Cassandra Schmigotzki
Apr 16, 20233 min
If you want a healthy and balanced diet, fish needs to be a part of that. Despite being so good for you and so tasty, it’s not always the thing that people will think of when it comes to the ‘main’ element of a meal. They’ll think of meat instead. And although some meat can be good for you, it’s even better if you switch some of that meat for fish. Read on to find out why that is.
Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential nutrient the body needs for good health, but it cannot make it by itself. This is why it’s crucial to include them in your diet, otherwise, your body will be missing out on a lot of important nutrients that will keep you healthy.
Fish happens to contain plenty of the omega-3 fatty acids your body so desperately needs, so it’s an easy and delicious way to get more of them in your diet. Fish are particularly full of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and these alone have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including being anti-inflammatories which can reduce the risk of heart disease, among other things.
Fish is a fantastic source of protein, and since protein is essential for the growth and repair of your body’s tissues, getting enough of this in your diet is vital. Of course, many people associate protein with meat, but fish is actually an excellent source because it’s less dense than meat and can be a lot healthier in general.
Athletes will often consume more fish than meat to achieve the protein levels they need for building muscle mass, for example - that is a sure sign that fish has to be a better option than meat when you’re looking for the most protein-packed ingredient.
The food we eat needs to contain all the vitamins and minerals that our bodies - and brains - need to function well and to keep us healthy. Fish contains many of these nutrients, including a lot of vitamins and minerals. Just some of the minerals fish have are vitamin B2, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and iodine. Salmon is particularly well known for having a lot of iron and zinc in it, which is why it can easily become a regular go-to menu item for you, especially when you know how to make creamy dill sauce for salmon, and you can turn an already tasty ingredient into something really special.
When it comes to the vitamins specifically that you’ll find in fish, they are absolutely needed for your health. Vitamin B2 increases your energy levels (which also helps you lose weight), and vitamin D helps you keep your teeth and bones healthy, as well as enables your body to absorb more calcium.
You may have heard people say that fish is brain food but dismissed with as a myth. However, it’s actually true; fish is good for your brain health, as well as giving you better memory recall and keeping you alert.
This all links back to the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids within fish. EPA and DHA are critical components of brain health, and studies have shown that they can improve cognitive function, memory, and even mood. It’s suggested by these studies that this means you should eat more fish if you want to reduce the risk of developing any cognitive conditions as well as mental health problems like depression and anxiety.
Fish contains a lot of elements that are known to be good for eye health, including omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A.
We’ve already mentioned many of the amazing benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, but there is more to say; eating plenty of them can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, meaning your eyesight won’t get so bad as you get older.
It seems as though eating more fish is good for you in a variety of different ways, and your skin can benefit as well. That’s down to those same omega-3 fatty acids, but also because of the vitamin E and zinc fish contains.
Omega-3 fatty acids are good for the skin because they can reduce the risk of skin cancer, and vitamin E and zinc can protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals (atoms that can damage cells and therefore cause cancer).