Seafood - A Healthy and Delicious Diet
December 8, 2007 by Isabel Da Silva
The above given fact proves that fish is a valuable addition to anybody’s diet. In fact you can view great advantage of fish. By consuming fist at least two time a week can be an excellent source for your body, as it one of the richest natural sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, trout, and sardines comprise high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Recent studies have proven records that Omega 3 fatty acids gives protection against circulatory system disease by reducing the levels of bad cholesterol and by stabilizing blood pressure. There are as well many other heath benefits of consuming seafood. Children may achieve prevention from asthma and seafood further reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
Widely speaking Omega 3 prevents the arrival of diseases such as macular degeneration, which is one of the most widespread causes of blindness related to aging. Increase in Omega 3 fatty is favorable for people with diabetics as it maintain good amount of control of blood sugar level and has been proved to delay the appearance of dementia and as well Alzheimer’s disease.
More recent studies which have focused on its impact on the nervous system have proven benefits in brain function and even in combating depression.
Omega 3 fatty acids do not occur naturally in cells of the body and must therefore be obtained through one’s diet. Clearly Omega 3 fatty acids have many health benefits but do they have to come from fish and seafood?
You can come across three different types of Omega 3 fatty acids such as ALA - alpha-linolenic acid, EPA - eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA - docosahexaenoic acid
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is generally found in tofu, soybeans, canola walnuts and flaxseed and oils that are derivative from these products. Although, ALA has to be converted in the body cells before it actually gets absorbed. In fact our body cannot make such conversion and evidence that this conversion essentially takes place is rather unsubstantiated.
Therefore EPA and DHA has become truly significant dietary source of Omega 3 fatty acids and this is the place where fish place the role of its individuality. They are one of the richest sources of DHA and EPA.
In nature, too much consumption of anything could certainly have effects that are negative, at the same time fish is no exception. One of the major risks of consuming excess fish is the subsidiary and inadvertent eating of contaminants that the fish picks up from waterways. As there are an array of built-up contaminants, which concerns the primary trouble is mercury.
The food sources mercury level in fish differs depending up on the whether the fish is farmed or caught at the wild. Even though, in larger fish, the food chain has a better gathering of contaminants incorporating mercury. While in the usual situations the levels of mercury in most of the fist are not probable to root serious concern to adults with good health state unless consumed on an excess level.
On the other hand, new born, children and pregnant women are more at risk and vulnerable at lower levels of mercury. It is therefore imperative to restrict the eating of fish by persons in above categories. Mercury could spoil the developing nervous systems of young children or the developing fetus and as well might augment the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women.
The predominance of proof anyhow falls exactly in favor of consuming fish. The health advantages derivative from Omega 3 far prevail over the possible dangers from contaminants. If taken in control there is little doubt that fish could be certainly beneficial.
About the Author: Isabel Da Silva
To find more free seafood recipes and ideas on how to prepare seafood come to http://www.weloveseafood.com
The evidence does not favor eating fish, but rather low mercury fish. There is a big difference.
People should be aware of both the risks and benefits of seafood. The decision of what fish to eat can be a challenge and often contradictory. At the very least, people should know that FDA and EPA have issued advisories about mercury contamination in commonly-sold fish. The problem is, this information is hard to find and is not usually available where it is most necessary: your supermarket.
Oceana, a conservation group, is trying to get major grocery companies to post this government advice at their seafood counters. Thanks, in part to their work, Whole Foods, Safeway stores, and Wild Oats voluntarily agreed to post the FDA’s recommendations and they have had positive responses from customers and no loss in seafood sales. But other companies like Costco and Giant Eagle have refused to do so. Oceana has a list of which companies care about their customers’ health enough to post this advice, as well as a list of companies that don’t. You can get the Green List and Red List at their website.