.
Increased exposure to blue light may play a role, but some researchers believe that vitamin D deficiency may also be involved.
Delicious & Easy To Prepare
Fish is delicious and easy to prepare.
For this reason, it should be relatively easy to incorporate it into your diet. Eating fish one or two times per week is considered sufficient to get its benefits.
If possible, choose wild-caught fish rather than farmed. Wild fish tends to have more omega-3s and is less likely to be contaminated with harmful pollutants.
Salmon can be prepared baked, fried, seared, or boiled. It pairs well with a multitude of vegetables and grains.
The bottom line
It is a wonderful source of high-quality protein. Fatty species also pack heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
It has numerous benefits, including vision protection and improved mental health in old age.
What’s more, fish is easy to prepare, so you can add it to your diet today.
