Using
fish as part of a healthy eating plan
It
is hard to beat fish and seafood for high protein and low fat. Fish
has been shown in study after study to have a positive impact on
health, and to lower the risk of heart disease and other diseases.
In addition, fish is delicious and easy to prepare.
Many
nutrition experts recommend eating fish at least once or twice every
week. The most nutritious varieties of fish, and those that contain
the greatest amounts of heart protecting omega-3 fatty acids, tend to
be those that live in cold ocean waters. These varieties of fish
include salmon and sardines.
The
benefits of a fishy diet
Fish
has long been thought to have a positive benefit on the heart. So
far the results of clinical studies have been inconclusive, but
research into the heart healthy effects of fish continues. No
matter what the benefits, there is little doubt that fish is a
healthy food, containing significant levels of protein and smaller
amounts of fat and calories than other types of meat.
As
a matter of fact, fish is one of the best sources of protein there
is. Everyone needs protein for building muscles and repairing
damaged body tissues. In addition, protein plays a vital role in the
growth of nails and hair, in hormone production and in many other
vital bodily processes.
In
addition to fish, many other animal based products, such as meat,
eggs, poultry and dairy products, contain significant amounts of
protein. Plant based sources of protein exist as well, in nuts,
beans and lentils, among others.
The
key to getting sufficient protein in the diet is to balance the
healthy effects of protein on the diet against the large amounts of
fat and cholesterol that protein rich foods often contain. The
combination of high protein and low fat is one of the things that
makes a diet rich in fish so appealing.
With
the exception of salmon, almost all commonly eaten varieties of fish
are very low in fat, and even salmon contains lower levels of fat
than many varieties of meats. In addition, fish is low in saturated
fat, the type of fat that is most associated with heart disease and
clogged arteries.
Fish
is low in unsaturated fat because of the nature of where and how they
live. Instead of storing energy in the form of saturated fat as land
animals do, fish store their fat in the form of polyunsaturated oils.
That adaptation allows their bodies to function normally in the cool
oceans and streams where they swim. It also makes them a great
choice for anyone seeking to cut levels of saturated fat in the diet.
For
all these reasons, fish remains an important part of any low fat,
heart healthy lifestyle. Substituting high fat, greasy foods like
hamburgers and ribs is a great way to make a change for healthy
living.
One
note about fish and pollution, however. It is true that many fish
caught in polluted waters contain high levels of mercury. While most
commercially caught and grown fish is low in mercury, it is important
for fisherman to limit their consumption of locally caught fish.
Pregnant women are also advised to limit their intake of fish, due to
the potential harm to the baby.
Fitting
fish into your busy lifestyle
Many
people avoid fish because they do not know how to prepare and cook
it. While it is true that fish can present more of a challenge for
the inexperienced, there are many recipes and cookbooks that make
preparation easier. In addition, many packaged seafood products
contain cooking tips and serving suggestions that take some of the
mystery out of preparing a nutritious and delicious meal of fresh
fish.
Even
those who do not cook, however, can enjoy the many benefits of fish
in the diet. There are a number of canned seafood products on the
market, including canned salmon, sardines and the ever popular tuna.
So there is no reason fish cannot fit into your healthy eating plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment