Look inside this fishbowl
There are many fish in the sea, and a recent study has found that eating your share of them may help prevent hardening of the arteries.
The study looked at three groups of men aged 40 to 49. One group consisted of Japanese men (residing in Japan), another included Caucasian men from Pennsylvania, and the third was made up of third- and fourth-generation Japanese-Americans from Honolulu.
Research results showed that the Japanese men had twice the blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids(which are found in abundance in oily fish) and lower levels of atherosclerosis compared with the other two groups. This suggests that the very low rates of coronary heart disease among Japanese men may be due to their lifelong habit of high fish consumption.
Fish is an important part of a heart-healthy diet because it's an excellent source of protein, low in fat overall, and when eaten in place of fattier cuts of meat, you get the benefit of healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids replacing those unhealthy saturated fats.
Some methods of preparation are better than others. Broil, bake, or grill the fish on a rack instead of sautéing or frying. This allows any toxic chemicals that the fish may have consumed and that have become concentrated in the fat to drain away,leaving you with just those beneficial omega-3s.
When it comes to toxic chemicals, many of my patients are unsure of which fish are safe or unsafe. For the best safe-fish list, go to Seafood Watch on the Monterey Bay Aquarium web site at www.mbayaq.org. You'll be relieved to know that you have plenty of safe, tasty choices.
I would posit that if Americans ate more oily fish, such as salmon, trout, herring, mackerel, and fresh tuna, the rate of coronary heart disease in the United States would drop significantly—matching Japan's. I advise my patients to eat two fish-based meals a week for heart disease prevention and general health support.
