Continuing with the “American Hearth Month” theme for February I continue with heart disease issues on this and my other blog NewMexicoWellness.blogspot.com. Here continues the discussion of heart healthy foods.
Fish is the next thing on the list of heart healthy foods. Now this list is in no particular order, but I tend to start with the oatmeal and nuts, since it is easier to start the day with those items. But because fish is the third item or food category I mention does not mean it isn’t more important than the next foods I mentions, or less important than the previous foods mentioned.
What makes fish so special?
Certain fish (and I’ll tell you soon which ones) contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are good for us, and have particular benefit to those who are at risk for heart disease, regardless of where that risk comes from.
Fish is a great source of protein, but doesn’t contain a lot of the saturated fat that some of the other animal products can contain. It does contain fat though, but the good ones as already mentioned. Which can
Omega-3 fats are both eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and have been shown to help reduce inflammation in the body.
This is what makes fish so special…
What fish is special?
Not all fish falls into the category of being high in omega-3’s and therefore being beneficial to you and your risk of heart disease. Fish like salmon, herring, mackerel, albacore tuna, anchovies, and lake trout are the ones you need to shoot for. The good news here is that if you come from a land locked area/state, like say, New Mexico, with the exception of the trout, these are are all the fish you can commonly find in a can!
Unhealthy Fish!
The fish that I tell people to avoid – fried fish. That lake trout is only going to be good for you if you grill, bake or broil it. If you bread and fry any fish in oil – even canola or olive oil, this just isn’t going to be a healthy option.
Also, there are mercury warnings for some classes of fish, so if you are eating fish more than twice a week, check the Environmental Defense Fund Website for a great chart on safe fish choices.
How much?
Adults without heart disease the recommendation is to eat a wide variety of fatty fish (the ones mentioned above) at least twice a week. One serving is 3-6 ounces.
Eat Well, Live Well, and Be Well – and enjoy
Fish is the next thing on the list of heart healthy foods. Now this list is in no particular order, but I tend to start with the oatmeal and nuts, since it is easier to start the day with those items. But because fish is the third item or food category I mention does not mean it isn’t more important than the next foods I mentions, or less important than the previous foods mentioned.
What makes fish so special?
Certain fish (and I’ll tell you soon which ones) contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are good for us, and have particular benefit to those who are at risk for heart disease, regardless of where that risk comes from.
Fish is a great source of protein, but doesn’t contain a lot of the saturated fat that some of the other animal products can contain. It does contain fat though, but the good ones as already mentioned. Which can
Omega-3 fats are both eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and have been shown to help reduce inflammation in the body.
This is what makes fish so special…
What fish is special?
Not all fish falls into the category of being high in omega-3’s and therefore being beneficial to you and your risk of heart disease. Fish like salmon, herring, mackerel, albacore tuna, anchovies, and lake trout are the ones you need to shoot for. The good news here is that if you come from a land locked area/state, like say, New Mexico, with the exception of the trout, these are are all the fish you can commonly find in a can!
Unhealthy Fish!
The fish that I tell people to avoid – fried fish. That lake trout is only going to be good for you if you grill, bake or broil it. If you bread and fry any fish in oil – even canola or olive oil, this just isn’t going to be a healthy option.
Also, there are mercury warnings for some classes of fish, so if you are eating fish more than twice a week, check the Environmental Defense Fund Website for a great chart on safe fish choices.
How much?
Adults without heart disease the recommendation is to eat a wide variety of fatty fish (the ones mentioned above) at least twice a week. One serving is 3-6 ounces.
Eat Well, Live Well, and Be Well – and enjoy
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