You already know fish is healthy–but it may surprise you to learn just how profoundly it can impact your whole body. Here are 5 head-to-toe reasons you want to put seafood on your plate more often.
Your brain
Eating fish regularly may help keep you mentally sharp and improve your mood. A 2014 study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine concluded that eating baked or broiled fish weekly was associated with an increase in the part of the brain responsible for memory and cognition. Other studies have found that eating fish as part of a Mediterranean Diet may reduce the risk of developing depression, and not eating enough may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Your heart
It’s pretty straightforward: people who eat fish regularly have a significantly lower chance of dying of a heart attack than people who don’t. One of the big reasons for that is the heart-protective omega-3 fats seafood contains, but that is only part of the equation. There are multiple ways eating fish helps keep your ticker healthy. Protein-packed fish has mostly cholesterol-lowering unsaturated fats and it is rich in several essential nutrients that are important for heart health, such as selenium, potassium and vitamin B12. Also, by eating more fish, you are not only reaping its nutritional benefits, you are likely displacing less healthy, saturated-fat laden proteins like fatty meats.
Your bones
Fish is a top dietary source of vitamin D, a key nutrient for bone health that most of us fall short of and few foods contain. (Vitamin D benefits bones by helping the body absorb calcium.) Getting enough protein is also important for strong bones, and since fish is protein-packed too, it does double-duty for bone health.
Your waistline
Fish packs a lot of satisfying protein without a lot of calories, so it an ideal choice for those watching their waistlines. (And let’s face it, who isn’t?) Baked, broiled or grilled seafood entrees tend to be lower in calories than most others on a restaurant menu, making it easy to choose a figure-friendly meal when dining out.
Your taste buds
Fish is delicious! There are so many varieties of seafood to explore, each with its own unique texture and flavor profile– even picky eaters are bound to find options they love. The culinary possibilities are limitless! Check out a collection of my seafood recipes here:
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1702669
- http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/HealthyDietGoals/Fish-and-Omega-3-Fatty-Acids_UCM_303248_Article.jsp#.WOOn8hIrKqA
- http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/106/21/2747?ijkey=beb048966333e029d06cb9ef4e2b7164c45f6f4c&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
- http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2015/08/21/jech-2015-206278
- http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2484683
- http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(14)00257-8/abstract
