For years, eating fish is known to be a wonderful source of nutrition because they are abundant and easily farmed. making them a sustainable form of agriculture. Fish could help fight not only your hunger but world hunger as well.
With all the problems associated with farmed fish and polluted waters, are there any benefits to eating fish these days?
Here are the top 5 reasons that you should consider adding more fish to your diet.
5 Reasons To Add More Fish To Your Diet
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
As science learns more about nutrition, what we eat, and how our bodies function, we are learning that omega-3 fatty acids are an amazing nutrient.
The problem is that most land-based meats don’t have nearly enough omega-3’s to satisfy the weekly requirement.
However, 2 servings of fatty cold-water fish a week can equal all the omega-3s necessary for your weekly requirement.
Harvard University notes that those who eat enough if this healthy fat may have a reduced risk of stroke, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other life-long illness.
In addition to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, the Huffington Post notes that omega-3 fatty acids can also:
- Increase fetus’ brain development
- Increase memory and cognitive function
- Reduce muscular degeneration
- Reduce risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis
You Will Live Longer
In addition to making your quality of life better, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to make you live longer.
A long-term study featured in the Huffington Post noted that people who had high levels of the healthy fats found in fish in their blood were less likely to die than their counterparts who had lower levels of the same fats.
Also, in general, these people lived about 2 years longer than the others did. Talk about a great reason to eat more fish. Not only will you live longer, but you will have a higher quality of life too.
Healthy Heart
The Mayo Clinic cites one of the main reasons to eat cold-water fish, like salmon and mackerel, is to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The omega-3 fatty acids reduce triglycerides, can lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, decrease stroke, heart failure and irregular heart beat risk. That is a whole lot of work for one little nutrient.
The 2 to 3 servings a week of cold water fish means that your heart will thank you for years to come.
Vitamins And Minerals
The Washington State Department of Health is quick to point out that along with omega-3 fatty acids fish are excellent sources of other vitamins and Minerals.
Fish is rich in vitamin D, B2, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
2-3 servings of fish a week could potentially provide you with vitamins and minerals that you are not getting anywhere else in your diet.
Giving your body with a wide variety of foods to gain nutrients from will allow you to get the most nutrition out of what you eat.
Protect your skin
According to the Huffington Post one of the compounds found in fish oil, EPA is an excellent skin protectant. EPA can regulate oil production and can help to hydrate your skin.
There is also evidence that consuming cold-water fish can help protect the skin from damage caused by the sun.
EPA also helps preserve collagen in the skin. Collagen is the protectant that helps prevent wrinkles and sagging skin.
EPA in the diet can replace many of the expensive creams that are designed to replenish collagen and hydrate skin because it increases these through your body’s system.
There are so many reasons to consume fish in your weekly meals. 2-3 meals a week of cold-water fish can lead to a whole slew of health benefits not seen from many other food groups.
While bacon may taste fantastic, there aren’t many studies that have shown it will help protect your skin, heart, and stop yours from getting many preventable diseases.
If eating fish is currently not on weekly mean list, then try swapping one meal a week with a new fish recipe until you find one that you do like.
What is your favorite fish recipe that you have tried? Can you share it below?
