As many of you probably know, eating fish is beneficial to our overall health. However, there is evidence that eating fish is especially good for your heart and brain. According to the study conducted by scientists from the University of Pennsylvania, kids who ate fish on a weekly basis, had better sleep and it positively affected their IQ by four points on average.
According to the National Institute of Health, the omega-3 fatty acids are the main health benefit of food. This includes the three acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The first acid resides mainly in plant oils like canola, while the other two are prevalent in seafood. Those omega-3s are important to our health and they are beneficial to our heart, blood vessels, lungs, and immune system.
Since the rate and risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease has started to grow, many scientists are trying to find food that is beneficial for brain health. A NIH report from 2016 reveals that they doubled their investment towards brain health, which made the agency’s investment up to more than $150 million for the year. Furthermore, various fish studies looked at the effect of food on our cognitive development, suggesting that omega-3s could help prevent dementia and increase brain function.
According to The Atlantic, a study from 2014 suggested that consumption of fish once per week enhanced the area of the brain which is connected with memory. Also, according to Forbes, another study conducted in 2016 unveiled that seafood decreased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease from developing. Studies have shown that people who eat fish at least once per week will help them prevent cardio-vascular disease, compared to people who don’t, according to the National Institute of Health.
Still, there is no definite evidence that eating fish will decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease. The American Heart Association advises people who are concerned about the state of health of their hearts to eat fish two times a week, considering that omega-3 acids could result in decreased fat levels and lower blood pressure.
Some other studies suggest that eating fish, thanks to the omega-3s, lower the risk of breast and colorectal cancer. Nevertheless, this requires much more research before definite evidence has been established.
“Our advice is to eat 2 to 3 servings of a variety of cooking fish, or about 8 to 12 ounces in a week,” the FDA advises on their website.
