What are the benefits of eating fish? Cons to note when eating fish

Fish is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Fish is packed with important nutrients, such as protein and vitamin D. Fish is also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are extremely important for the body and brain.

Fish is rich in high-quality protein, iodine, and various vitamins and minerals. Among fish, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines…) is considered the healthiest because it contains many nutrients, especially vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. . To meet the body’s needs for omega-3 fatty acids, you should eat fish 2-3 times per week.

What are the benefits of eating fish?

1. Reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke

Heart attack and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the world. Meanwhile, fish is one of the best foods for the heart. Research shows that people who regularly eat fish have a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from heart disease.

In a study of more than 40,000 men in the US, those who regularly ate one or more servings of fish per week had a 15% lower risk of heart disease.

Researchers believe that fatty fish are even more beneficial for heart health because of their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Contains important nutrients during growth

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for growth and development. In particular, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is especially important for brain and eye development. That’s why pregnant and lactating women are recommended to supplement with omega-3s.

However, certain types of fish are high in mercury, which can affect brain development problems. Therefore, pregnant women should only eat fish with low mercury content and should not eat more than 340 grams per week, and avoid eating raw or rare fish because it may contain harmful microorganisms to the fetus. .

3. Boosts Brain Health

Your brain function often declines with aging, causing brain complications, which can even lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Eating fish can help slow down the mental decline caused by aging.

Studies have shown that people who eat fish weekly have more gray matter in their brains. This is the main functional tissue in the brain, helping the brain regulate emotions and memory.

4. Helps prevent and treat depression

Depression is increasingly common in today’s modern society and is becoming one of the biggest health problems. Depression is characterized by low mood, easy body fatigue, loss of interest, low self-esteem and low self-esteem.

Studies have shown that people who regularly eat fish are less likely to suffer from depression. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish also help fight depression and significantly increase the effectiveness of antidepressants.

In addition, eating fish or providing omega-3 also helps support other mental conditions, such as bipolar disorder.

5. Contains a lot of vitamin D

Vitamin D functions like a steroid hormone in the body. Fish and fish products are among the best sources of vitamin D. One serving of cooked salmon (113 grams) provides 100% of the recommended amount of vitamin D.

Some fish oils, such as cod liver oil, are also rich in vitamin D, providing more than 200% of the Daily Value (DV) in 15 ml.

6. Reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes happen when your immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys your body’s healthy tissues.

Several studies have linked omega-3 or fish oil consumption to a reduced risk of type 1 diabetes in children, as well as an autoimmune form of diabetes in adults. This is due to the omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D content found in fish.

Some experts even believe that eating fish can also reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

7. Helps prevent asthma in children

Asthma is a common disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways. The prevalence of asthma in the world is increasing in recent years.

Studies show that regular fish consumption is associated with a 24% reduction in the risk of asthma in children, but no significant effect in adults.

8. Protect your eyesight in old age

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness, primarily affecting older adults. There is a lot of evidence that eating fish can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration because it contains omega-3 fatty acids.

One study found that regular fish consumption was associated with a 42% reduction in the risk of AMD in women.

Another study found that eating fatty fish once per week was associated with a 53% reduced risk of neovascular AMD.

9. Improve sleep quality

Many people have a sleep disorder. Researchers believe that a vitamin D deficiency is one of the causes.

In a 6-month study in 95 middle-aged men, a meal of salmon three times per week improved both sleep and daily functioning.

Disadvantages of eating fish

Fish has many great health benefits. However, there are many types of fish that can cause brain and nerve damage in adults, it can also affect the development of infants and young children. These are fish with high levels of mercury such as imported swordfish, shark, tilefish, especially king mackerel.

Just like mackerel, different types of tuna have different levels of mercury. For example, canned tuna is a good source of protein, you can eat 3 times a week. However, bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, you should not eat more than once a week.

– Do not eat raw, undercooked or undercooked fish because it is easy to be poisoned and helminthic, harmful to the liver, and increases the risk of helminth infections.

– Do not eat fish when you have a cough because it will make the disease worse.

– Do not eat fish when hungry because there is an easy risk of gout, because the nutritional content of high-protein fish loaded into your body when hungry will increase the amount of purine converted into uric acid – a type of uric acid. Acid damages tissues, leading to gout.