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Eat More Baked or Grilled Fish for Better Health

Some of the longest-living people in the world are the Japanese who consume a lot of their daily calories in the form of ? sh (almost 7 percent). By way of comparison, Americans consume less than 1 percent of their calories as oily ?sh rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in cold water oceans. Fish like salmon and mack­erel have been associated with a wide range of potential health bene?ts, including better heart health, sharper mental function, enhanced ability to ? ght off illness, and less frequent cancer. An increased intake of the main oils in ?sh is actually associated with a lower risk of heart attacks, sudden death, and Alzheimer’s disease, which, among other things, is associated with omega-3 fatty acid de?ciencies in the brain.

Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (abundant in most veg­etable oils like sun? ower, saf?ower, and corn) are essential in your diet. The intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids was equal for early humans, but Americans today consume a ratio of ten to one (i.e., more omega-6s) because of reduced omega-3 fatty acid intake and the widespread use of vegetable oils rich in omega-6. Due to the way the body processes the two fatty acids, it’s unhealthy to have their respective intakes so far out of balance. To improve your health, consider reducing your intake of omega-6s while increas­ing omega-3s—or simply increase the latter. If you can’t tolerate ?sh, consider taking ?sh oil or omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing up to 1.8 grams of these healthy fats.

Omega-3 fats are abundant in many cold water , but these essential fats are also abundant in whole grains, seeds and nuts, leafy green vegetables, and cer­tain oils like ?axseed, canola, and olive. If you’re looking for the ones with the highest content, try ?axseed oil (which contains 8.5 grams of omega-3 fat per tablespoon), ?axseeds or linseeds (2.2 g/tbs), canola oil (1.3 g/tbs), soybean oil (0.9 g/tbs), walnuts (0.7 g/tbs), and olive oil (0.1 g/tbs).

Action Steps for Better Health Tip

Eat ?sh rich in omega-3 fats four days a week to enhance your brain, heart, and overall health, or consider taking ? sh oil supplements. Mercury intake should not be an issue as long as you vary your types of ?sh and limit your intake of long-living predator ?sh, such as shark, sword? sh, and mackerel.

What About All the Hype over the Mercury in Fish?

Nearly all ?sh contain trace amounts of mercury, but ? sh found in areas where industrial mercury pollution is extensive can have particularly high levels. In general, however, mercury levels for most ?sh range from less than 0.01 parts per million (ppm) to 0.5 ppm. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limit for safe mercury consumption is set at 1 ppm, but only a few species of ?sh—long-living predator ?sh such as shark and sword? sh—reach these levels. Certain species of very large tuna (used for steaks or sushi) can also have levels over 1 ppm, although canned varieties, including smaller species of tuna like skipjack and albacore, generally average only about 0.17 ppm. Most saltwater ?sh contain less than 0.3 ppm.