Hooked on Health: Benefits of Including Fatty Fish in Your Diet
MNDGP student blog by Haley Boss
Fish is an excellent component to a healthy and well-balanced diet. Not only is fish full of protein, but fish also contains many important vitamins and minerals including vitamin D, fish is also low in saturated fats, and high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty fish have many positive effects on health such as promotion of heart health, brain function, and weight management.
What Types of Fish are Classified as Fatty Fish?
Fatty fish are typically cold-water fish that have more fat storage to survive in the colder temperatures. There are a wide variety of fatty fish that can be added into your diet to reap the health benefits. Salmon, sardines, canned tuna, cod, herring, and mackerel are all excellent options. The American Heart Association recommends including three ounces of cooked fatty fish to your diet twice a week.
What are Omega-3 Fatty Acids and What are the Health Benefits?
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that cannot be created in the body; therefore, it is essential that Omega-3 Fatty Acids are included in the diet. Omega-3 ‘s have many important functions in the body, such as building cell membranes in the body and affecting the function of these membranes, providing a starting point for making hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation (Omega-3 Fatty Acids: An Essential Contribution).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are a heart-healthy fat and eating plenty of fatty fish high in Omega-3 ‘s can help prevent heart disease. These beneficial fatty acids can lower blood pressure and heart rate, and when consumed in higher amounts, can lower triglycerides and may ease inflammation (Fish: Friend or Foe). There are two types of Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). According to the American Heart Association people who consume 2-3 grams of the two Omega-3 Fatty Acids reduced their systolic and diastolic pressure by 2mmHg compared to those who were not consuming 2-3 grams of EPA and DHA daily (American Heart Association, 2022).
The Adequate Intake (AI) that is set for Omega-3 Fatty Acid is 1.6 grams for males aged 19-50 and 1.1 grams for females aged 19-50 (Department of Health and Human Services). A research article published by British Medical Journal Open stated that over 68% of Americans do not receive adequate amounts of Omega-3 Fatty Acids through their diet (Murphy, et al.). Signs and symptoms of an Omega-3 fatty acid include skin irritation, dry eyes, joint pain, and thinning hair (Panoff, 2021 ).
Health Benefits of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is used in the body to build and maintain healthy bones, is anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, supports immune health, muscle function, and brain activity. Not many foods naturally contain Vitamin D, luckily, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or sardines contain vitamin D. Studies show that individuals that get adequate vitamin Din their diet may have slower bone mineral loss which can help prevent conditions such as osteoporosis.
The Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) for Vitamin D for both male and female adults 19 years and older is 600 IU. For adults that are over the age of 70, the RDA increased to 800 IU (Vitamin D) due to the aging population losing bone density and an increased risk of osteomalacia and osteoporosis. Vitamin D deficiency is a common problem in the United States with 35% of adults not receiving adequate amounts of Vitamin D (The Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Signs and symptoms of a deficiency in adults include bone pain, fatigue, muscle weakness, cramps, and aches. Vitamin D deficiency in children can lead to Rickets and lead to incorrect growth patterns due to bent or bowed bones, deformities in joints, bone pain, and muscle weakness (The Cleveland Clinic, 2022).
How Does Fatty Fish Promote Brain Health?
As previously mentioned, there are two types of Omega-3 found in fatty fish, EPA and DHA. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential to keep your brain functioning efficiently. Low levels and deficiencies of DHA have been linked to memory issues and even linked to Alzheimer’s diseases with long term deficiencies (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2022). Maintaining a consistent intake of adequate intake of DHA long term may reduce the risk of declined cognitive function.
Hooked on Health
Overall, fatty fish has many health benefits and can fit well into a balanced and healthy diet. By including three ounces of cooked fish in your diet twice a week you can reap the beneficial properties of fatty fish. The benefits of fatty fish include the promotion of heart health, brain function, and weight management. Fatty fish is packed full of vitamins and minerals and provides adequate amounts of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids. For inspiration on how to include fatty fish into your diet, try this recipe from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Recipe for Fatty Fish: Napa Valley Glazed Salmon Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme – 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 ¼ pounds salmon, cut into 4 pieces
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2) Combine the honey, thyme, mustard, lemon zest and pepper in a small bowl. Arrange the salmon, with the skin side down, in a shallow roasting pan lined with cooking foil. Using the back of a spoon, spread the honey mixture to coat the top of each fillet.
3) Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F and flesh is opaque and flakes with a fork
Resources
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2022, June 6). Brain Health and Fish. Eatright.org. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://www.eatright.org/health/essential-nutrients/fats/brain-health-and-fish
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2018, October 6). Napa Valley Glazed Salmon Recipe. Eatright.org. Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https:/www.eatright.org/recipes/napa-valley-glazed-salmon-recipe
American Heart Association (2022, June 1). Consuming about 3 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids a day may lower blood pressure. American Heart Association News. Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/06/01consuming-about-3-grams-of-omega-3-fatty-acids-a-day-may-lower-blood-pressure
Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.). Omega-3 Fatty Acids. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids- HealthProfessional/?adb sid=ca3c84f6-a79d-4dbf-a047-862fc188f3e4#h2
Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health (n.d.). Fish: Friend or Foe. The Nutrition Source.Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/fish/ Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health (n.d.). Omega-3 Fatty Acids: An Essential Contribution. The Nutrition Source. Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types of-fat/omega-3-fats/
Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health (n.d.). Vitamin D. The Nutrition Source. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamin-d/
Mayo Clinic (2023, August 25). Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart. Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart disease/in-depth/omega-3/art-20045614
Murphy, R. A., Devarshi, P. P., Ekimura, S., Marshal, K., & Mitmesser, S. H. (n.d.). Long-chain omega-3 fatty acid serum concentrations across life stages in the USA: An analysis of NHANES 2011-2012. British Medical Journal Open. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/5/e043301
Panoff, L., MHP,RD (2021, January 6). 5 Signs and Symptoms of Omega-3 Deficiency.Healthline. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/omega-3-deficiency
The Clevland Clinic (2022, August 2). Vitamin D Deficiency. The Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 20, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15050-vitamin-d vitamin-d-deficiency