10 Reasons to Love Fish

Lisa Franchi January 09, 2014

Hate fish? You shouldn’t. Researchers worldwide have found that regular consumption of fish, or one to two servings weekly, could significantly promote health and lower the risk of a wide range of illnesses, from childhood asthma to heart attack and prostate cancer.

Here are 10 major reasons to eat fish:

1) It cuts your risk of heart attack. Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health found that eating fatty fish once or twice a week, for a total omega-3 fatty acid intake of 2 grams, reduced a person’s risk of cardiac death by 36 per cent and of death from any cause by 17 per cent.

2) It halves your risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is among the most common forms of arthritis – a debilitating condition characterised by swollen, inflamed and aching joints. Findings from the Karolinska Institute’s Swedish Mammography Cohort Study revealed that women who took 210 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids each day, equivalent to 210 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids each day, were 52 per cent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis even after controlling for other factors.

3) It prevents childhood asthma. Allowing your kids to eat fish is one great way to cut their risk of developing asthma. According to a study by the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam in Netherlands, early exposure to certain fatty acids in fish protects against the development of asthma.

4) It makes your skin glow. Want to have beautiful skin? Eat fish regularly. Fish oil has EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) which promotes skin health by regulating oil production that hydrates skin, and by delaying the ageing process to stave off wrinkles. A 2005 study published in the Journal of Lipid Research found that EPA can help block the release of the UV-induced enzymes that eat away at our collagen, causing lines and sagging skin. What’s more, EPA has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help protect your skin from sun damage.

5) It boosts your child’s development. If you’re a woman who’s planning to get pregnant, increase your intake of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A 2007 study published in The Lancet journal found that women who consumed fewer than three to four servings of seafood each week (about 12 ounces) were significantly more likely to have children with low levels of verbal IQ and problems with fine motor skills, social development and communication – signs of delayed brain development. According to the researchers, the risk of nutrient loss outweighed the ill effects of trace contaminant exposure from the seafood.

6) It’s good for your brain. Studies suggest that elderly people who eat fish at least once a week had a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. In another research published in the journal Plos One, participants who were given fish oil supplements steadily improved their performance in working memory tests over the course of six months.

7) It’s good for your eyesight. People whose diets are rich in omega-3 fatty acids were significantly at a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration – the most common cause of eyesight among the elderly.

8) It makes you happy. A few studies on adults suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may aid in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. However, more studies are needed to support this claim.

9) It increases sperm count. A Harvard study revealed that men who ate the most fatty fish, such as salmon, bluefish and tuna, had 34 per cent higher sperm count than those who ate the least amount.

10) It helps you live longer. Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington found that study participants who had high blood levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) – fatty acids found in fish oil, were also 27 per cent less likely to die during the 16-year study period and lived an average of two years longer than participants who had low levels of these healthful fats.