Forget the fish fry

How do you like your fish?

I hope you said “baked” or “broiled.”

A recent University of Washington study reports that how you prepare your fish does make a difference.

As I mentioned in Monday’s e-Alert about flax seed (“Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?” 5/12/03) the most common dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish, especially dark-meat fish like swordfish and tuna. And while a high intake of these deep-water fish presents the problem of ingesting too much mercury, the importance of omega-3 to our overall health (and heart health in particular) can’t be emphasized too often.

The Washington study examined the diets of almost 4,000 adults over the age of 65 who showed no signs of cardiovascular disease. Researchers followed up nine years later to record the subjects’ incidence of non-fatal heart attacks, and deaths due to the narrowing of arteries that causes coronary heart disease (CHD).

The study results showed that those who regularly ate tuna and other baked or broiled fish (3 or more times per week) had a significantly lower risk of CHD than those who ate the same fish infrequently. Those who regularly ate fried fish, however, had a higher risk of both heart attack and death due to CHD.

I expect that most HSI members won’t be shocked to learn that fried fish (or any food that’s deep fried) is not a good nutrition choice. Nevertheless, it’s still a good idea to get the word out so that those who sometimes order a fried fish in hopes of getting the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids won’t be led astray.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:
“Not Any Old Fish Food Will Reduce Heart Attacks” Dr. Joseph Mercola, 4/30/03, mercola.com
“Cardiac benefits of fish consumption may depend on the type of fish meal consumed: the Cardiovascular Health Study.” Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 2003 Mar 18;107(10);1372-7, circ.ahajournals.org