The benefits of fish come from the nutrients it contains. Fish, which is rich in protein, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, is a complete heart-friendly. It is good for depression as well as protecting the brain from the effects of aging. Don't overeat fish just because it's healthy. Too much causes damage such as mercury accumulation.
Nutritional Value of Fish
Comparing the calorie and nutritional value of fish is misleading. Because the way you prepare the fish significantly changes the nutritional structure. The nutritional content of each fish also differs. As an example, let's look at the nutritional value of 154 grams of wild Atlantic nut;
Calories: 280
Fat: 12.5 grams
Sodium: 86mg
Carbs: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 39.2 grams
The nutritional values of a 100 gram portion of other fish are as follows;
Halibut (raw): 116 calories, 3 grams of fat, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 20 grams of protein.
Tuna (yellowfin, fresh, raw): 109 calories, less than a gram of fat, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 24 grams of protein.
Cod (Atlantic, raw): 82 calories, 0,7 grams of fat, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein.
Ocean bass (Atlantic, raw): 79 calories, 1.4 grams of fat, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein.
Benefits of Fish
benefits of fish
Provides important nutrients
To say the benefits of fish in general, any type of fish is good for health. It provides high amounts of many nutrients that most people do not get enough of. Protein,iodine and contains various vitamins and minerals.
But some fish are more beneficial than others. Oily fish species are considered healthier. That's because fatty fish (like salmon, trout, sardines, tuna, and mackerel) are higher in fat-based nutrients. It is also richer in omega 3 fatty acids.
To meet the omega 3 requirement, it is necessary to eat oily fish at least once or twice a week.
Useful for heart health
Fish is the best food to eat for heart health. Regular fish eaters have a lower risk of heart attack. The death rate from heart disease is also low.
Studies indicate that fatty fish are more beneficial for heart health because they are higher in omega 3 fatty acids.
Supports growth and development
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for growth and development. a type of omega 3 fatty aciddocosahexaenoic acid (DHA)This is especially important for the developing brain and eye. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers and expectant mothers need to eat enough omega 3 fatty acids. But expectant mothers should not eat every fish. Some fish contain high levels of mercury, which causes developmental problems in the brain.
Therefore, pregnant women should only consume fish with low mercury content, such as salmon, sardines, and trout, at a maximum of 340 grams per week. Raw and uncooked fish (including sushi) should not be eaten. Because it contains microorganisms that can harm the fetus.
Protects the brain from age-related damage
One of the consequences of aging is the deterioration of brain function. Eating more fish reduces age-related cognitive decline.
Prevents depression
Depressionis a serious mental disorder. Although it does not attract as much attention as heart disease, it is one of the biggest health problems in the world.
Studies have found that people who regularly eat fish are much less likely to suffer from depression. Fish and omega 3 fatty acidsbipolar disorder It also benefits other mental disorders such as.
It is the best food source of vitamin D.
This important vitamin functions as a steroid hormone in the body, and most of the world's populationVitamin D deficiency lives. Fish and fish products are the best dietary sources of vitamin D. Salmon and oily fish such as herring contain the highest amounts. Cod liver oil Some fish oils, such as some fish oils, are very high in vitamin D.
Reduces the risk of autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseasesIn addition, the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissues. An example of this is when the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.type 1 diabetestruck. Many studies have shown that consumption of omega 3 or fish oil reduces the risk of type 1 diabetes in children.
Helps prevent asthma in children
Studies have shown that eating fish regularly reduces the risk of asthma in children by 24%, but has no significant effect in adults.
Protects eye health
Macular degeneration It is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness. It mostly happens in the elderly. Fish and omega 3 fatty acids protect against this disease.
Improves sleep quality
Sleep disorders are common. There are many different reasons for this. Some researchers believe that vitamin D deficiency may also play a role in insomnia. In one study, people who ate salmon three times a week had improved sleep quality. This is due to the vitamin D content of salmon.
Benefits of Oily Fish
Oily fish has benefits such as lowering the risk of heart disease, strengthening mental ability, preventing cancer, reducing the risk of alcohol-related dementia.A significant amount of fat is found in the body tissues and umbilical cavity of these fish. Oily fish include:
Trout
Salmon
Sardine
The eel
tunny
Ringa
Tuna
Let's list the benefits of oily fish as follows;
It reduces inflammation.
It is rich in omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and arthritis.
Oily fish are a good source of protein.
It reduces mental stress.
It protects from the formation of rheumatoid arthritis.
Protects against skin cancer.
Eating oily fish in the last months of pregnancy contributes positively to the sensory, cognitive and motor development of the child.
Regularly during pregnancysalmon Children of women who consume it are less likely to show asthma symptoms at the age of 2.5.
It reduces vision loss in the elderly.
Eating oily fish lowers the risk of breast cancer.
Fish, which is one of the healthiest foods, has benefits as well as risks that should be known. The biggest danger to fish is the mercury content. Some fish species contain toxic levels of mercury. Exposure to mercury causes serious health problems.
High exposure to mercury alters and poisons the central nervous system. This can result in irritability, fatigue, behavior changes, tremors, headaches, hearing, cognitive loss, hallucinations, and even death. It can also cause high blood pressure in humans and animals by adversely affecting the cardiovascular system.
Mercury poisoning is not typically an overnight health problem. It takes time for mercury levels in the blood to build up.
Fish containing mercury
Most fish species contain mercury. One study found that a third of fish caught had mercury levels of more than 0.5 parts per million, a level that could cause health problems for people who regularly eat these fish. In general, larger and longer-lived fish have the most mercury content. These fish are sharks, swordfish, fresh tuna, merlin.
Mercury levels in fish are measured in parts per million (ppm). Here are the average levels of different fish and seafood, from highest to lowest:
Swordfish: 0.995 ppm.
Shark: 0.979 ppm.
King mackerel: 0.730 ppm.
Bigeye tuna: 0.689 ppm.
Merlin: 0.485 ppm.
Can of tuna: 0.128 ppm.
Cod: 0.111 ppm.
American lobster: 0.107 ppm.
White fish: 0.089 ppm.
Herring: 0.084 ppm
Hue: 0.079 ppm.
Trout: 0.071 ppm.
Crab: 0.065 ppm.
Haddock: 0.055 ppm
Mackerel: 0.050 ppm.
Crayfish: 0.035 ppm.
Pollock: 0.031ppm.
Catfish: 0.025 ppm.
Squid: 0.023 ppm.
Salmon: 0.022 ppm.
Anchovy: 0.017 ppm.
Sardines: 0.013 ppm.
Oysters: 0.012 ppm.
Clam: 0.003 ppm.
Shrimp: 0.001 ppm.
Mercury in fish does not affect everyone in the same way. Therefore, some people should be more careful about their fish consumption. For example; pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children…
Babies and young children in the womb are more vulnerable to mercury toxicity. Mercury can be easily transferred to the fetus of a pregnant mother or from a nursing mother to her baby.
How to consume fish in the healthiest way?
In general, you should not be afraid to eat fish. The benefits of fish are powerful. It is recommended that most people eat at least 2 servings of fish per week.
However, women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young infants at high risk of mercury toxicity should pay attention to the following recommendations for healthy fish eating:
Eat 2-3 servings (227-340 grams) of different kinds of fish each week.
Choose fish that are low in mercury, such as salmon, shrimp, cod, and sardines.
Before eating newly caught fish, check if the water in which it was caught is safe.
If you heed these tips, you'll maximize the benefits of fish while minimizing your risk of mercury exposure.
How to recognize fresh fish?
It is important to choose fresh fish when buying fish. Nobody wants to eat stale fish. So how to identify fresh fish?
This is actually not a job that requires expertise. When you know a few important points about it, you will learn how to choose fresh fish easily.To understand fresh fish, we must first know what stale fish looks like.
The fish should smell of iodine and algae. So it must smell of the sea. If you can smell ammonia, the fish is definitely not fresh.
The eyes of the fish should be bright. Stale fish have dull eyes. He looks dull.
The gills of fresh fish are pink or red. Slimy-looking gills are a sign that the fish is getting stale.
The fish should be brightly colored. It should not collapse inward when pressed. Press lightly on the fish with your thumb. The fish should return to its former shape. If your fingerprint remains visible, it's stale.
The posture of fresh fish is straight. Its tail stands upright when you lift it from its head and hold it. The stale fish has a loose appearance. When you hold it by the head, the tail part hangs down.
If the fish is fresh, it sinks to the bottom when placed in water. Stale fish come to the surface of the water.
