Salmon is the most popular source of Omega 3. Its unique health benefits include protein and amino acid and the bioactive protein molecules called as the bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides provide potential benefits related to inflammation, joint cartilage support, and insulin effectiveness. A 4 ounces of baked or broiled salmon contain at least 2 grams of Omega 3 fats, which is more from what you usually get in any other food over the course of several days. An intake of fish rich in Omega 3, such as the salmon can reduce your risk of stroke, heart arrhythmia, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. Omega 3 has also the ability to potentially decrease the risk associated with depression, cognitive decline in older persons, and hostility. Some studies showed an association between the Omega 3 intake and IQ.
If you can’t get a live salmon for food, take the Omega 3 fatty acids dietary health supplement instead. The most beneficial Omega 3 fats are found in fish as EPA and DHA. The idea of eating fish contributes to a healthy brain function, reduces heart disease, and lowers the risk of cancer, including Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, depression, diabetes, macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
To optimize your health, eat more of oily fish such as the salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, and fresh tuna for a minimum of three times a week. A combination of this fish and shellfish is important in maintaining nutrition.
World’s healthiest food
Several studies claim that salmon contains small bioactive protein molecules that could control inflammation in the digestive tract as well as sustain insulin effectiveness and support the health of your joint cartilage. The calcitonin bioactive peptide that this special fish provides has triggered interest in many scientist because it’s the key hormone that helps regulate and stabilize the balance of collagen and minerals in the bone and the surrounding tissue. The calcitonin is produced by the thyroid gland and it is amazing to know that salmon could provide it for us.
In a study about the world’s healthiest foods, the walnuts and flaxseeds were found to provide more Omega 3s per standard serving than salmon. However, they cannot equate salmon because their Omega 3’s comes in the form of ALA rather than the EPA and DHA as salmon provides.
In most studies one serving of fish is approximately 6 ounces. A daily minimum of 2 g of Omega 3 is required for minimum cardiovascular protection, which is approximately equal to 4 ounces of cooked salmon. In some teenagers, the consumption of Omega 3 is associated with decreased risk of hostility. For older individuals, it has been associated with a decrease risk of cognitive decline.
Is Eating Fish Safe?
Fish has been considered as one of the top foods that is high in protein. If you include this in your healthy diet meal plan, you will ensure yourself of a good functioning body as well as proper growth.
Having a wide variety of other vitamins and minerals, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, and iodine, fish supports normal brain development and body functioning. Besides, its protein is easily digestible and is similar to meat.
In short, eating fish is a significant improvement to your health as it contains the essential amino acids and dietary proteins, including healthy fats that are considered as a good alternative source of the animal protein.
Mercury in fish
Does this metal make fish our friend or foe? Fish and seafood are important sources of the Omega 3. However, some people forego fish because of the mercury contaminant they carry. Why is this so?
The pollution we create are being carried to the rivers and streams. The fish accumulates them by eating the microorganisms who ate these contaminants. Thousands of it has been released to the environment and gets accumulated in streams and in the ocean.
The poisonous and toxic mercury became a part of the food chain. This is one reason that big fishes, such as the shark and the swordfish contains the highest level of mercury. One study suggests that the methylmercury is found higher among fish eating people.
Who are at risk?
- Pregnant women
- Nursing women
- Children under the age of 6
- People with impaired kidney function
- People with sensitive immune responses to metals
Should we forego these benefits?
- Eating fish reduces the risk of stroke, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other conditions
- 2 grams of fish per week = one or two servings of fatty fish a week
- Reduces the risk of dying from heart disease
- Optimal brain and nervous system development and functioning
How to balance health and death?
Here is what we should think about eating fish. Avoiding fish helps avoid the mercury, but reviewing the data provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, they calculated if 100,000 people ate farmed salmon twice a week for 70 years, it would prevent at least 7,000 deaths from heart disease, and only cause potentially 24 extra deaths from cancer. What is your choice now?
HSPH Harvard. Fish: Friend or Foe?
FAO. Fish is food for the brain as well as good protein.
WHFoods. What’s new and beneficial about salmon.